Rebecca Spencer

Rebecca Leigh "Becky" Spencer (born 22 February 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Women's Super League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Jamaica national team. After coming through the ranks at Arsenal, she had spent short spells with French club ASJ Soyaux and Birmingham City before returning to Arsenal ahead of the 2013 FA WSL. She spent two-and-a-half more years with Birmingham City, before joining Chelsea in January 2016. Born in England, Spencer represented England at Under-19 and Under-20 levels and now represents Jamaica at senior international level.

Rebecca Spencer
Spencer with Tottenham in 2019
Personal information
Full nameRebecca Leigh Spencer[1]
Date of birth (1991-02-22) 22 February 1991 (age 33)
Place of birthHarrow, London, England
Height1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s)Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Tottenham Hotspur
Number22
Youth career
Watford Ladies
2001–2006Arsenal
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2006–2011Arsenal10(0)
2009Nottingham Forest (loan)1(0)
2010–2011Gillingham Ladies (loan)12(0)
2011–2012ASJ Soyaux3(0)
2012Arsenal0(0)
2012Birmingham City8(0)
2013Arsenal0(0)
2013–2015Birmingham City30(0)
2016–2018Chelsea8(0)
2018–2019West Ham United12(0)
2019–Tottenham Hotspur60(0)
International career
2010England U195(0)
2010England U203(0)
2021–Jamaica17(0)
Medal record
Representing  Jamaica
CONCACAF W Championship
Third place2022 Mexico
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 07:39, 27 November 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 07:39, 27 November 2023 (UTC)

Early life

Born in Northwick Park Hospital, Spencer attended Welldon Park First and Middle School, appearing as the school goalkeeper aged 10. She then attended Rooks Heath College and in January 2009 was a fitness student in St Albans.[2]

Club career

Spencer began her career as a junior with Watford before joining the Centre of Excellence at Arsenal in 2001.[2] She progressed through the centre of excellence age groups and joined the senior team in 2006, where she was primarily the understudy to first choice keeper Emma Byrne. She made her FA Women's Premier League debut and in April 2008 was in goal as Arsenal beat Millwall Lionesses 3–1 in the London Cup Final,[3] having been in the Arsenal side beaten by Charlton Athletic in the 2006 final.[4]

Spencer was an unused substitute in the 2008 FA Women's Cup Final as Arsenal beat Leeds Carnegie[5] and in the 2009 final as Arsenal beat Sunderland.[6] She has also won an FA Women's Premier League Cup winners' medal having been an unused substitute for Arsenal's win against Leeds in March 2007.[7]

Spencer joined Gillingham on loan for 2010–11. She said "I have had a frustrating few years regarding getting regular game time and Gillingham has been the right choice of club to do this."[8] In December 2011 Spencer left Arsenal for French Division 1 Féminine club ASJ Soyaux.[9][10] She returned to England in March 2012 for family reasons, [11] briefly rejoining Arsenal and appearing on the bench for two matches in the Champions League. [12][13] Spencer then signed for Birmingham City, making her debut in a 4–0 FA Women's Cup win over Sunderland.[14] She went on to play a pivotal role as Birmingham defeated Chelsea in the 2012 FA Women's Cup Final on penalties.[15]

Spencer returned to Arsenal for the first half of 2013, but left Arsenal for a third time in July 2013.[16] She returned to Birmingham City. In January 2016, Spencer announced her transfer from Birmingham to WSL champions Chelsea.[17] Birmingham described the transfer fee banked from Chelsea as "an extremely good deal for the club".[18]

Spencer moved to West Ham United in June 2018.[19] She made 12 league appearances and four in the FA Women's League Cup.[20] She was an unused substitute in the side that played against Manchester City in the 2018–19 FA Women's Cup final.[21] In June 2019, it was announced that Spencer would leave West Ham upon the expiration of her contract.[22]

International career

Spencer has represented England at Under–15,[2] Under–19[23] and Under–20 level.[24] She was the first choice for the Under–20s World Cup side in 2008.[25] In 2009, she was a key player as England's Under–19s side won the UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship in Belarus, keeping clean sheets throughout the tournament,[26] and was named as one of ten 'emerging talents' from the tournament on the UEFA website.[27] She was called up to Mark Sampson's senior England squad in 2016 and was an unused substitute against Estonia.[28]

Spencer also qualifies for Jamaica through her heritage and received her first call-up to the Jamaican national team in June 2021. During that camp, Spencer made her senior international debut in a 1–0 win over Nigeria. She wears the number 13 jersey.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 26 November 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cup[a]League cup[b]Continental[c]Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Arsenal2006–07Women's Premier League00??00?000
2007–08Women's Premier League40??10?050
2008–09Women's Premier League40??10?050
2009–10Women's Premier League20??10?030
2011Women's Premier League00??002020
Total100??3020150
Nottingham Forest (loan)2009–10Women's Premier League10?00010
Gillingham2010–11Women's Premier League120?010130
ASJ Soyaux2011–12D1 Féminine300030
Birmingham City2012Women's Super League80?0100090
Arsenal2013Women's Super League00?0100010
Birmingham City2013Women's Super League60?00060
2014Women's Super League140?03080250
2015Women's Super League100?030130
Total300?06080440
Chelsea2016Women's Super League60?0000060
2017Women's Super League00?000
2017–18Women's Super League20?0200040
Total80?02000100
West Ham United2018–19Women's Super League1200040160
Tottenham Hotspur2019–20Women's Super League1402010170
2020–21Women's Super League1603030220
2021–22Women's Super League1101020140
2022–23Women's Super League1100010120
2023–24Women's Super League80000080
Total6006070730
Career total1440602501001850

International

As of match played 27 September 2023
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Jamaica202110
202280
202380
Total170

References

External links