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Jayne Ludlow

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Welsh footballer and coach

Jayne Ludlow
MBE
Ludlow in October 2006
Personal information
Full name Jayne Louise Ludlow
Date of birth (1979-01-07) 7 January 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth Llwynypia, Wales
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Barry Town Ladies
Millwall Lionesses
Southampton Saints
2000–2013 Arsenal Ladies 356 (211)
2005 → New York Magic (loan) 6 (3)
International career
1996–2012 Wales 61 (19)
Managerial career
2013–2014 Reading
2014–2021 Wales
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Jayne Louise Ludlow MBE (born 7 January 1979) is a Welsh football coach and former player. A midfielder, Ludlow played at Arsenal for 13 years, whom she also captained and was the club's all-time top goalscorer when she retired. She represented the Wales national team from 1996 to 2012, and had been captain until her international retirement.

Ludlow later moved into management and led the Wales national team and its youth teams.

Early life

Ludlow's father had been a professional football player, and she began her own football career early, playing with a boys' team before having to stop aged 12. Ludlow enjoyed a promising junior career in athletics, being the British record holder in the triple jump at Under-17 level and also representing the UK at the Under-20s level. She also represented Wales at netball and basketball. Ludlow decided to focus on football, but had to travel to Barry Town to play since there were no girls' teams in the South Wales Valleys.

Club career

Ludlow won a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania, but left months into the four-year course due to dissatisfaction with the standard of football. She then moved to London and played for Millwall Lionesses and Southampton Saints, while completing a physiotherapy degree at King's College, London.

Joining Arsenal in 2000, Ludlow scored 28 goals from midfield as she helped the Gunners to a domestic treble in her first season. At the time, manager Vic Akers described her as "the best box-to-box player in the women's game". She was voted Players' Player of the Year in 2001, an achievement she repeated in 2003 and 2004. In 2007, Ludlow was a key part of the side which won an unprecedented quadruple, scoring 24 goals. In the 2005 off-season, she returned to the United States to play for New York Magic.

She stayed loyal to Arsenal to become vice-captain and later, captain of the side.

During Arsenal's 1–0 league win at Everton in April 2010, Ludlow was red carded for an "aggressive outburst" at opponent Fara Williams. This meant that club captain Ludlow was suspended for the 2010 FA Women's Cup final, in which Arsenal were beaten by Everton.

In July 2013, after a succession of injuries, Ludlow announced her retirement from playing, indicating a desire to focus on her role as an academy coach with Arsenal and Wales. Altogether with Arsenal, Ludlow won nine league titles, six FA Cups, and a UEFA Women's Cup. Ludlow is Arsenal's all-time highest goal scorer.

International career

Ludlow won her first senior Wales cap at the age of 17, against the Republic of Ireland in February 1996.

In November 2010, she returned to the fold following the appointment of new coach Jarmo Matikainen. Ludlow then won her 50th cap, and scored her 18th goal, in captaining Wales to an 8–1 win over Bulgaria.

When Ludlow retired from international football in October 2012, she was described by Matikainen as "the most successful player that Wales has ever had".

Coaching career

In August 2013, Ludlow accepted a position as manager and director of Reading, who had successfully bid for a place in the FA WSL 2. She stepped down from the role at the end of the 2014 FA WSL season, after being appointed manager of the Wales women's national football team on 2 October 2014. Ludlow was the technical director of Manchester City Girls' Academy from April 2021 to January 2024.

Playing style

At first, Ludlow sought to mimic Pelé's playing style. She went on to model her game upon players such as Roy Keane to become a more orthodox midfielder. Ludlow has also often been compared with fellow Gunner Freddie Ljungberg, to her delight.

Personal life

Ludlow is a supporter of Arsenal. She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to women's football in Wales.

Managerial statistics

As of 1 December 2020
Team From To Record
G W D L Win %
Reading 30 August 2013 2 October 2014 22 14 3 5 063.64
Wales 2 October 2014 19 January 2021 53 21 14 18 039.62
Total 75 35 17 23 046.67

Honours

Arsenal

Individual

  • FA Players' Player of the Year Award: 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04
  • Welsh Sports Hall of Fame Roll of Honour: 2018

References

  1. "Jayne Ludlow". UEFA. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  2. ^ "New York Magic". USLsoccer.com. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  3. ^ Brumsack, Nik (11 July 2013). "'I've enjoyed every single minute'". Arsenal.com. Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Jayne Ludlow announces retirement". Arsenal.com. 28 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Manchester City: Jayne Ludlow joins WSL side as youth technical director". BBC Sport. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Profile and interview". BBC. 11 July 2002. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  7. Robertson, Emma (3 September 1995). "Schoolgirl with the world at her feet". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  8. ^ Potter, Sarah (6 October 2001). "Ludlow leaps on to bigger stage". The Times. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  9. "Statistics 2006–2007". Arsenal F.C. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  10. "Short profile". Arsenal F.C. Archived from the original on 10 January 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  11. "Ladies lose to the Gunners". Everton F.C. 12 April 2010. Archived from the original on 14 June 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  12. "Arsenal Ladies Legend Jayne Ludlow "very proud" to be new manager of Wales Women". Wales Online.co.uk. 2 October 2014.
  13. "Jayne Ludlow". UEFA.
  14. Leighton, Tony (21 November 2010). "Arsenal's Jayne Ludlow returns to Wales's colours against Bulgaria". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
  15. "Match Report – Wales 8 – 1 Bulgaria". FAW.org.uk.
  16. "Arsenal's Jayne Ludlow calls time on Wales career". British Broadcasting Corporation. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  17. "Jayne Ludlow appointed Reading Manager". She Kicks. 30 August 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  18. "National Women's Teams Manager - Jayne Ludow". Football Association of Wales. 2 October 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  19. "Rhondda's top Gunner has City in her sights". Wales Online.co.uk. 7 January 2006.
  20. ^ "Sportswomen of the Year: Top gunner". The Times.co.uk.
  21. "No. 62666". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 2019. p. B19.
  22. Jones, Dave (19 January 2021). "Goodbye to Jayne – reflecting on Ludlow's record as Wales women's manager". nwsport.co.uk. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  23. "England (Women) 2003/04". RSSF.com.
  24. "Ludlow sets Arsenal new target". UEFA.com. May 2007.
  25. "England (Women) 2001/02". RSSF.com.
  26. ^ "ARSENAL LADIES MAKE HISTORY". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  27. Leighton, Tony (30 September 2012). "Arsenal women retain Super League title with victory over Doncaster". The Guardian.
  28. "Arsenal take English WSL title". UEFA.com. 28 August 2011.
  29. "Arsenal 4-1 Birmingham". FAWSL.com.
  30. "Arsenal Ladies 1-0 Birmingham City". FAWSL.com.
  31. "FA Cup win secures Arsenal Double". BBC. 5 May 2008.
  32. Cocozza, Paula (4 May 2004). "Arsenal enjoy Fleeting moment". The Guardian.
  33. "Arsenal 5 Leeds 0: Yankey leads march in Arsenal cup coup". The Independent.
  34. "League Cup Final: Doncaster 0-5 Arsenal". Arsenal.com. 26 February 2009.
  35. Leighton, Tony (7 March 2005). "Arsenal put rivals in their place". The Guardian.
  36. Cole, Rob (24 June 2018). "'Famous Five' join Roll of Honour on night for the ladies". Welsh Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
FA Women's Players' Player of the Year
Wales women's national football team – managers
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