Goalkeepers spend most of their careers being forgotten about and under-appreciated. Until recently, Mary Earps was no different.
England’s No 1 was ready to give up football three years ago. After a long spell out of the international set-up, Earps had hoped her form for Manchester United would earn her a recall in September 2020. But it did not.
Four goalkeepers — Carly Telford, Ellie Roebuck, Hannah Hampton and Sandy MacIver were picked ahead of her. Earps recalled how, upon seeing that squad list, she sank to her kitchen floor and cried.
‘I got to a point where I felt I had sort of reached my limits,’ Earps said.