Mary Phillip facts for kids
Phillip playing for Arsenal in October 2006
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mary Rose Phillip | ||
| Date of birth | 14 March 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Peckham, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Peckham Town (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Lambeth Ladies | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1992–2000 | Millwall Lionesses | ||
| 2000–2004 | Fulham | ||
| 2004–2008 | Arsenal | ||
| 2008 | Chelsea | ||
| International career | |||
| 1996–2008 | England | 65 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2019– | Peckham Town | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Mary Rose Phillip (born March 14, 1977) is an English football manager and former player. She currently manages the men's team, Peckham Town, in the Kent County League.
Mary was a very flexible player. She could play in all four defensive positions and also in midfield. She even captained the England team. She was the first black player to lead an England women's international football team. Until 2011, she was the only player to be part of two World Cup squads for England.
During her time as a player, Mary earned 65 international caps. She had a very successful club career. She played for Millwall Lionesses, Fulham Ladies, Arsenal Ladies, and Chelsea Ladies. She won the FA Women's Cup with three different clubs, which is a huge achievement!
After she stopped playing in 2008, Mary became a coach and manager. In 2020, she made history again. She became the first female manager to lead a men's senior team to win a cup. In October 2024, Mary Phillip was honored by being added to the English Football Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and Football Dreams
Mary Phillip was born and grew up in Peckham, England. She is biracial, meaning her parents came from different backgrounds. Her father was a bus driver from Saint Lucia, and her mother was a primary school teacher from Ireland. From a very young age, Mary loved football and was eager to play.
Playing for Clubs: A Winning Career
Mary's journey in club football was full of success and trophies.
Starting with Millwall Lionesses
Mary joined Millwall Lionesses when she was just 12 years old. She quickly showed her talent. In 1997, she helped Millwall win the FA Women's Cup. They beat Wembley in the final match.
Becoming a Professional at Fulham
In 2000, Mary moved to Fulham Ladies. This was a big step because she became a professional player. She was one of the first 16 women in the UK to play football professionally. With Fulham, she won her second FA Women's Cup in 2002. They defeated Doncaster Belles 2–1.
Mary became the captain of Fulham. In May 2003, she lifted the FA Women's Cup again. This game was watched by 10,000 fans in the stadium and 1.9 million people on TV! That season, Fulham achieved a "treble," meaning they won three major competitions.
Success with Arsenal Ladies
In July 2004, Mary joined Arsenal Ladies. She played as a central defender. Her strong partnership with fellow defender Faye White helped Arsenal achieve amazing success. They won many titles in England and in Europe.
Mary won the FA Women's Cup three more times with Arsenal. These wins were in 2006, 2007, and 2008. At the end of the 2007–08 season, Mary decided to leave Arsenal.
Finishing Her Playing Career at Chelsea
Mary then joined Chelsea Ladies for the 2008–09 season. However, in October 2008, at the age of 31, Mary Phillip decided to retire from playing football.
Playing for England: A National Hero
Mary's international career for England was also very impressive.
Early Days and a Break
Mary made her debut for the England team in 1996. She was playing for Millwall Lionesses at the time. She even played alongside Hope Powell, who later became the national coach. When she was 18, Mary was called up for the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup squad. She had six caps before taking a break from international football. She stepped away for four years to have her two sons.
Returning as a Leader
Mary returned to the England team in early 2002. She later had the honor of captaining England in two friendly matches against Sweden in February 2006. This happened when the usual captain, Faye White, was injured.
She captained England again when White was out with a serious knee injury. Mary led the team to a victory over France. This win helped England qualify for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup. Mary Phillip was the first black player to captain an England women's international team.
World Cup Appearances
After being chosen for the World Cup squad going to China, Mary made history. She became the first English player to be part of two World Cup squads. In February 2008, Mary was one of eight Arsenal players who started in England's 2–1 friendly win against Norway. Overall, she played 65 games for her country.
The FA later gave her the legacy number 114. This was to celebrate the 50th anniversary of England's first international game.
Becoming a Manager: Making History Again
After retiring as a player in 2008, Mary decided to become a coach. She earned her A licence in the 2010s, which is a high-level coaching qualification.
Leading Peckham Town
In 2019, Mary became the manager of Peckham Town. This was her local club, where she had already coached the Under-18s and then the senior team. In 2020, her team won the London Senior Trophy. This was the club's first cup win ever. It was also a historic moment because it was the first time a senior men's team won a cup with a female manager.
In 2021, Mary also helped coach the England women's Under-18 team. She did this as part of a special program to help talented coaches.
Personal Life
Mary Phillip has two sons and two daughters. In 2017, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord.
Honours and Achievements
Mary Phillip has won many awards and trophies throughout her career as both a player and a manager.
Player Honours
Millwall Lionesses
- FA Women's Cup: 1996–97
- FA Women's Premier League Cup: 1996–97
Fulham
- FA Women's Premier League: 2002–03
- FA Women's Cup: 2001–02, 2002–03
- FA Women's Premier League Cup: 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03
- Women's FA Community Shield: 2002–03, 2003–04
Arsenal
- FA Women's Premier League: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08
- UEFA Women's Cup: 2006–07
- FA Women's Cup: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08
- FA Women's Premier League Cup: 2004–05, 2006–07
- Women's FA Community Shield: 2005–06
Manager Honours
Peckham Town
- London Senior Trophy: 2019–20
