News about Steph Houghton

For Manchester United fans, it was the biggest of let-offs. For everybody else, it was yet more evidence VAR is sucking the joy out of football. Coventry City denied one of the greatest moments in FA Cup history - and one of the most miraculous comebacks of all-time - by mere inches. In the days before technology, Victor Torp's winner in the dying seconds of extra time would have been heralded as yet more magic from the world's greatest cup competition. It could well have also sealed Erik ten Hag's fate as United boss. But the ruthless accuracy of VAR and its offside lines stopped wild Coventry celebrations in their tracks and ultimately allowed United passage to the final.

KATHRYN BATTE: The date is July 31, 2012, and Steph Houghton has just written her name into the history books. Houghton has made it three goals in three of Team GB's first two group matches in the Olympic Games, but this one is different. This one is against Brazil, against 70,584 protesters at Wembley Stadium. This one will make her a household name, marking the first true women's football icon in this country.

In an illustrious career, the Manchester City captain, 35, has won three Women's Super League titles, one with her current side and two at Arsenal. She captained England at two World Cups and one European Championship, as well as an international championship, while the Lionesses failed to third place at the 2015 World Cup. She earned 121 caps in a storious foreign career. Houghton began playing for Sunderland in 2002 and has also represented Leeds Carnegie and Arsenal before moving to City ten years ago.

Former Liverpool player Darby and former Bristol City forward Marcus Stewart, who both suffer from the disease, raised £130,000 for the cause. On Friday, Darby's 'March of the Day' walk began at Valley Parade stadium in Bradford City, where he spent five years of his career before ending at Anfield, the home of Liverpool. On the walk, Houghton was joined by her former Lionesses teammates, with Jill Scott and current England actor Chloe Kelly showing their love on the day. As they braved the wind and rain for their cause, Jamie Redknapp and Paul Scholes joined the walk.

Manchester City has applied to create a £10 million purpose-built training center for their women's team. Gareth Taylor's side shares a building with the academy faculty, although they do have their own pitches, and they have been on-site at the Etihad Campus for some time. However, the club has made a pledge to imitate the high-performing environment of the men's first team by the enactment of a new hub, which they expect to open in 2025.

Stephen Darby and Marcus Stewart, two former Premier League players, have bravely opened their battles against motor neurone disease (MND). During a special feature for BBC Breakfast on the disease, the two were seen in Anfield discussing how the illness has affected them and their families. With the pair spending time in the Liverpool team's changing room, Stewart was seen pushing Darby (pictured right, with his former England captain wife Steph Houghton) in a wheelchair.

Following the difficult illness, the former Liverpool and Bradford City footballer, who was forced to leave in 2018 after two falls this year, shared photos of his bleeding head, indicating that the illness has made him more vulnerable to falls. Darby, 35, is married to Manchester City actress Steph Houghton; his illness occurred three months after the couple's wedding. (Pictured Left: Stephen Darby, a footballer, plays for Liverpool) Right and inset: head injuries the former football has suffered this year)

The former footballer was just 29 when he was diagnosed with MND, just three months after marrying ex Lioness captain Steph Houghton, 35. This week, he celebrated five years since he heard the devastating news. Daily tasks were getting more challenging, but "a privilege" is being able to do it, says the author. (Pictured: Playing for Bradford City in the 2015, right, with wife Steph Houghton)

STEPH HOUGHTON: England may not have won the World Cup, but they have certainly won at the World Cup, according to STEPH HOUGHTON. To see the effect at home has been amazing. On Sunday, people were planning their whole weekend around the final. It was thrilling to see bars packed with people watching it. Around 6,000 people attended a one-screening in Manchester, which is quite impressive. It was nothing like this when we were in the World Cup in 2015, and with the success of the Euros last year, this year marks another big moment for women's football in this region.

STEPH HOUGHTON: Sarina Wiegman's team is trying to be just the third women's team to host both the European Championships and the World Cup at the same time, as well as their uncontested position at the top of the world game. It won't be a simple game. Spain has a lot of dreams, and they will face Lionesses in their first ever final. However, Wiegman will lead her team as they step onto the grass in Sydney in front of the country's eyes.

The Lionesses will face Spain in their first-ever World Cup final, kicking off at 11 a.m. in Sydney, in less than 48 hours. Both ITV and BBC will be broadcasting coverage of the case, with commentators already dreaming of etching their own iconic quote into public consciousness for decades to come. There's barely a whisker between the broadcasters, both of whom have been following the competition so far, with both companies bringing top talent to the rafters.

STEPH HOUGHTON: England has reached the World Cup final. I can't believe it, but I can! I am so proud of them. You see your teammates, your families, and their families enjoying their dreams, as well as how much money they have invested to get there. It's amazing. This is football. Hempo, my teammate (Lauren Hemp), was amazing, but I don't think she knows how talented she is. She was at the center of all of it. She is relishing her central position and the system suits her. For someone who is used to being on the left, she is relishing her position, and I think the scheme suits her. She is a country girl with a strong accent and adores going back to Norwich. She has a wonderful family and is so humble and down to earth. No matter what happens, she never changes. I don't think she will ever know what she has just done.

STEPH HOUGHTON: England is getting anxious ahead of their match against Australia on Wednesday, which is only normal. It's a World Cup semi-final, and the last few hours before the final training session and the match will be exhausting. They are significant. I get excited about the 2019 semi-finals and the penalty miss. I was a character for three or four months before it was announced as one. I was really hard on myself, and it was affecting my football and my self-confidence.

KATHRYN BATTE IN SYDNEY: Just when the England manager hoped she had discovered the right system for Lauren James, the Lionesses' main player, will now compete in the remainder of the tournament without her. Wiegman admitted that she had never had so many problems. Following her red card for her explosive presence in the dramatic win over Nigeria, she has been required to leave key players at home, sustained an injury blow to her midfield linchpin, and now must deal with James' suspension for at least three games.

STEPH HOUGHTON: Every time you find a solution to a problem, you face another one. That's what it looked like on Monday as Keira Walsh returned just after we lost our player of the tournament Lauren James. In terms of the same formation and the same squad, England in the Euros had a pretty straightforward sailing.

STEPH HOUGHTON: A number of the girls have discussed the physical danger they face against Nigeria. We know Nigeria will be tough and strong, especially in attack, and England must be well prepared for that. We played Cameroon, a team from Cameroon, at the last World Cup, and it was one of the craziest games of my career. We were winning 3-0 and it was chaos on the sidelines. Their coach came on and at one point they threatened to leave, but they did not walk off. They were trying to do everything - there was a lot of pride involved. We made it through it by being focused, not retaliating and focusing on the larger picture. It's important that England adopts a similar attitude now.

STEPH HOUGHTON: Keira Walsh is England's most important player, and if she has injured her ACL it will be a huge blow. Plenty of talk has revolved around the No. 9 position in the England team's squad and whether Millie Bright will be able to play, but Keira, who plays in No. 6 is the most important. I've watched her transform from a 16-year-old girl who came to Manchester City to, in my opinion, the best holding midfielder in the world. She has a natural speaking ability, is highly organized, and is incredibly gifted. She's also very strong physically and reminds me a little bit of Rodri, the head of our City men's team. When Rodri does not play, they can't necessarily get going.

STEPH HOUGHTON: Although it may not have looked like it at the time, England's first World Cup match against Haiti would have done them no harm. I said you should lose points over results, but we may have a more convincing win, but we still have the three points. Goalkeeper Mary Earps was a big part in a few nervous moments, and goalkeeper Mary Earps was instrumental. It was a big test for the players. There were times when Haiti were on the right track, but we did not meet the standards that had been set. That is not a bad thing. It would have kept England grounded.

STEPH HOUGHTON: England may not have wished for a more effective first opponent at this World Cup than Haiti. You're always looking to get three points on the board and ease into the tournament, but England must be cautious. We have seen a lot of injuries to key players this season, but I believe England are the tournament's favorites, although it is more transparent than it has been and much harder to forecast. Previously, it has only been the United States because no one was going to stop it. Now there are five or six teams in the competition.

Gabby Logan, Alex Scott, and Reshmin Chowdhury have all been in the BBC's lineup for coverage of the Women's World Cup. Juliette Ferrington and Vicki Sparks will lead BBC Radio Five Live's coverage of the tournament. Ellen White, Steph Houghton, and Fara Williams will all be analyzing the games, as well as Rachel Brown-Finnis, Anita Asante, and Karen Bardsley.

BY MIKE KEEGAN: It hurt when she was left out of the squad for the last year's European Championship. There were tears on the way home from St George's Park, from where she had to make a quick exit after being allowed 30 minutes to leave before the press arrived. But Houghton went back to work. She re-established herself at City and did well against their key WSL opponents with a World Cup coming up. When she made Wiegman's long list, there was hope, but she was ultimately left for the second time by a manager who hasn't picked her since taking over in 2021. The pain was resurfaced, perhaps with sadness edged.

KATHRYN BATTE: The Lionesses' boss wanted all of her players in camp by June 19, but some clubs can not make their players available until four days later, which is a date that has been mutually agreed by the European Club Association and FIFA. Bayern Munich, who have midfielder Georgia Stanway, has confirmed that they will not release players until the agreed date, although leading English sides are reluctant to do so. Manchester United will welcome players into camps from June 19, but only if other clubs are prepared to do the same. Mail Sport understands that Manchester United will allow players to join camps from June 19. In addition, players would have to agree to participate.

After England boss Sarina Wiegman's decision to keep the experienced pair out of her 23-player squad, Beth Mead and Steph Houghton did not qualify for the World Cup this summer. Mead, who won the golden boot at Euro 2022, sustained an ACL tear in November and has yet to be considered fit enough to be included. After being dropped from the provisional squad of 28 last summer, Houghton, meanwhile, has missed out for a second time. Despite not being part of the team since September, Bethany England is nevertheless included in the squad.

Sarina Wiegman, England's women's boss, admitted that it is unlikely that former captain Steph Houghton will make her World Cup squad. The defender, who suffered with injuries in 2014, first captained the Lionesses, but she was initially called up to the provisional squad for the triumphant Euro 2022 season, but she did not make the final cut. On Sunday, the 34-year-old told the BBC that she had not given up hope, but that she had 'just wanted closure' after feeling she had pushed herself to the limits for a shot at inclusion. "She's in a difficult situation because, as I said, I don't want to exclude the players who are in that situation because they are doing well.'