To Mum and Dad: without your support, guidance and love I would not be where I am today or have achieved what I have. Thank you xx.
To Glen: thanks for being the best brother anyone can ask for.
To Alex: thanks for being there for me when times were hard, being patient and never giving up on me.
Also, thanks to: Beryl Smith, for supporting me, coming to all my England home games and for being there; Gavin Pugh, for travelling all over the world to watch me play – it means more than you’ll ever know; Margaret Pearson, for following my career and taking me to football all those years ago when Dad couldn’t make it; Lois Fidler, for helping me when I was struggling and always being there for me; Norman Burns, for being an amazing man, believing in me and making football fun; Peter Kay and James West at Sporting Chance clinic and Umbro, my boot sponsor.
In the USA, thanks to: Betty Ann Kempf, Robin Cunningham, Marie Wozniak, Charlie Naimo, Mark Krikorian, Tony Dicicco and Joe Cummings.
For Footballer, my thanks to: Lance Hardy, former women’s football editor at BBC Sport, who worked on this project with me; Giles Elliott and all at Transworld, for publishing my story; Jonathan Harris, for securing the book deal; Lijana Sutich, for transcription of interviews; Daniel Balado-Lopez, copy editor; Glenn Lavery and David Barber at the Football Association for help with statistics.
And big thanks to: Hope Powell, for all the support and friendship you have given me and for helping me reach the highest levels on the playing field; Dr Pippa Bennett (aka Mama Doc), for looking after me for all these years on and off the field; Vic ‘The Boss’ Akers, for everything you have done for me; Arsenal FC, for leading the way in women’s football and for allowing me to play for the best club team in England and our captain, Faye White, for being a true friend and room-mate on the national team for over a decade. We have had many a laugh and many a cry … Thank you!