Harriet Archer Scott (born 10 February 1993) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for Birmingham City and the Republic of Ireland national team.[3] She was named Women's International Player of the Year by the Football Association of Ireland in 2018.[4] A combative left-back, Scott joined Reading at youth level and remained with the Berkshire club when they were promoted into the FA Women's Super League in 2015.
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Personal information | |||
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Full name | Harriet Archer Scott[1] | ||
Date of birth | (1993-02-10) 10 February 1993 (age 29) | ||
Place of birth | Reading, England[2] | ||
Height | 162 cm (5 ft 4 in) | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Birmingham City | ||
Number | 3 | ||
Youth career | |||
Caversham | |||
Reading | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2009–2018 | Reading | 24 | (0) |
2018– | Birmingham City | 67 | (1) |
National team‡ | |||
2017– | Republic of Ireland | 23 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 May 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 September 2022 |
Scott joined her local club Reading as an eight-year-old and progressed through the club's youth system to debut in the first team as a 16-year-old. She spent some time out of football due to her studies, before returning to Reading and helping them secure promotion to the top-flight FA Women's Super League in 2015.[5]
Scott signed a full-time professional contract with Reading in January 2016.[6] She made seven appearances during the 2016 FA WSL season.[7] Reading finished in eighth place with a 1–9–6 record.[7] After signing a new contract with Reading for the 2017 FA WSL season, Scott made eight appearances during the regular season. The team finished in sixth place with a 2–4–2 record.[7]
After leaving Reading, Scott agreed to join Birmingham City ahead of the 2018–19 FA WSL season.[8] In her first season she was an important player for The Blues as they performed better than expected, compiling a 13–6–1 record to finish fourth in the League.[9] She signed a new two-year contract with Birmingham in July 2019.[10] Following the departure of the long-serving Kerys Harrop in 2020, Scott was appointed club captain by incoming Birmingham manager Carla Ward.[11]
In 2010, Scott was included in the Republic of Ireland U-17 squad who were runners-up in the 2010 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship[12] and quarter-finalists in the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.[13][14] Scott was born in England but eligible to play football for Ireland because three of her four grandparents were Irish.[3] After refusing an under-19 call up in order to prioritise her educational commitments, Scott spent an extended period out of consideration at international level.[15]
Scott made her debut for the Republic of Ireland women's national football team at the 2017 Cyprus Cup in a 2–0 win over Czech Republic.[16] She became an important national team player under head coach Colin Bell, displaying good form in the unsuccessful 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying series.[17]
During the 2020–21 FA WSL season, Scott entered her final year of studying medicine at Keele University.[19] She is a qualified and chartered physiotherapist, and left her full-time position at Royal Berkshire Hospital to become a professional footballer, although she continued to work at the Hospital part-time.[20] During the hiatus in her playing career with Reading, Scott moved to Bristol, attended the University of West England and worked as a physiotherapist for the Wales women's national football team under head coach Jayne Ludlow.[21]
Birmingham City W.F.C. – current squad | |
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FAI Women's Senior International Player of the Year | |
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