Rachel Rowe Explained

Rachel Rowe
Fullname:Rachel Susan Rowe[1]
Birth Date:1992 9, df=yes
Position:Winger
Currentclub:Southampton
Years1:2012–2013
Clubs1:Cardiff City
Years2:2013–2015
Clubs2:Swansea City
Years3:2015–2023
Clubs3:Reading
Caps3:118
Goals3:14
Years4:2023–2024
Clubs4:Rangers
Caps4:19
Goals4:4
Years5:2024–
Clubs5:Southampton
Caps5:0
Goals5:0
Nationalyears1:2010–2011
Nationalteam1:Wales U19
Nationalcaps1:6
Nationalgoals1:1
Nationalyears2:2015–
Nationalteam2:Wales
Nationalcaps2:64
Nationalgoals2:8
Club-Update:12:12, 14 June 2024 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:11:04, 04 May 2024 (UTC)

Rachel Susan Rowe (born 13 September 1992) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a forward for Women's Championship club Southampton and the Wales national team.

Rowe began her senior career with Cardiff City before joining Swansea City in 2013. After two seasons, she joined Reading in February 2015, initially combining her playing career with a job in the prison service. She turned professional later the same year after helping the club win promotion to the FA Women's Super League. She made her international debut for Wales in 2017.

Early life

Rowe lived in Swansea, Wales where she began playing football at a young age. Her father suffered from alcoholism and she later commented that their "relationship deteriorated" due to his drinking before his death when Rowe was 21.[2] She took a job at HM Prison Swansea as an operational support guard and later fulfilled the same role at HM Prison Cardiff. The role included performing vehicle checks and escorting contractors onto prison wings to perform maintenance work. She later enrolled on a business management course provided by the Welsh Government.[3]

Club career

Rowe initially played for a local boys youth team but later stated that "nobody wanted to play with me". She was spotted by a scout from Swansea City Ladies and played for the club's youth academy.[2] However, she began her senior career with the club's local rivals Cardiff City and won the inaugural Welsh Premier Women's Football League title during the 2012–13 season, scoring in their decisive 5–2 victory over Wrexham in the final game of the season.[4] She returned to Swansea during the summer window soon after. However, she suffered a broken leg while playing against her former team during the first half of the following campaign.[3]

In February 2015, Rowe joined WSL 2 side Reading with assistant manager Kelly Chambers describing her as possessing "an abundance of competitiveness along with her pace, strength and work rate".[5] Despite the move, Rowe remained semi-professional during her first year, making the 300-mile round trip from her home in Swansea to training three times every week while remaining in her job with the prison service.[3] [6] In December 2015, she signed a professional contract with Reading following the club's promotion to FA Women's Super League.[7] Following promotion, Rowe converted to playing as a full-back for a period, having originally joined the club as a winger.[8]

At the start of the 2018–19 season, she featured in a 1–0 victory over Liverpool. However, the following month, she suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in a friendly match that ended her season after a single appearance. Despite her injury setback, she was offered a new contract with the club at the end of the campaign.[9] On 7 November 2020, Rowe played her 100th game for Reading.[10]

In March 2021, Rowe signed a new three-year contract with Reading.[11] Rowe left Reading at the end of the 2022–23 season following their relegation to the Women's Championship.[12]

On 21 July 2023, Rowe signed for Scottish Women's Premier League club Rangers.[13]

On 14 June 2024, she signed for Women's Championship club Southampton.[14]

International career

Having previously represented Wales at under-17 and under-19 level, Rowe made her debut for the senior side in Wales' first UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying match against Austria starting in a 3–0 defeat in Sankt Pölten.[15] She made her international debut despite still working within the prison service.[3] [6]

In 2022 she earned her 50th cap in a FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 qualifying playoff tie against Bosnia and Herzegovina.[16]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Reading2015WSL 21600060220
2016WSL1612010191
2017WSL41100051
2017–18WSL1841061255
2018–19WSL10002031
2019–20WSL1202050190
2020–21WSL1951130236
2021–22WSL1411110161
2022–23WSL1833030243
Total1181411227115618
Rangers2023–24SWPL1941110215
Career total1371812328117723

International goals

No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 8 October 2019 1–0 1–0 UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying
2. 1 December 2020 2–0 3–0
3. 17 September 2021 Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli, Wales 3–0 6–0 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
4. 6 April 2023 Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales 4–0 4–1 Friendly
5. 11 April 2023 1–1 1–1
6. 5 April 2024 Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, Wales 3–0 4–0 UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying
7. 9 April 2024 1–0 6–0
8. 3–0

Honours

Individual

Rangers

Notes and References

  1. Web site: List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/06/2018 and 30/06/2018 . The FA . 3 December 2018 . PDF.
  2. Web site: 'Kicking Through Mental Health' with Rachel Rowe (Wales & Reading FC Women) . She Kicks . O'Neill . Jen . 15 March 2019 . 7 July 2019.
  3. News: The women at the heart of an incredible Welsh football tale unfolding right now – and the fascinating stories behind them . WalesOnline . Media Wales . Coleman . Tom . 5 April 2018 . 7 July 2019.
  4. News: Cardiff City Women win Womens Welsh Premier League title . BBC Sport . 19 May 2013 . 7 July 2019.
  5. News: Rowe Joins Royal Women . Reading F.C. Women . 19 February 2015 . 7 July 2019.
  6. News: Wales women 'can spark more pay' for female footballers . BBC News . Morgan . Kate . 30 August 2018 . 7 July 2019.
  7. News: Reading Women: Rachel Rowe and Lois Roche sign contracts. 6 February 2016. BBC Sport. 7 December 2015.
  8. News: Reading FC Women defender Rachel Rowe eyes FA Cup success after "life-changing" promotion to WSL 1 . Wokingham Today . Crocker . Tom . 1 April 2016 . 7 July 2019 . 7 July 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190707192550/https://www.wokinghampaper.co.uk/reading-fc-women-defender-rachel-rowe-eyes-fa-cup-success-after-life-changing-promotion-to-wsl-1/ . dead .
  9. News: Rowe Remains a Royal . Reading F.C. Women . 2 May 2019 . 7 July 2019.
  10. Web site: Rowe celebrates 100th appearance . readingfc.co.uk/ . Reading F.C. . 20 December 2020 . 20 December 2020.
  11. Web site: Rachel Rowe: Reading's Wales striker signs new three-year contract . bbc.co.uk/ . BBC Sport . 6 February 2022 . 26 March 2021.
  12. Web site: My time at Reading has come to an end. . instagram.com/rsrowe13 . Rachel Rowe Instagram . 30 June 2023 . 29 June 2023.
  13. Web site: RANGERS SIGN RACHEL ROWE FROM READING . rangers.co.uk . Rangers F.C. . 24 August 2023 . 21 July 2023.
  14. Web site: 14 June 2024 . Rowe becomes Women's first summer signing . 14 June 2024 . Southampton FC.
  15. Web site: Austria 3 – 0 Wales. UEFA. 24 September 2015. 22 September 2015.
  16. News: 2022-10-03 . We’ve made history but we’re not finished – Wales midfielder Rachel Rowe . 2024-04-11 . BelfastTelegraph.co.uk . en-GB . 0307-1235.
  17. 1590690750999642112. BarclaysWSL. A last minute screamer for @ReadingFCWomen! @RachelRowe1323's strike is the @BarclaysFooty Goal of the Month . Barclays Women's Super League. 10 November 2022. 10 November 2022.
  18. Web site: Canavan . Amy . 26 May 2024 . Rangers 2–0 Hearts . 14 June 2024 . BBC Sport.