Distinguished alumni

Mary started playing football at the age of eight, mostly knocking a ball around with her younger brother and dad until a local father set up a grassroots team called West Bridgford Colts.

Her parents encouraged her to take up a variety of sports from dance to swimming, which gave her an appetite for fitness and exercise. Aged 14 she started playing for Leicester City at their centre of excellence, and that was when football became a more serious pursuit for her. For a short period she moved to Nottingham Forest and then onto Doncaster.

Mary’s passion for football didn’t prevent her from continuing her education and in 2012 she became an undergraduate student at Loughborough. While nearing the end of her studies, she made the decision to become a professional footballer. Mary is always planning for the future and acknowledges the importance of having completed her degree.

She currently plays in goal for Manchester United in the Women’s Super League, previously having played for her hometown club Nottingham Forest, Bristol City, Doncaster Rovers Belles, Reading, and German giants Wolfsburg.

In June 2017 she was called up to England's training camp for the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 and won her first senior cap. Mary was named in the squad for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Mary was chosen for the England squad in the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 where she played every minute of all six games during the campaign as England went on to win the Euro for the first time. She is a dedicated professional and an extremely talented goalkeeper and we are immensely proud to have her as one of our Loughborough alumni.