Alex Cottier

Alex Cottier-Small
Personal information
Full name Alexandra Cottier-Small
Date of birth (1973-12-06) 6 December 1973 (age 51)
Position(s) Defender / Midfielder /
Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
–1994 Brighton & Hove Albion Women
1994–2000 Croydon Women
2000–2001 Southampton Saints
2001 Arsenal Ladies
2001–2003 Southampton Saints
2003–2004 Bristol Rovers Women
AFC Wimbledon Ladies
AFC Bournemouth Ladies
2008–2011 Andover New Street Ladies
International career
England 5 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alexandra "Alex" Cottier-Small (née Cottier) (born 6 December 1973) is an English former international footballer. As well as the England women's national football team, Cottier-Small played FA Women's Premier League football for clubs including Croydon and Arsenal. She won the FA Women's Cup twice during her career with Croydon.

Club career

Croydon player–manager Deborah Bampton signed Cottier-Small and Donna Smith from Brighton in 1994. A versatile left–sided player, Cottier-Small performed as a striker, winger and defender in Croydon's League and Cup double winning team in 1996.[1] The 1996 FA Women's Cup final was won by defeating Liverpool in the final on penalties. Cottier-Small came on as a ninth minute substitute. Her Croydon team finished runners-up to Arsenal in the 1998 final but she won for a second time in the 2000 final where she was named on the substitutes bench as Croydon defeated Doncaster Belles 2-1 at Bramall Lane.[2]

In 2001–02 Cottier-Small was on the books of Arsenal Ladies.[3] She rejoined Southampton during the season.[4]

In November 2003 Cottier-Small quit relegated Southampton to sign for Bristol Rovers.[5] Rovers manager Tony Ricketts said of Cottier-Small: "Her experience of top flight football will be invaluable to us, as will the fact that she can play either in centre midfield or at centre half – those are two areas where we've been vulnerable since the start of the season."[6]

Cottier-Small signed for Andover New Street Ladies in summer 2008.[7]

International career

Cottier-Small represented England at senior level. She was called–up for the first time in March 1994, for a European Championship qualifier versus Belgium at the City Ground. Arsenal left–back Michelle Curley had withdrawn from the squad after she dislocated her knee in an FA Women's Cup tie. At the time Cottier-Small's manager at Southern Division Brighton, Julie Hemsley, was also England coach Ted Copeland's assistant.

She was allotted 107 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England’s inaugural international.[8][9]

Personal life

Cottier-Small served in the British Army and played football for their representative team.[10]

References

  1. ^ "First Team Player Profiles". Croydon Women's Football Club. Archived from the original on 7 January 1997. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  2. ^ Slegg Chris, Gregory Patricia (2021). A History of the Women's FA Cup. thehistorypress pages 136 145 152. ISBN 9780750996594.
  3. ^ "Arsenal Ladies Squad". Arsenal Ladies Squad. Archived from the original on 29 October 2001. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  4. ^ Leighton, Tony (6 January 2002). "Everton clear hurdle". BBC. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  5. ^ Clarke, Roger (8 November 2003). "LADIES FOOTBALL: Fear of the drop fires up Blues.(Sport)". Birmingham Evening Mail. Retrieved 26 July 2012.[permanent dead link‍]
  6. ^ "It's Saint Cottier Day For Women". Bristol Rovers FC. Retrieved 26 July 2012.[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ "Keeper needed for New Street Ladies". Andover Advertiser. 25 June 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  8. ^ "England player legacy and results archive". England football. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  9. ^ Lacey-Hatton, Jack (18 November 2022). "Lionesses introduce 'legacy numbers' for players past and present". mirror. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Hat full of goals give Army Women a win over Woking". femaleSOCCER.net. Retrieved 11 August 2012.