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Jenna Schillaci

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Jenna Schillaci
Schillaci at White Hart Lane in 2017
Personal information
Date of birth (1984-03-21) 21 March 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth Enfield, England[1]
Height 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2001 Tottenham Hotspur
2001–2004 Queens Park Rangers
2004–2007 Langford
2007–2009 Enfield Town
2009–2020 Tottenham Hotspur
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:25, 31 September 2019 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11:36, 14 September 2019 (UTC)

Jenna Schillaci (born 21 March 1984) is an English former professional footballer. Primarily a defender, she played for and captained Tottenham Hotspur during their rise from the lower divisions to the FA Women's Super League.

Club career

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Schillaci is from the London Borough of Enfield in north London, England. She grew up in a family of Tottenham Hotspur F.C. supporters and played football with her brothers during her childhood.[3][4] As a 16-year-old she joined Tottenham Hotspur Ladies and immediately went into the first team, playing in the Greater London Women's Football League and FA Women's Cup.[5]

After one season, Schillaci left Tottenham Hotspur.[1] She moved to play for Queens Park Rangers and later Langford, then Enfield Town.[1][4] She returned to Tottenham in summer 2009.[6]

As a versatile utility player, Schillaci featured in midfield or at full back for Spurs.[2] After several seasons she successfully deputised as a central defender and remained permanently in the role after that.[3] She was particularly proud to captain Spurs to the 2016–17 FA Women's Premier League Southern Division title, secured by beating West Ham at her beloved White Hart Lane.[4]

In 2019 Schillaci was among 11 of Spurs' existing players to be offered a full-time professional contract to remain with the club following their promotion to the FA Women's Super League.[7] Reflecting on the progress made since her humble beginnings at the club, she described the development as: "amazing, a dream come true".[8]

Schillaci made her top division debut in Spurs' 1–0 defeat by Chelsea, played before 24,564 spectators at Stamford Bridge. After the match she told reporters: "We're not in this league to make up the numbers".[9] The 2019–20 FA WSL season was curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and 36-year-old Schillaci announced her playing retirement in June 2020.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "11 Jenna Schillaci". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Jenna Schillaci". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  3. ^ a b Karimullah, Khalid (25 February 2018). "The Big Interview - Jenna Schillaci". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Women. Retrieved 14 September 2019.[permanent dead link‍]
  4. ^ a b c Turner, Kate (21 August 2018). "Player Post: Spurs Ladies' captain Jenna Schillaci". National Football Museum. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  5. ^ "Tottenham Hotspur Ladies - First Team Season 2000-01". My Eyes Have Seen The Glory. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  6. ^ "THLFC New Season New Start". My Eyes Have Seen The Glory. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  7. ^ "Introducing our Tottenham Hotspur Women players". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  8. ^ "Jenna's journey to the top flight". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 7 September 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  9. ^ Rosser, Jack (9 September 2019). "Tottenham prove they are no pushovers despite Chelsea defeat - FA WSL news". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  10. ^ "End of an era as Jenna Schillaci retires". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 26 June 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
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