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BBC News
23-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Furness 'didn't want to hang on and hate the game'
Rachel Furness stood in the changing room and said a few words in front of her Northern Ireland team-mates as she fought back the decision to retire had not come overnight, but that did not make the moment any less oversized shirts and paying to play, to breaking records and making history on the biggest stage, she had seen it all in a career that had spanned 20 in the season, Furness had been in line for a Northern Ireland recall before she picked up an injury which ruled her out until the new was throughout that period when retirement crossed her mind."I thought it might have been my body telling me it had enough," Furness told BBC Sport NI."I'm happy with what I have achieved in the game and I didn't want to hang on and hate the game, so it's the perfect time to step away." After announcing her retirement, Furness jumped on a plane and went on holiday for a week. It not only gave her a chance to reflect, but celebrate a career in which she had achieved so much. From a teenager in a re-formed national team, Furness would become her country's record goalscorer and win 95 caps. She played a key role as Northern Ireland qualified for a major tournament for the first time at the Euros in 2022, and even assisted Julie Nelson's famous goal against admits she almost "downplays" her achievements but, after working with a leadership coach, she has realised "it is something to shout about"."I'm so proud that I've got that record. There was blood, sweat and tears to score that many goals for Northern Ireland, in a team that traditionally doesn't score that many goals. "Every one one of those 95 caps was special in a different way and every one of them has a story attached to it." 'I never thought I'd get that moment' A standout message from her speech was leaving the Northern Ireland shirt in a better place than she found it, and that was certainly the case. Her passion, as was so often evident on the pitch, was clear for all to Furness made her debut as a teenager in 2005, Northern Ireland's senior team had just been re-formed, the players had to pay to play and their shirts were oversized hand-me-downs from the men. "We were always the underdogs. We were budget girls who fought for each other, and what a 20 years it has been with the transition that has happened with coaching and the tournaments. "Alfie (Wylie) paved the way, then with Kenny (Shiels) it was doing what we thought was the impossible, and now Tanya (Oxtoby, the current manager) is leading the new generation. "I can step aside happy knowing we are going in the right direction. "We've still so much to fight for and just because I'm retired doesn't mean I'll stop fighting for what I think we need to compete." Despite her achievements, those final moments with her team-mates in a changing room in Bosnia-Herzegovina may never have happened at all. After Euro 2022, Furness had stepped away from playing for her country to focus on her mental health - something she later opened up about in an interview with BBC Sport. She returned to the fold the following year, but injuries limited her involvement. A final call-up came for May's Nations League matches, and while she did not get any minutes in those fixtures, her experience off the pitch helped guide a young squad to a League A promotion play-off."As a competitor, you are always disappointed when you don't get on, but for me it was the bigger picture of being in camp, being around the girls and having an input off the pitch."It was me able to say goodbye and I never thought I'd be able to do that on my terms. I'm fit and I'm healthy, and I never thought I'd be able to retire and it was in my own hands." 'A little girl's dream came true' Furness didn't only get a fitting end with her country, but also with Newcastle United - the club she had supported since she was a little girl. Her playing career had taken her across the WSL, at clubs such as Sunderland, Reading, Tottenham, Liverpool and Bristol it was the north east of England where her heart was calling, and she signed a one-year contract with Newcastle, who had been promoted to the Championship. As Furness says, it was a "full-circle moment"."My dream was always to walk out at St James' Park and to do that in front of 38,000 people this season was a little girl's dream come true."Early in the season, when she picked up the injury that swayed her towards retirement, it did not look like it would be a fairytale ending. But after recovering, she played a key role at the end of the season and she scored in her final home match and captained the side the following week in her final game."I've not retired sitting on the bench, I've retired on a high playing for the team I support, to the point where people have questioned why I've done it when I've still so much to give. "I would have bought the shirt and paid someone to play, so I feel very lucky and fortunate that I got to wear that shirt and got paid to do it." 'I'm big on being happy' Furness is someone who lives and breathes football. Her passion for the game remains, and now she has hung up her boots she intends to give something back."I'm hoping to go into coaching and stay in the game in some capacity. "I've got a few opportunities. I'm starting again with such knowledge and experience behind me, and such confidence in what I can give."Furness is excited for the future, and no matter what the next chapter brings, her priority is to remain happy and healthy."Life's short so if I'm not enjoying it then I'll find something I do enjoy."I'm big on being happy and mentally being in a good place, which I am at the moment. "We'll see what opportunities come across, and whatever it'll be, there will be a smile on my face and I'll be happy with the decisions that I make."
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Northern Ireland's record goalscorer Furness retires
Rachel Furness, Northern Ireland's record goalscorer, has announced her retirement from club level, the 36-year-old played for a number of sides in England including Sunderland, Reading, Tottenham, Liverpool, Bristol City and Newcastle United. After making her international debut in 2005, the midfielder won 95 caps and scored 38 goals for Northern played a key role in NI's qualification for the Euro 2022 finals - the county's first major women's final Northern Ireland appearance came away to Hungary in the Nations League in October 2023, although she was recently recalled in April's international window and was part of the squad for Nations League matches with Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Born in Newcastle and qualifying for Northern Ireland through her mother and grandfather, Furness made her senior international debut as a teenager in 2005 - shortly after the team had been was integral to Northern Ireland's historic qualification for Euro 2022, scoring five goals, and her dedication to her country was showcased in the play-off first leg in scoring the opening goal, she attempted to play on despite sustaining what turned out to be a broken leg. In the second leg, she was there heading every ball and cheering every tackle whilst on crutches on the recovered and became Northern Ireland's record goalscorer in November 2021 when she netted twice in a World Cup qualifying win over North Macedonia at played in all three matches at the finals in Southampton, delayed a year by Covid, providing the assist for Julie Nelson's famous header against stepped away from international duty following the tournament, which she later revealed in an emotional interview to BBC Sport NI was to look after her mental health. She made a long-awaited return to the squad away to Wales the following April, and her last cap came in Hungary in October 2023 as injuries limited her her standing was still clear when she was drafted in as a last-minute call up for April's game at home to Romania, providing crucial experience in a young squad, and she retained her place for the concluding fixtures in the Women's Nations League campaign. After starting her club career at Sunderland, Furness had a stint a Newcastle United, where she recovered from a serious knee injury before she spent a summer in Iceland with Grindavik in returned to England with Sunderland, where she won the Premier League Nations Division title in her six years at the Sunderland reverted to part-time status, Furness moved on to Reading in 2017 and had a loan spell at Tottenham Hotspur. The most successful stint of her club career, which also aligned with Northern Ireland's historic spell, came when she signed for Liverpool in 2019. Furness helped Liverpool back to the top flight in 2023 and made it back-to-back Championship titles when she played an integral role in Bristol City's promotion the following her dream had always been to play for her childhood club, Newcastle, and she signed a one-year deal in July. It was fitting that she got to live out her dream at Newcastle, and although injuries limited her involvement throughout the season, she helped the Magpies to fifth place in the Championship table. Analysis - one of NI's most impactful players With injuries limiting her minutes and Tanya Oxtoby's youthful approach, Furness' news is not entirely unexpected but does signal the latest changing of the guard for Northern just like when Marissa Callaghan announced her retirement, is it sad to see another of Northern Ireland's history-making Euro 2022 squad call time on their time in a player, Furness will be remembered as a fearless competitor who made history by becoming the record goalscorer for her of the most important strikes was in the historic Euro 2022 play-off first leg in Ukraine, when she netted the opening goal before she tried to play on after sustaining a broken leg. That sums up her dedication to her country. Away from her goals, one of the standout memories of Furness is her dancing around with her crutches in the air after the play-off win over also had a huge impact off the pitch, and her openness about her mental health struggles were inspiring as she encouraged other players to be open about their feelings and to stand up for their story is one of resilience and perseverance, and her all-round presence, not just her footballing ability, means she will be regarded as one of the most impactful players in Northern Ireland's storied history.
