Rachel Brown

Early career

Brown was born in Burnley, Lancashire, and attended St Christopher's CE High School in Accrington. She began playing football as a goalkeeper at primary school, in a boys' team. She said: "They were reluctant to let me join in. It was a case of, 'OK, if you must play you'd better go in goal.'" After a few years of not playing in a team, due to The Football Association (FA) rules prohibiting mixed gender teams, Brown joined Accrington Ladies. Being younger than the required 14, Brown played local open age football for the club. Just after her 15th birthday, Brown joined Premier League National Division team Liverpool Ladies. She was scouted at an Easter holidays goalkeeping camp run by Bob Wilson in London, where Brown was the only female of 48 attendees. After applying for the camp through Match magazine, Brown was presented with the Player of the Camp award by David Seaman. Having expected to understudy Liverpool's experienced former England goalkeeper Tracey Davidson, Brown became first choice when Davidson quit football approximately three weeks later. Brown's Liverpool debut came against all–conquering Arsenal on the opening day of the 1995–96 season. Liverpool lost the match, staged at Anfield, 6–0. A decade later, Brown recalled the occasion: "It was very, very daunting – yeah we lost big time! Being thrown in the deep end was an understatement – I was only small and it was hard enough playing against women never mind some of the best players in…

England

Brown played eight times for the England Under-18 side and made her senior debut, aged 16, in February 1997 against Germany. She entered play as a substitute for regular goalkeeper Pauline Cope, as England were beaten 6–4 in the friendly at Deepdale. Manager Ted Copeland also gave Brown some playing time in the next match, a 6–0 friendly win over Scotland at Bramall Lane on 9 March 1997. Exactly a year later, Brown made her first home start in England's 1–0 World Cup qualifying defeat to Germany at The Den. In October 2000, when Cope was struck down with a stomach complaint on the morning of England's Women's Euro 2001 qualification play-off in Ukraine, Brown took her place in England's 2–1 win. By the time of a May 2001 friendly against Scotland at Bolton's Reebok Stadium, Brown had 11 senior appearances and was Cope's regular understudy. Brown and Leanne Hall went to Euro 2001 as back-up to Cope, who played in all three games. After impressing at her hometown club Burnley, where she had been a season-ticket holder as a child as England beat Australia 1–0 in September 2003, she was asked to turn on the Christmas lights in Burnley, but she had to cancel as she was playing for England as they beat Scotland 5–0 in November in nearby Preston. After a long spell out with injury, Brown returned to the England team against Sweden in the last group game of Women’s Euro 2005. Brown kept her place, and conceded two goals, as England qualified for the 2007 FIFA Women's…

Brown attended St. Christopher's C of E High School in Accrington, Lancashire. She married professional golf caddie Ian Finnis in January 2013; they live in Blundellsands, Crosby, Liverpool. Injuries sustained by Brown include a dislocated finger, having her front teeth kicked out, several knee injuries, and a torn cruciate ligament. She has often been photographed to promote women's football.