Steph Houghton

Houghton began her career playing for five years at Sunderland. She helped Sunderland to win promotion from the Northern Division in the 2005–06 season and then won the FA Young Player of the Year Award in the 2006–07 season. After Sunderland were relegated that season, Houghton became a target for Arsenal and Everton. She eventually joined Leeds Carnegie. After helping Leeds win the 2010 FA Women's Premier League Cup, Houghton signed for Arsenal in August of that year. On 5 December 2013, it was announced that Houghton had signed an agreement to leave Arsenal for new WSL side Manchester City on 1 January 2014. Houghton signed a two-year contract extension with City on 24 January 2020. On 27 March 2024, Houghton announced that she would retire from football at the end of the 2023–24 season. She played her final game on 18 May, coming on for Alex Greenwood and taking the captain's armband in the 66th minute of a 2–1 away league win over Aston Villa.

England

Houghton was involved with England at U16 schools, U19, U20, U21 and U23 level. She was called into the full squad for a match against Germany on 25 October 2006, when Katie Chapman withdrew with an illness. She was an unused substitute in the 5–1 defeat in Aalen. She made her debut in the next match, replacing Emily Westwood after 73 minutes of a 6–0 win over Russia in Milton Keynes on 8 March 2007. Her first start came three days later, in a 1–0 win over Scotland at Adams Park. She missed the 2007 World Cup with a broken leg and Euro 2009 with a damaged cruciate ligament.

In May 2009, Houghton was one of the first 17 female players to be given central contracts by The Football Association. She played in all three games at UEFA Women's Euro 2013 as England finished in last place; she described the result as "a massive disappointment personally and collectively as a squad." In January 2014, she was named the new captain for England's team under coach Mark Sampson, beginning on a 1–1 draw with Norway. For the 2015 World Cup in Canada, Houghton was again named England's team captain. Houghton scored her first World Cup goal against Norway in the round of 16, and was chosen Player of the Match during the quarterfinals with Canada, which qualified England for their first semi-finals ever. Houghton earned her 100th England cap on 11 November 2018 against Sweden at New York Stadium in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. In May 2019, it was announced that Houghton had…

Club

As of match played 18 May 2024

International

Statistics accurate as of match played 27 July 2021.

For England Scores and results list England's goal tally first.

For Great Britain Scores and results list Great Britain's goal tally first.

Houghton is from South Hetton, a former mining town in County Durham. She is a lifelong fan of Sunderland. She is married to former Bradford City defender Stephen Darby. They married on 21 June 2018. On 18 September 2018, Darby announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 29 after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease. She was recognised as one of the BBC's 100 women of 2017. In 2021, Houghton discussed the pronunciation of her surname on a podcast. Throughout her career, it had been mainly pronounced by commentators as (HAW-tən), while residents of the North East had typically assumed it was the same as the town name Houghton-le-Spring: (HOH-tən), which incidentally is less than five miles from her home town of South Hetton. In March 2023, while receiving the Freedom of the City of Sunderland; at the ceremony, the Sunderland Echo asked her about this again and subsequently reported that it "has irritated [her] for years", as she pronounces it as the same way as the town.