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Mary Phillip enters Football Museum's Hall of Fame

Mary Phillip celebrates with her National Football Museum Hall of Fame award

Former Gunner Mary Phillip has been inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame. 

The pioneering centre-back won the league with Arsenal in each of the four seasons she spent in north London and was also part of our legendary UEFA Women's Cup winning squad in 2007. In total, she made 135 appearances for the club from 2004 to 2008. 

Phillip's trailblazing career continued at the international level as the first black woman to captain the Lionesses and a member of England's first-ever World Cup squad in 1995.

Her official induction took place on October 28 at the National Football Museum in Manchester, alongside a preview for 2025 exhibition, Black in the Game. Open to the public in the autumn of next year, Black in the Game tells the history of black footballers in the English game.

Tim Desmond, CEO of the National Football Museum said: “Mary’s journey is studded with trailblazing achievements up until the very present day and we’re delighted to be inducting her into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame. 

"Her unprecedented feats have undoubtedly inspired generations of women and people of a minority background to pursue a career in football."

Phillip retired from professional football in 2008 and moved into management in 2019, when she became the first female head coach of Peckham Town's men's team.