Kelly Smith has been inducted into the newly launched FA Women's Super League Hall of Fame, the association announced on Thursday.
The Football Association (FA) announced Kelly Smith as the third inductee of 2021. She has been a face of the women's game for over a decade and has often been regarded by some as the country's greatest player.
Her return to the FA Women's Super League in 2012 after a spell playing in America, alongside Alex Scott, received huge attention and was seen as a landmark moment for the league to have attracted one of the game's biggest stars back to England. Starring largely in the No.10 role for club and country, Smith helped her club Arsenal to a league title in 2012, while also playing a starring role in Women's FA Cup victories in 2014 and 2016 -- the latter year her final as a player. Despite terrible luck with injuries, Smith's career lasted for over 20 years and as well as winning the UEFA Women's Cup in the pre BFAWSL era, she, for the time being, is England's record goalscorer. The FA Women's Super League Hall of Fame expert selection panel agreed that Smith's impact on the women's game during her career and her achievements made her a worthy inductee of this year's FA Women's Super League Hall of Fame.
The last inductee of four is to be announced on Thursday afternoon, following on from the already announced Smith, Rachel Yankey and Fara Williams.
( With inputs from ANI )
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