Three years after almost quitting the sport, Amy Turner has just become an England international and is hoping to make this year's World Cup squad.
The 23-year-old, who lives in Carlton and is training to be a teacher at University Campus Barnsley, started playing aged six. She appeared for the girls' teams of both Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United before joining Doncaster Belles and making her debut in the Women's Premier League at age 16.
After two years in the Belles' first team, she moved to New York for two years to study at Hostra University. Turner then returned to Doncaster to play in the newly-formed Women's Super League but was released at the end of the season, adding: "They told me I wasn't good enough to play at that level."
After a spell at Leeds United in the division below, Amy then moved down to the third tier to play with Sheffield FC in 2012, a long way from where she is now.
"I had given up on playing for England and I was close to quitting football because I wasn't enjoying it," said Amy, who coaches the girls' team at Barnsley College.
But she was offered a chance at Super League side Lincoln and, after expecting to be a squad player at best, became an everpresent then earned a move to top side Notts County where she has spent the last two seasons.
Her impressive form led to her captaining the England under 23s development squad last year before being called into the first team squad for the Cyprus Cup last month following a late injury. She made her debut as a substitute in the 3-0 group stage win over Australia then started in the 1-1 draw with Holland and was on the bench as England beat Canada in the final.
She was on standby for this week's match with China and hopes to fight her way into the squad for the World Cup in Canada in June.
She said: "To play for England was a massive achievement and what I have always wanted. "It was definitely the pinnacle of my career so far. I would love to go to the World Cup but there are a lot of good defenders in and around the squad so it will be very difficult. I will just be working really hard to show what I can do for the rest of the season. I am only 23 so I have a long time ahead of me. If I don't get to this World Cup, I will try to get to the next one."
Women's football is on the rise in this country with the Women's Super League and the England team both getting bigger crowds and more media coverage.
Amy said: "More and more women are going full-time. It's not like the money the men get but it's enough that you don't have to have another job. That would be massive for my development because training full-time would really help me."
