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Natasha Harding

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Natasha Harding
Harding in October 2020
Personal information
Full name Natasha Marie Harding
Date of birth (1989-03-02) 2 March 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Caerphilly, Wales
Position(s) Forward, Fullback
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2012 Cardiff City 1 (0)
2012–2014 Bristol Academy 39 (8)
2015 Manchester City 10 (1)
2016–2017 Liverpool 29 (11)
2018–2022 Reading 84 (4)
2022–2023 Aston Villa 4 (0)
International career‡
2008–2022 Wales[1] 103 (26)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 31 May 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 April 2024

Natasha Marie Harding (born 2 March 1989) is a retired Welsh footballer. Harding began her career with Cardiff City and has also played in the FA WSL for Bristol Academy and Manchester City.

Club career

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Harding began her career at Cardiff City and made her first team debut in January 2007, during a 4–0 Welsh Women's Cup quarter final win over Newport Strikers. Harding came on as a second-half substitute for Gwennan Harries.[2] She subsequently represented the club in the 2007–08 UEFA Women's Cup.[3]

She went on to captain Cardiff City,[4] then joined Bristol Academy ahead of the 2012 FA WSL campaign. Bristol manager Mark Sampson said of Harding: "Tash will really bring another dimension to our forward play, a striker who can play off the shoulder and with great speed was something we were missing last season so it will give us far more variation to our play going forward."[5] At the end of the 2014 season Harding signed for the Washington Spirit,[6] but her move fell through over visa issues and she signed instead for Manchester City.[7]

In January 2016, Harding was sold by Manchester City, who had signed Swedish forward Kosovare Asllani.[8] Later that week she signed for Liverpool.[9] Harding left Liverpool Ladies in December 2017.[10] Reading Women snapped up the Welsh international on a free transfer in January 2018[11] Since joining the Royals in 2018, Harding has been named captain. On 3 May 2022, Reading announced that Harding would leave the club at the end of the season.[12]

On 16 September 2023, Harding announced her retirement from football.[13][14]

International career

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Harding played five times for the Wales Under-19 team in season 2007–08.[1] She made her senior international debut, aged 19, as a late substitute in a 2–0 defeat to Switzerland in Oberdorf on 8 May 2008.[15]

Harding scored her first goals for Wales on 20 June 2012 in a UEFA Qualifying match against Israel at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham. She scored a hat-trick in a 5–0 win to cap a fine evening both personally and for her country.[16]

As a student at UWIC, Harding was called–up to represent Great Britain at the 2011 World University Games in Shenzhen, China.[17]

On 12 April 2022, she played her 100th match for Wales in a 3–0 win over Kazakhstan in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification.[18]

Allegations of financial impropriety

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In November 2024, BBC News reported allegations against Harding (now using her married name of Allen-Wyatt), of taking payments for undelivered football coaching, unpaid loans and unfulfilled sponsorship deals. Up to 70 parents and businesses claimed losses totaling nearly £70,000.[19][20]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 27 May 2023[21]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Bristol Academy 2012 WSL 14 3 0 0 4 1 - - 18 4
2013 14 4 0 0 2 0 - - 16 4
2014 11 1 0 0 5 3 4 2 - 20 6
Total 39 8 0 0 11 4 4 2 - - 54 14
Manchester City 2015 WSL 10 1 0 0 1 0 - - 11 1
Liverpool 2016 WSL 16 3 0 0 2 0 - - 18 2
2017 8 4 0 0 - - - - 8 4
2017–18 5 4 0 0 3 0 - - 8 4
Total 29 11 0 0 5 0 - - - - 34 10
Reading 2017–18 WSL 13 0 - - 0 0 - - 13 0
2018–19 19 1 3 0 5 0 - - 27 1
2019–20 8 0 2 0 2 0 - - 12 0
2020–21 22 3 1 0 4 3 - - 26 6
2021–22 22 0 2 0 2 0 — — 26 0
Total 84 4 8 0 12 3 - - - - 104 7
Aston Villa 2022–23 WSL 4 0 0 0 2 0 — — 6 0
Career total 166 24 8 0 31 7 4 2 - - 209 32

Honours

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Individual

References

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  1. ^ a b "International Teams — Natasha Harding". Football Association of Wales. Archived from the original on 21 March 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ "Strikers no match for defending champions". South Wales Echo. 14 February 2007. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  3. ^ "Natasha Harding". UEFA. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Harding 'ecstatic' with Cardiff City Ladies promotion". BBC Sport. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  5. ^ "Vixens announce new signings". Bristol Academy WFC. 7 March 2012. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  6. ^ "Natasha Harding leaves Bristol Academy for Washington Spirit". BBC. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  7. ^ "Natasha Harding: Manchester City Women sign Wales forward". BBC. 14 March 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  8. ^ "Natasha Harding: Wales striker leaves Manchester City Women". BBC Sport. 24 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  9. ^ "Natasha Harding: Liverpool Ladies sign ex-Man City winger". BBC Sport. 28 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  10. ^ BBC Sport (3 January 2018). "Natasha Harding: Wales vice-captain to leave Liverpool ladies".
  11. ^ BBC Sport (3 January 2018). "Natasha Harding: Reading Women sign Wales and ex Liverpool forward".
  12. ^ "NATASHA HARDING SET TO LEAVE READING WOMEN FC". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 3 May 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Natasha Harding: Wales forward and centurion announces retirement". BBC Sport. 16 September 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  14. ^ "Natasha Harding brings her playing career to a close". Football Association of Wales. 16 September 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Battling Wales edged out by Swiss". Women's Soccer Scene. 9 May 2008. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  16. ^ "Wales 5–0 Israel". Football Association of Wales. 20 June 2012. Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. ^ "Harding among best of British off to China; FOOTBALL". South Wales Echo. 27 July 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  18. ^ "Natasha Harding scores on 100th Wales cap". Sky Sports. 13 April 2022.
  19. ^ "Top footballer took thousands of pounds, claim teammates and parents". BBC News. 20 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  20. ^ Johnson, Jenny; Thomas, Kayley (22 November 2024). "Natasha Harding: Former Wales football player faces fresh claims". BBC News. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  21. ^ Natasha Harding at Soccerway
  22. ^ "Gareth Bale and Joe Allen lead Wales award winners". BBC Sport. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
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