Karen Bardsley



Karen Louise Bardsley (born 14 October 1984) is an American-born English international football goalkeeper. She currently plays for Manchester City and is a member of the England women's national football team.

University career
Bardsley enrolled at California State University, Fullerton as a graphic design major in 2002 after graduating from Ruben S. Ayala High School. She was a student-athlete while studying and played for Cal State Fullerton Titans women's soccer program. She was named the Big West Conference Freshman of the Year after her first season. The following season, she played just 28 minutes before a broken leg ended her season. In 2004, she missed the first eight games, still recovering from the injury, but once back in the team made such an impact that she was named Big West Conference Goalkeeper of the Year, an honour she won again in 2005.



Club career
On leaving university, Bardsley joined Ajax America Women for the 2007 WPSL season, then joined Pali Blues in February 2008 in advance of the W-League season.

She joined Sky Blue FC of Women's Professional Soccer as a third round pick in the 2009 WPS Draft. She went on to appear in four games for the club in their inaugural 2009 season in which the club won the 2009 Women's Professional Soccer Playoffs.

In August 2011 Bardsley joined Swedish club Linköpings FC. With Linköpings Bardsley made three Damallsvenskan appearances in 2011, but none in 2012 as Sofia Lundgren remained the first choice goalkeeper.

Bardsley announced a transfer to Lincoln Ladies of the FA WSL in November 2012. Bardsley moved at the end of the 2013 season to Manchester City on a two-year deal. Her two-year City stint started successfully, with Bardsley playing a pivotal role in the club winning the 2014 Continental Cup. In March 2015 Bardsley was given a three-match ban for her violent conduct in a 0–0 draw with Birmingham City.

International career
Despite being born in Santa Monica, California, Bardsley decided to represent England due to family connections in Stockport. She appeared for the England U-19s in the 2003 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship. She made her senior debut in the Algarve Cup in March 2005, where England beat Northern Ireland 4–0. In August 2009, she was named to coach Hope Powell's squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2009.

By the 2011 World Cup Bardsley had taken over the national team's first choice goalkeeping position from Rachel Brown. After England's 1–1 opening group match draw with Mexico, coach Powell reported that Bardsley was "devastated" following the concession of a long-range equaliser to Mónica Ocampo. In England's quarter final exit to France, Bardsley saved the first penalty in the shootout, but misses from Claire Rafferty and Faye White sent England home.

At UEFA Women's Euro 2013 England lost 3–2 to Spain in their opening game, when Bardsley scored a 94th-minute own goal, and were knocked out in the first round. Hope Powell was sacked in the wake of that failure but new coach Mark Sampson continued to select Bardsley. In May 2015 Bardsley was included in England's final squad for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, hosted in Canada.

Great Britain Olympic
In June 2012 Bardsley was named in the 18–player Great Britain squad for the 2012 London Olympics. She played in all four games as Great Britain were beaten 2–0 by Canada in the last eight.

Women's World Cup 2015
Bardsley has played as GK in all five games so far and was part of the history-making team which beat the Norway women's football team in the round of 16 to become the first senior England women's team to win a world cup knockout match. She was substituted in the 51st minute of the quarter-final match against Canada, after suffering an inflammation of her right eye; she was immediately taken off pitch with her eye visibly swollen and was substituted with Siobhan Chamberlain. The reasoning for the swelling was unknown, but parts of the artificial turf were suspected.

Coaching career
Bardsley began coaching as a volunteer coach at her alma mater, California State University, Fullerton, before being employed as an assistant coach with the University of San Diego.