Stephanie Bannon

Stephanie Bannon
Bannon after winning the WSL 2 title in 2014
Personal information
Date of birth (1989-03-22) 22 March 1989
Place of birth Whitley Bay
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Sunderland A.F.C. Women
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Sunderland A.F.C. Women 211
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Stephanie "Steph" Bannon (born 22 March 1989) is an English former footballer who spent her entire senior career with Sunderland A.F.C. Women. After becoming club captain aged 18, she led the team to win three consecutive FA Women's Premier League National Division titles, the 2012–13 FA Women's Premier League Cup, and the 2014 FA WSL 2, and to become runners-up in the 2008–09 FA Women's Cup.

As of 2025, alongside Keira Ramshaw, Bannon is one of only two players to have made 200 appearances for Sunderland A.F.C. Women. Bannon retired from football in 2017, at 28 years old, due to being unable to sustain part-time football alongside her full-time job as a physical education (PE) teacher.

Career

Sunderland celebrate winning the WSL 2 title in 2014

Bannon grew up in Whitley Bay playing football and was spotted by a Sunderland foundation coach, who asked her to sign for the club at the age of nine.[1] Bannon subsequently successfully attended trials to enter Sunderland's Centre of Excellence (now known as Sunderland A.F.C. Women's Academy).[1] From 7 to 13 years old, Bannon also played for Blyth Town F.C.[1] After playing for Sunderland's reserve team for three years,[1] she joined Sunderland A.F.C. Women's first team (then Sunderland A.F.C. Ladies) in 2002, when she was 14 years old,[2][3][4] before going on to make her first team debut aged 15.[5]

At the age of 18, Bannon was named club captain, a role she would go on to hold for over a decade[6] until her retirement in 2017.[3][4][7] She led the team to a historic appearance in the 2009 FA Women's Cup final against Arsenal W.F.C., which remains Sunderland's first and only appearance in the final of the Women's FA Cup to date.[4][7][8] Sunderland had defeated Chelsea F.C. Women 3–0 at the Stadium of Light in the semi-final before facing the dominant Arsenal side at Pride Park Stadium.[9][10][11]

Bannon captained Sunderland as they won three consecutive FA Women's Premier League National Division titles in 2010–11, 2011–12, and 2012–13.[3][7][12] Thereafter, she guided the club to promotion to the FA Women's Super League (WSL) by winning the inaugural Women's Super League 2 title in 2014.[13] During this period, Bannon was also named the WPL 2012–13 Player of the Year[3][4][7] and Sunderland's 2012–13 joint player of the year with top scorer Beth Mead.[14]

Over her career, Bannon made 211 recorded appearances for Sunderland.[15] As of 2025, this makes Bannon one of only two players who have reached 200 appearances for Sunderland's women team, along with former teammate Keira Ramshaw.[16][17]

Retirement and legacy

After a 15-year playing career, at 28 years old, Bannon announced her retirement in June 2017 to concentrate on her career as a physical education (PE) teacher and to spend more time with family and friends.[3][13][7] She balanced semi-professional football with her teaching duties at Unity City Academy in Middlesbrough throughout much of her career.[12][18][19] Bannon has said that working as a teacher alongside playing football hindered both pursuits and left her exhausted and with no free time to relax or spend with those close to her.[20][4][21]

In 2023, Sunderland inducted Bannon into their Hall of Fame, celebrating her 17-year association with the club, over 200 appearances, and her distinction as the only player to captain the women's team in an FA Cup final.[8] Bannon is widely regarded as a "legend" of Sunderland's women team, known for her leadership, longevity, and loyalty to the club.[3][13][4] Kevin Ball, a former captain of Sunderland's men's team, described Bannon as his female equivalent.[22] Her generation of players created opportunities for future full-time professional players, including former teammate Beth Mead, who Bannon also helped to mentor as she transitioned to first-team football at Sunderland.[5][23][24]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Smiles, Mieka (27 February 2013). "Sunderland star mixes fashion and footie". Chronicle Live. Archived from the original on 11 August 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Lasses Podcast: Euro 2022 Final Preview with SAFC legend Steph Bannon!". Roker Report. 30 July 2022. Archived from the original on 11 August 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Chamberlain, Oscar (1 June 2017). "SAFC Ladies: Bannon announces retirement". Sunderland A.F.C. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Jamieson, Stuart (2 June 2017). "Sunderland Ladies captain to retire after 15 illustrious years with the Black Cats". Chronicle Live. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  5. ^ a b Edwards, Luke (22 March 2016). "'Superwoman? I'm just proud to have played my part'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 August 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  6. ^ "Fever Pitch" (PDF). Sunderland AFC North America Supporters Association. October 2016. p. 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 March 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d e Fraser, Paul (1 June 2017). "Sunderland skipper calls time on her playing career". The Northern Echo. Archived from the original on 11 August 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  8. ^ a b "Hall of Fame: Steph Bannon to join 2023 Hall of Fame". Sunderland A.F.C. 23 October 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  9. ^ Mason, Rob (2025). "10: Niall's Taxis". Sunderland AFC: The Definitive History (1st ed.). London: Icon Books, Limited. ISBN 9781837730162. Sunderland did reach an FA Cup final in 2009 – the FA Women's Cup final. After beating Chelsea in the semi-final at the Stadium of Light, captained by Steph Bannon, they lost 2–1 in the final to Arsenal at Derby County's Pride Park.
  10. ^ Leighton, Tony (22 March 2009). "Sunderland to face Arsenal in Cup final". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 August 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  11. ^ Leighton, Tony (22 March 2009). "Sunderland reach FA Women's final". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 12 August 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Steph Bannon: Sunderland Ladies captain ready to focus on teaching career". BBC Sport. 7 June 2017. Archived from the original on 11 August 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  13. ^ a b c "Many happy memories for retiring Sunderland skipper". Sunderland Echo. 6 June 2017. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  14. ^ "Mead and Bannon are Sunderland Players of the Year". Sunderland Echo. 15 July 2013. Archived from the original on 21 August 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  15. ^ Craggs, Mark (2 December 2019). "SAFC Ladies' 2009 FA Cup Final XI: Where are they now?". SportsByte. Archived from the original on 11 August 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  16. ^ "Thank you Keira: Keira Ramshaw medically retires from football". Sunderland A.F.C. 13 October 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2025. Ramshaw is one of only two players to play over 200 games for SAFC Women, along with former skipper Stephanie Bannon.
  17. ^ "Milestone: Ramshaw set to make her 200th appearance for SAFC Ladies". Sunderland A.F.C. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2025. Tonight's game against Middlesbrough marks a special occasion for captain Keira Ramshaw, who makes her 200th Black Cats appearance...The 26-year-old becomes only the second player to reach the milestone, joining former skipper Stephanie Bannon in the 200 club.
  18. ^ Southern, Keiran (4 July 2015). "Sunderland AFC Ladies star believes the game will thrive following Women's World Cup". Chronicle Live. Archived from the original on 12 August 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  19. ^ Carter, Ryan (25 April 2015). "Sunderland ladies captain on why being a PE teacher is better than football". Teesside Live. Archived from the original on 11 August 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  20. ^ Dunn, Carrie (2019). "2: 2017 and all that". Pride of the Lionesses: The Changing Face of Women's Football in England. Chicago: Pitch Publishing. ISBN 9781785315411.
  21. ^ "Sunderland AFC Ladies' Stephanie Bannon to retire". ITV News. 1 June 2017. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  22. ^ Mennear, Richard (6 November 2023). "Sunderland AFC Hall of Fame evening: How to get tickets". Sunderland Echo. Archived from the original on 12 August 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025. both will be in attendance, as will 2009 Women's FA Cup final skipper Steph Bannon who Kevin Ball describes as, "The female equivalent of me."
  23. ^ Mead, Beth (14 March 2024). "Ch. 4: It's a Big Girl's Game". Lioness: My Journey to Glory (updated paperback ed.). Seven Dials. ISBN 9781399611688.
  24. ^ Edwards, Luke (29 July 2022). "The rise of Beth Mead - England's hot-shot with the Euro 2022 Golden Boot in her sights". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 August 2025. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
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