Leading From The Back: My journey to the top of women’s football
£11.10£12.30 (-10%)
‘Steph is truly one of the all-time greats of the women’s game’ Jill Scott
‘Documents [Steph’s] crucial role in helping to change perceptions of women’s football’ The Guardian
The inspiring memoir of one of football’s greatest players – Steph Houghton – in which she recounts the highs and lows of making it to the top of her game as England Captain, star of the London Olympics, and Man City stalwart, via Sunderland, Leeds and Arsenal.
With 121 caps for the Lionesses, Steph has been at the heart of the women’s football revolution, inspiring girls and young women around the world but in her own understated way.
Leading from the Back is Steph’s incredibly honest account of what it takes to make it to the pinnacle of women’s football when the odds are well and truly stacked against you.
Inside, she shares her dreams of becoming professional as a young girl in Sunderland; how reaching that status has been a long and often difficult journey, with many personal struggles both on and off the pitch. In between, she recounts the amazing highs of playing for her country, making history at the Olympics, lifting cups for her team, and the awe-inspiring people she has encountered along the way.
This is not only Steph’s personal story, but also the story of women’s football in England and internationally. Steph is credited as being one of the greatest influences in growing the women’s game to the biggest it has ever been.
A remarkable journey of unwavering determination that reveals the grit needed to stay true to yourself, and what it really takes to be a leader; this is the full and incredible story of a sports pioneer, ‘Super Steph’.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Sphere (1 May 2025) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 304 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1408734397 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1408734391 |
| Dimensions | 12.6 x 2.2 x 19.8 cm |
by To aerial
What a great read one of the best books I have read thank you very much
by Mark04
Honest and from the heart, a fantastic, no holes barred account of Steph Houghton’s professional and personal life.
by Kindle Customer
Loved this book. From an early age I have followed Steph Houghton in the football world. This was a great read and a really good insight into the women’s game and how much it’s progressed over the years. Really interesting and I was booked from the start.
by Pat Tracy
This was a gift and the person was delighted with it.
by Kate
I am a relative newcomer to women’s football, so up until quite recently, especially as a Bradford City fan, I knew Steph Houghton as Mrs Darby. However, over the last few years, I’ve come to realise that she is an absolute legend in her own right and I loved reading her story, particularly filling in the gaps of my own knowledge of her career. She is able to describe the games in which she’s played in brilliant detail and this was really helpful to me as I was not watching all of the games when they were played.
Steph Houghton writes as though she’s talking to the reader and this makes most of Leading From The Back easy to read. She’s incredibly down to earth and her loyalty and sense of humour really shines through. There were a few anecdotes that really made me laugh, and for this, it probably would help to have some football knowledge in order to recognise the people she writes about, but it’s not essential.
Throughout her life, Steph Houghton has been in a number of really emotional situations, both highs and lows, and I could feel her emotions in her words. I often felt like I was feeling them with her and it’s this that means I’ll be thinking about her words for a long time to come.
Keep doing what you need to do, Steph.
by Chris Roe
I read this in two sittings, I couldn’t put it down! As a man who has followed the progress of women’s football since 2002 (my daughter who was then 9 years old played for a team now in the WSL for around 5 or so years), I remember watching lots of games and the tournaments mentioned. Hearing about her challenges with her husband’s health and the heartbreak of missing out on the Euros squad – the honesty and vulnerability is really refreshing. Written like I imagine a conversation over a coffee would be, this book was really enjoyable and fascinating. Highly recommended.
by simon h.
I love this book and I’m a very big admirer of Steph I think she was very much not fairly treated towards the end of her career especially England good luck in the future Steph.
by Amazon Customer
Loved reading this having watched many of the matches Steph played in, also the insight into the change in women’s football. Looking forward to what the future holds for Steph and Stephen.