Williams overcame homelessness to become a pioneer in the women’s game and one of England’s finest players
Bonfire Night was beckoning when Fara Williams stepped off the bench, scored with her first kick and transformed the match beyond recognition.
It was 5 November 1999 and no firework display that evening would rival the 15-year-old midfielder’s performance alongside players three years her senior as
England Under-18s beat
Ukraine 4-0. Sixty-five minutes had passed when Williams came on and it was 0-0 but by the final whistle she had registered two goals of her own and created a couple more.