Exclusive:Steph Houghton pays tribute to people of Leeds and vows to continue MND fight after receiving honorary degree from university
Ex-England international Steph Houghton has paid tribute to the people of Leeds and vowed to continue the MND fight after receiving an honorary degree from the city’s university.
Steph Houghton MBE was presented with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of Leeds today (Tuesday, July 22).
Earning over 100 caps for England and captaining the national team, Steph Houghton is Manchester City’s record appearance holder and won eight major honours with the club.
Starting her career at Sunderland, Steph then moved to Leeds Carnegie and in an exclusive interview with the Yorkshire Evening Post paid tribute to the club and the people of Leeds for helping shape her early career.
“I spent three years at the club, I learnt a lot about myself and it helped me develop as a player and as a person. Leeds itself is a very special city, my best friend still lives here, my godson’s here so it’s definitely got a special place in my heart,” she said.
“There’s just a sense of home when I’m in Leeds. Everyone’s the same, everyone’s polite, humble, hard working and they are the ethics I really embodied my career on so to come back and be part of that in this city is very special.”
Following her time in Leeds, Steph won two WSL titles and five domestic cup victories at Arsenal before winning eight major trophies during her time at Manchester City, including four Continental Cups, three Women’s FA Cups, and the FA Women’s Super League title.
Internationally, she played in three World Cups and two European Championships for England’s Lionesses, as well as starring for Team GB at the London 2012 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Off the pitch, Steph has been a trailblazer for women in sport, promoting teamwork, inclusivity and support and has praised the widespread TV coverage of the women’s Euros this summer ahead of the Lionesses crunch match with Italy tonight.
She said: “For me women’s football is on its own path and it’s so important that while we strive to be at the level of the men’s game, we have to be realistic and go our own way. We have players now who are heroes to young girls and role models that they want to look up too.
“I look at the Euros that is going on at the moment and I think it’s been marketed really well especially here in England. Every time you turn the TV on there is some sort of Lioness on an advert. That’s there for all to see and especially for young girls.”
Outside of football, Steph is a leading advocate for those with motor neurone disease (MND) after her husband, former Bradford City star Stephen Darby, was diagnosed with the disease in 2018.
She co-founded the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation, working alongside her husband and former RAF serviceman Chris Rimmer. Steph has also collaborated with ex-Leeds Rhinos stars Kevin Sinfield and the late Rob Burrow to drive national awareness and fundraising.
Steph paid special tribute to the lasting legacy Rob Burrow has left behind and praised the development of the Rob Burrow Centre for MND, which is being built at the city’s Seacroft Hospital.
“There’s no treatment, there’s no cure and we’ve got to really fight to raise awareness. For me the likes of Rob and Kevin have been so inspirational and that really drives us at the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation as we’ve all got the same aim.
“Rob was such a special person and now Lindsey and the kids are trying to continue that battle for him. The centre being built is so powerful as it gives families and those suffering with MND a safe haven and a place to go, when maybe that support wasn’t there before.”