Harrogate’s Rachel Daly could be set to make another major tournament final as England’s Lionesses play in a World Cup semi-final today.

Daly and her teammates face host nation Australia in Sydney for a place to play Spain in the final on Sunday.

England sit four places above the Australians, known as the Matildas, in the world rankings.

However, Australia will be backed by a bumper home crowd and have built momentum throughout the tournament.

The 81,000 capacity Stadium Australia in Sydney is expected to be sold out.

Daly, who has started all but one game of England’s matches so far, could feature on the left hand side of midfield again.

The former Killinghall Nomads star helped the Lionesses reach the semi-final in a 2-1 win over Colombia on Saturday.

England, who have reached the last two Women’s World Cup semi-finals, will be hoping to make it one step closer to a second major trophy after clinching the Euros at Wembley last year.

England kick off against Australia at 11am today live on BBC One.

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Rachel Daly will hope to power England into the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup this morning.

The Lionesses take on Nigeria at 8.30am at Brisbane Stadium in Australia in a match broadcast live on BBC One.

The winners will play either Columbia or Jamaica in the last eight on Saturday.

Harrogate-born Rachel Daly has played a major role in the Lionesses’ success so far, even though she has been selected as a left-back rather than as a striker.

The former Killinghall Nomads player, whose mother still lives in Harrogate, scored in the 6-1 rout of China in the final group match. Daly also played the full 90 minutes in the 1-0 defeat of Denmark and came on as a substitute in the opening win against Haiti.

England, who have reached the last two Women’s World Cup semi-finals, are firm favourites to advance from this morning’s match.

But the tournament has seen numerous shocks already, with defending champions the United States crashing out yesterday on penalties to Sweden.

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Football fans from across the Harrogate district are being urged to get behind England’s women as they prepare to begin their World Cup campaign.

The Lionesses – including Harrogate’s Rachel Daly – are set to face Haiti in their first match this morning in the Australian city of Brisbane.

Because of the time difference, many of their matches will be played in the morning, but fans are still hoping there will be a celebratory atmosphere around Harrogate

For Harrogate personal trainer Lauren Randall, getting pubs to open their doors as they would for the men’s world cup is an important step. She told the Stray Ferret:

“If it was the men’s world cup, every bar would be having bottomless brunches and everywhere would be open.

“I’ve got a few friends wanting to go and watch it and we struggled to find somewhere that was going to be open. It should not be this tricky to find somewhere.

“The fact that we have got a local girl playing one of the biggest sporting tournaments in the world is great.

“She’s going to have local friends and family and fans wanting to watch it.

“I’ve got clients saying, ‘let me know where you’re watching it, maybe I can bring my kids along’. How amazing would it be to come along and watch it together and enjoy that atmosphere?”

However, several local bars have now confirmed they will open their doors early to give fans somewhere to watch together.

The Harrogate Arms, The Alexandra and The Empress on the Stray have all said they will be open in time for kick-off at 10.30am today.

Rachel Daly opened the new cafe at her former club, Killinghall Nomads, this year.

As a pupil at Rossett School, Lauren played football with Rachel Daly, who was in the year above her.

Both girls earned soccer scholarships to universities in the USA, but an ankle injury put paid to Lauren’s career a few years later and she trained to be a PT.

Rachel, meanwhile, went from playing for Houston Dash to moving to Aston Villa last summer, where she was named player of the season and won the golden boot.

She featured in all of England’s games in last year’s European Championships, which England went on to win.

Lauren said she hopes people will keep asking venues to show the matches this year, adding:

“The Euros changed the game. It has really come along.

“You can buy England shirts with women’s names on the back and the players are being paid better too.

“Things like this – asking pubs to open up – is the only way it’s going to get everywhere. If they don’t know people want to watch it, why would they open?”

Meanwhile, another former Harrogate resident is also hoping to help build the fan base for women’s football.

Maisie Adam, a former St Aidan’s pupil, has launched a podcast with fellow comedian Suzi Ruffell.

In the first episode of Big Kick Energy, they discussed the positive atmosphere at women’s matches and the inclusivity of the women’s game.

Maisie tells listeners:

“Women’s football isn’t new. What’s new is the attitude towards it. It’s a really, really exciting time, which is why we’ve done this podcast.

“Whether or not you’ve historically loved football since day dot, or if you’re somebody who’s always felt that football isn’t for you because everything is screaming ‘this isn’t for you because of who you are’, now is the time to get on board. Football is for you.”

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Harrogate’s Rachael Daly has been picked for England’s World Cup squad this summer.

The Aston Villa striker will join the Lionesses for the tournament, which will take place in Australia and New Zealand in July.

England will open their World Cup campaign against Haiti on July 22 in the group stages.

The Lionesses will also face Denmark and China in Group D.

Daly will be hoping to replicate her club form going into the summer tournament.

The 31-year-old, who started her career at Killinghall Nomads Junior Football Club, scored 22 goals last season and picked up the Women’s Super League golden boot.

The prestigious golden boot is awarded to the league’s top goalscorer and Daly’s total equals the all-time record.

She was also named as the Barclays’ Player of the Season.

Daly joined Villa from Houston Dash last summer and was a member of the England Lionesses team that won Euro 2022.

Earlier this month, she returned to Killinghall Nomads to open a cafe named after her.

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Harrogate’s Archie Gray will be part of an England squad aiming to make the UEFA European Championship semi-finals tonight.

Gray featured in England’s last group match against Switzerland, which confirmed their place in the knockout stages.

The Three Lions will take on France under-17s in the quarter finals tonight, kick off is 7pm.

The match can be watched on the BBC website here.

Gray has featured in all three England group games so far against Croatia, Netherlands and Switzerland.

England won the group with two wins and a draw.

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Gray will be hoping to help his side into the semi finals and onto the final in Budapest on June 2.

Gray completed his GCSEs at St John Fisher Catholic High School in Harrogate last year.

He is also great-nephew of Leeds legend, and Kirkby Overblow resident, Eddie Gray.

Archie Gray has been called up to the England under-17s squad for this year’s European Championships.

Gray, who recently signed a professional contract with Leeds United, will join the 21-man squad heading to Hungary for the tournament this week.

England will kick off their Euro campaign against Croatia tomorrow night, before facing Netherlands on Sunday (May 21) and Switzerland on Wednesday (May 24) in the group stage.

The final will take place in Budapest on June 2.

The England team

It comes as Gray recently celebrated winning promotion with Leeds United’s under 21s this week.

The 17-year-old started in the Premier League 2 play off final against Nottingham Forest at Elland Road on Monday evening, which saw the Whites win 3-0.

Gray completed his GCSEs at St John Fisher Catholic High School in Harrogate last year.

He is also great-nephew of Leeds legend, and Kirkby Overblow resident, Eddie Gray.

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Harrogate-born striker Rachel Daly scored in the penalty shootout as England beat Brazil to win the Finalissima last night.

The match, in front of 83,000 fans at Wembley and broadcast live in ITV, saw Euro 22 champions England take on Copa America winners Brazil.

England led 1-0 at half-time but Brazil pounced on a goalkeeping error in injury time to take the match to penalties.

With the score at 1-1, Daly — who came on as a substitute in the 73rd minute — put England ahead with a powerful drive and the Lionesses went on to win 4-2.

They are now unbeaten in 30 matches.

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Harrogate’s Rachel Daly scored twice as England beat Italy in the Arnold Clark Cup.

Daly, who made her first start up front, secured the Lionesses their second win of the competition with two headers in a 2-1 victory.

The tournament is hosted by the Football Association and sees four teams play against each other during the February international break.

The 31-year-old was given the start up front after scoring 10 goals in 13 appearances for Aston Villa this season.

Daly’s performance will prove a headache for head coach Sarina Weigman ahead of the final game of the Arnold Clark Cup on Wednesday.

Sunday’s victory over Italy sees England top the tournament table on six points.

The Lionesses will play Belgium for the Arnold Clark Cup at Ashton Gate, Bristol, on Wednesday at 7.45pm.

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A petition has been launched to award honours to all members of the England Lionesses team that won Euro 2022 — including Harrogate’s Rachel Daly.

Captain Leah Williamson was appointed OBE while Beth Mead, Lucy Bronze and Ellen White became MBEs in today’s King’s New Year Honours.

But the decision to recognise four players and not others in a team game has caused controversy.

A petition calling for all of the Lionesses’ playing squad to receive honours has already attracted 2,000 signatures.

Michael McCann, who started the petition, said:

“It simply does not feel fair at all, that after such a monumental collective effort, and given the historical precedents set with previous sporting successes in England, to chose to honour just four of the Lionesses players.”

Mr McCann calls on the Cabinet Office to “honour the entire 23-player squad with at least an MBE”.

Politicians, including Andy Burnham, the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, have questioned why only four of the team were recognised.

Why only four? They were a TEAM. It should be all or none and I say ALL. https://t.co/lc6ysVKZWL

— Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) December 31, 2022

The Daily Mail’s northern football correspondent, Dominic King, also expressed forthright views on Twitter.

If Gareth Southgate’s squad had won the World Cup, every member would have got recognition in the honours list. It’s puzzling, them, why every member of Sarina Weigman’s squad hasn’t been honoured. Sir Hugh Robertson’s explanation for the exclusivity is nonsense, too.

— Dominic King (@DominicKing_DM) December 31, 2022

Daly, whose career started at Killinghall Nomads, has had an amazing year. Besides winning Euro 2022 she has twice been named Women’s Super League Player of the Month for her scoring exploits at Aston Villa.

Rachel Daly receiving her player of the month award November.

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A North Yorkshire auctioneers with offices in Harrogate sold a 1966 World Cup winner’s medal, shirt and squad cap today for a combined hammer price of £445,000.

The items originally belonged to Alan Ball, who at just 21 years old was the youngest and least experienced member of the legendary 1966 World Cup winning England team.  

His medal sold for £200,000 hammer, his red number 7 shirt fetched £130,000 and his cap sold for £115,000 at Tennants Auctioneers’ toys and models, sporting and fishing sale in Leyburn. 

Lancashire-born midfielder Alan Ball played for Blackpool, Everton, Arsenal and Southampton, and won 72 caps for England. He went on to manage several clubs, including Manchester City and Southampton.  He died in 2007.

Alan Ball’s 1966 World Cup winner’s medal.

Alan Ball’s shirt sold for £130,000

His cap fetched £115,000

Ball sold his medal and cap at auction in 2005, when they were purchased by the owner of Bolton Wanderers, businessman and philanthropist Edwin ‘Eddie’ Davies (1946-2018). 

From the same estate came a Pele match-worn Brazil shirt, worn during the first half of the famous Brazil v England 1970 World Cup match, which sold for £33,000.

Tennants Auctioneers’ sporting specialist, Kegan Harrison, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to have achieved such fantastic results for the vendor, who has had a long-standing relationship with Tennants.  

“The 1966 World Cup victory will always be a golden moment in English sporting history, and we have been honoured to have handled the sale of these extraordinary items. It has been 56 years since that incredible match, but it is still very close to the hearts of all football fans.” 

Tennants Auctioneers is based at Leyburn, North Yorkshire and has an office on Montpellier Road in Harrogate, as well as in London.