ENGLAND STAR PLAYING IN TRAGIC BROTHER’S MEMORY

FOR Lucy Staniforth and her family, this summer’s World Cup has huge significance. Midfielder Staniforth, 26, is not only representing her country but also the memory of her late brother. Thomas Staniforth was a 20-year-old defender in Sheffield Wednesday’s first team in 2001 when he collapsed and died in York on a night out. A postmortem found traces of ecstasy in his bloodstream and the coroner said this triggered the cerebral edema that was the main cause of death. His father Gordon, who played for Carlisle and York, said: ‘He didn’t have an enemy in the world. He just made a tragic mistake.’ Now, a Staniforth is at the summit of football: Lucy (right). For Birmingham City stands. I played against Brazil, I looked up and all I could see was her bright red face!’ Few in the England squad have overcome more than Staniforth. She says: ‘As a kid, I always hoped girls would go to the men’s World Cup. I didn’t even realise there was a girls’ team! I’ve had a few setbacks in my time, two cruciate ligament injuries. I did them back-to-back so I was out for three years. I’ve had so many moments along the way when I thought, “This just isn’t going to work out”.’ Staniforth has also played for Sunderland, Lincoln, Bristol and Liverpool and her strike for England against Japan in the SheBelieves Cup in March won rave reviews from Alan Shearer. ‘It was a pinch-me moment,’ she says. ‘Amazing he knew anything about me, to be honest. My step-dad and stepbrother are huge Newcastle fans, they were well jealous.’

she wears No 37, the same as Thomas wore for Wednesday. She says: ‘I pay homage to his career. When it was my birthday, the FA got me a cake with ‘Staniforth 37’ on it. It’s at moments like that you realise you’re in a privileged position and you want to make the most of it. ‘My mum, Sandra, she’s always crying in the