My cousin is one of the greatest goalscorers in Premier League history.. but I’m making my own way at his arch rivals
GOALSCORING is an instinct and one family seems to have it coursing through their veins.
Melanie Reay is the cousin of one of the Premier League’s greatest ever players and after emulating his goalscoring on the pitch, she’s now the manager at his biggest rivals.
Reay, 42, played up front just like her much-loved cousin and made a name bagging goals just like him.
The now retired striker is a three-time Golden Boot winner having mastered her craft in the FA Women’s Premier League Northern Division.
While her cousin is a three-time Premier League Golden Boot winner too.
Hard work is certainly the main reason for her success, but sharing some DNA with all-time Prem top scorer Alan Shearer will certainly have helped her find the back of the net.
Although, Reay may not be welcome at the next family gathering having taken the first steps of her career in management at Shearer’s rival club Sunderland.
Shearer, who is a legend in the northeast for his time at Newcastle United, has been vocal of his dislike for the Magpies’ arch enemies and even had to hide from Sunderland fans on a train recently.
But Reay has found a new home with the club, having started her playing career with the Tyne and Wear side in the early 2000’s.
Reay soon switched to Newcastle during her playing days and won the Golden Boot with the club in 2008.
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Telling the Chronicle back then: “Alan holds the record for the most goals for Newcastle United and I have the most goals this season for the women’s team. We can both be pleased with that.”
Reay certainly had a Shearer-esque record, netting 58 goals in 82 Sunderland games and a stunning 65 in 64 matches for Newcastle.
After hanging up her boots in 2008 the prolific striker turned to coaching and held a role as assistant at Newcastle United women’s side.
But Reay soon returned to rivals Sunderland where, after two years as an assistant, she was made the permanent boss of the Women’s Championship side.
Reay has been in charge of The Lasses as they’ve earned their spot in England‘s second division.
She achieved a third placed finish with the side last term and currently sits eighth in the league this season.
And this weekend will be a huge moment for the manager – and cousin Shearer – as Reay prepares to face Newcastle Women in a Wear-Tyne derby that is expected to break records.
The match is being played at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light, rather than the ladies’ usual home of Eppleton Colliery Football Ground, and is anticipated to set an attendance record for a Women’s Championship fixture.
The current record stands at 11,137 fans, but that is expected to be comfortably beaten with over 12,000 tickets already sold for the derby.
Can you name the famous fathers?
- Our dad’s a Man Utd legend – now we run our own gym
- My dad is an Arsenal Invincible – and I played under him
- Our dad is Man Utd Treble winner – now we’re following in his footsteps
- My dad is a legendary manager – and I even dated one of his players
- Our dad won it all for Chelsea – now we’re starring for our country