Our Canadian international turns 26 today and everyone at the Club wishes her a wonderful day.
Admired for her positivity, friendliness and hard work, Beckie is regarded as one of the loveliest and most dedicated people you could meet.
Regarded as a friend to all, she is incredibly humble despite her talent, and cares deeply about other people, always wanting the best for all.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she utilised her status via social media to try and help others – even filming home fitness videos to ensure people of all abilities could stay active while isolating.
With her cheerful personality, she is beloved by the squad and the fans. Experiencing the Canadian’s kindness first-hand in the early stages of injury, teammate Aoife Mannion deemed Beckie ‘the model human’ in a recent interview with ManCity.com!
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“If you follow her on social media, you’ll know she’s probably the model human!” she smiled.
“She does a bit of everything: cooking healthy food, keeping active… She’s just radiates good vibes across the board.”
On the pitch, Beckie is equally devoted, enthusiastic and selfless. Though a natural forward, she spent a large chunk of the 2019/20 campaign plying her trade in the unaccustomed position of right-back in the absence of the injured Mannion.
Never one to seek personal glory, Beckie’s mantra has always been to help the team – no matter what.
Even after netting the winning penalty in the 2019 Continental Cup Final shoot-out triumph over Arsenal, she ran straight to ‘MVP’ Karen Bardsley, who saved two spot-kicks, and hailed the team’s efforts as key to the success.
“We deserved this as a team,” she grinned. “Everyone put in a huge shift over the course of the campaign. We played as a team and stuck to the game plan.”
Despite the unfamiliarity of last year’s right-back role, she simply took the challenge in her stride – never once complaining; instead, viewing the situation as an opportunity to learn.
As a result of the experience, she feels her decision-making, ball retention and composure have all reached a new level.
“I really had to go into the position with an open mind and a learning mindset – but it’s been good,” she reflected.
“This Club is about playing out – keeping possession – and to have been able to do that from a deeper position has added to my game.”
Beckie’s love of the beautiful game is there for all to see and has been acknowledged by her managers and her peers.
She’s as devoted to growing women’s football as she is playing it and takes her role model status incredibly seriously – eager to inspire and encourage budding footballers to follow in her footsteps, soaking up every piece of knowledge and experience.
“The good thing about Janine is she wants to learn,” former boss Nick Cushing said.
“We asked her to do a role for the team and play as a right-back rather than a right winger... The best of Janine is: she is willing to do it.
“She is someone I thoroughly enjoy working with because she wants to learn, and she goes out on the training pitch and works hard.”
Beckie credits her personality, outlook and conduct to her passions in life. Deeply religious, she is guided by her faith.
“My faith plays the role in my life of my foundation; that foundation of faith then drives what I’m doing everyday – how I treat my friends, the attitude that I go into in training with… When you strip it all away, I have my faith there and that’s the constant for me,” she explained.
“I’ve felt my role in sport has been: to be a good person, be a good teammate and to show my teammates the grace I feel I’m given.
“I know my teammates have had a good look at my faith and why I do the things that I do and act the way that I do. I’m very respectful of that.”
Close friend Caroline Weir echoed those sentiments, hailing Beckie’s optimistic outlook – even when she’s being pranked by mischief-makers Georgia Stanway and Keira Walsh!
“I get on well with Janine because he’s a super nice person,” Weir declared. “She’s hard-working, super positive and caring – she wants to make sure people are okay. She’s a good person to be around.
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“I room with her too. We complement each other. She’s very organised and very punctual – I thought I was early but she’s super early! She leaves me behind!
“She’s pretty chilled and we both like the same things – relaxing and watching stuff on TV.
“She gets teased quite a lot! I had it quite bad in my first year with Keira Walsh and Abbie McManus but this year, it’s been Keira and Georgia Stanway going for Janine every day!
“I don’t know how she copes with it – I would go crazy! – but it’s quite funny to watch sometimes!
“She’s just a great person and I get on really well with her.”
Beckie’s enthusiasm, work ethic and versatility have all proven valuable traits in her first two years at the Club.
Earlier this year, she extended her stay in Manchester, penning a two-year contract extension to 2022 with Head of Women’s Football Gavin Makel highlighting her attributes as the embodiment of the City philosophy.
“She represents everything that we are about – a player who has the desire to win and improve, whilst always putting the team’s needs above her own,” he commented.
For Janine, there was never any doubt she would stay, asserting her City career has ‘exceeded all expectations.’
“The last two years have been more than I could have imagined and after the progress and memories I have made so far, there was no doubt when it came to making the decision to re-sign,” she stated.
“I am very much looking forward to next two years and adding my presence to a trophy winning team.”
Forward or full-back, bring it on, Janine Janine!
