Mary

Fowler

Magic Mary...

The striker made the move from Montpellier HSC and arrived in England with a reputation as one of the game’s most exciting young talents, having been awarded Australia’s PFA Young Women’s Footballer of the Year accolade and come second in NXGN Football’s 2022 Women’s Next Generation shortlist.

Born in Cairns, Australia, on Valentine’s Day in 2003, Fowler comes from a footballing family with her elder siblings Caoimhin and Ciara having both played for the Republic of Ireland’s youth sides (courtesy of their father’s heritage), while the latter also represented Australia at Under-20 level.

One of five children, she spent her formative years both in her native Australia with Saints FC, BVV Barendrecht and ESA alongside a spell with Dutch club Leichhardt FC whilst residing in the Netherlands as a teenager.

Her first foray into senior football however came in 2019 with Illawara Stingrays in the NSW National Premier League and following brief spells with them and Bankstown Cityin Sydney, she made her W-League debut with Adelaide United and marked the occasion with a goal.

The game was also a special one for the Fowler family, with Ciara making her first senior appearance that day alongside her sister.

Quickly attracting admirers across the world, the forward signed for French side Montpellier HSC on a three-year contract in January 2020 and made her bow for the club against Olympique Lyonnais a month later.

Although that season was later to come to a premature end due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the following campaign saw Fowler hit the ground running in Division 1 Feminine, scoring five goals in 15 games and impressing once again in 2021/22 as Montpellier finished fifth in the league standings.

On the international scene, the striker has been part of the Matildas’ senior set-up since making her debut for them in July 2018.

Part of Australia’s squad for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, she was involved in the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games where she scored against Great Britain in the quarterfinals, before the Matildas were narrowly beaten by Sweden in last four of the tournament.

Technically-gifted with great vision and able to play with both feet, Fowler describes herself as a powerful and creative forward, who likes to solve problems as the heart of her side’s attacking moves.

The youngster grabbed her first goals for City in a 6-0 Continental Cup win over Blackburn in October 2022.