Mary Earps voted BBC's Women's Footballer of the Year - making her the first goalkeeper to win the award - just months after being named England's Player of the Year

Mary Earps has been voted BBC's Women's Footballer of nan Year, making history arsenic nan first goalkeeper honoured and capping a star-studded 2023 for nan Lionesses goalkeeper. 

The 30-year-old has been honoured pinch a raft of awards for her contributions for some her state and for Manchester United, who she helped decorativeness 2nd successful past year's Women's Super League table. 

Earps was antecedently named Women's Goalkeeper astatine FIFA's The Best awards successful 2022, earlier being named England Women's Player of nan Year successful September following Sarina Wiegman's side's promising but yet unsuccessful World Cup campaign. 

The shot-stopper won nan Golden Glove successful Australia successful nan aftermath of nan summer's tourney successful Australia, conscionable weeks aft winning nan honour successful nan WSL. 

The England world was besides feted astatine this year's GQ Men of nan Year awards, alongside peers including Spanish midfielder Jennifer Hermoso, and Wrexham's Paul Mullin. 

'I americium genuinely honoured,' Earps told BBC Sport. 'To beryllium nan first keeper to get their hands connected nan grant is special, and I americium incredibly grateful.'

On nan shortlist alongside world talents including this year's Ballon d'Or victor Aitana Bonmati and Chelsea's Sam Kerr, who vanished 2nd and 3rd successful nan voting respectively, Earps believed that she was improbable to extremity up securing nan apical spot. 

'To beryllium honest, I thought Bonmati mightiness return it. I mean, what a player,' Earps added, earlier referencing nan furore astir Nike's delayed income of her England goalkeeper jersey. 

'There has been a batch that has happened this year. Obviously, we've had nan World Cup. We've had each that's gone connected pinch nan goalkeeper shirts. I've had nan full goalkeeper national down me, it seemed like. 

'Not moreover conscionable that, conscionable unthinkable support from nan nationalist and galore people,' nan subordinate continued. 

Nike came nether occurrence for not producing England goalkeeper shirts up of July's World Cup, and later offered a tepid connection which hinted that nan jerseys would beryllium connected waste imminently aft an tremendous activity of request arsenic England raced done nan group stages. 

Two months aft nan tournament's conclusion, Nike put nan shirts connected waste - but fans ensured nan first tally were initially sold retired wrong hours, prompting Earps to share her gratitude pinch supporters connected societal media. 

Writing connected Instagram Stories, Earps said: 'Didn't realise these were going onsale today. And you've sold them retired already! More are coming earlier nan extremity of nan twelvemonth and successful much sizes (kids and adults) truthful enactment tuned!

'Thank you each for your unthinkable support connected this. You guys person made this happen!'

Earps added that she was 'just trying to make nan astir of everything' successful nan aftermath of her resurgent profession only a fewer years aft being stiff retired of nan England side. 

'I effort to usage my communicative arsenic a beacon of dream for group - to show that location are amended days coming,' Earps added.

'You conscionable person to support going and support fighting. That looks very different to different group - everyone has their ain battles and their ain stories.

'I deliberation what is unthinkable is really galore group person reached retired to maine and shared their ain stories done that. It's been really great. Long whitethorn it continue.'

The subordinate was sidelined betwixt November 2019 and September 2021 - an acquisition she said she 'wouldn't wish connected anyone' - but has since go a lynchpin nether Wiegman. 

The caput coach offered her congratulations upon Earps' receipt of nan award, adding: 'you're not done yet. You person to support going - get immoderate more'. 

Earps was besides congratulated by Fara Williams and Peter Schmeichel, pinch Earps singling retired nan legendary Man United keeper's praise arsenic peculiarly special. 

'That is really special, I'm a spot shocked by that,' Earps said of nan messages. 'It is unthinkable to perceive those things. I deliberation arsenic British people, we don't ever definitive nan measurement we observe things sometimes. I don't deliberation we're ever that forthcoming, truthful to perceive words for illustration that from unthinkable group and what they've each achieved is unbelievable. That intends a awesome deal.

'(Schmeichel) is right. It (major awards) doesn't often spell to nan goalkeepers. I deliberation that is what is really typical astir proceeding those messages from goalkeepers, aliases having nan support of nan goalkeepers' union. 

'I suppose we're each really rooting for nan different goalkeepers to do well. So yeah, that is really nice! Obviously he has sewage a awesome bequest successful general, but besides astatine nan club, truthful that's really special.'

Earps is nan 4th British subordinate to triumph nan award, down England team-mates Lucy Bronze and Beth Mead and Arsenal skipper Kim Little.