| Laura Rafferty | |
| Fullname: | Laura Marie Rafferty[1] |
| Birth Date: | 29 April 1996 |
| Birth Place: | Southampton, England |
| Height: | 1.73 m |
| Position: | Defender |
| Currentclub: | Rangers |
| Clubnumber: | 5 |
| Youthclubs1: | Southampton |
| Youthyears2: | –2014 |
| Youthclubs2: | Hampshire Centre of Excellence |
| Years1: | 2014–2016 |
| Clubs1: | Chelsea |
| Caps1: | 16 |
| Goals1: | 1 |
| Years2: | 2016 |
| Clubs2: | → Oxford United (loan) |
| Caps2: | 9 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2017–2021 |
| Clubs3: | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| Caps3: | 30 |
| Goals3: | 2 |
| Years4: | 2020–2021 |
| Clubs4: | → Bristol City (loan) |
| Caps4: | 17 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 2021–2024 |
| Clubs5: | Southampton |
| Caps5: | 47 |
| Goals5: | 4 |
| Years6: | 2024- |
| Clubs6: | Rangers |
| Nationalyears1: | 2013–2015 |
| Nationalteam1: | Northern Ireland U19 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 9 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 1 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2013– |
| Nationalteam2: | Northern Ireland |
| Nationalcaps2: | 33 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 09:50, 25 February 2024 (UTC) |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 23:00, 25 February 2024 (UTC) |
Laura Marie Rafferty (born 29 April 1996) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Rangers in the Scottish Women's Premier League and the Northern Ireland national team. She previously played for Chelsea.
Rafferty began playing football for a local team at the age of eight.[2] After scoring 50 goals in 8 games, she reported being "chucked out of the league."[2] She played for eight years with the Southampton F.C. Academy as well as the Hampshire Centre of Excellence before moving to Chelsea F.C. Women[3]
Rafferty started her senior career in 2014 at Chelsea F.C. Women. She spent part of 2016 on loan at Oxford United. After three seasons with Chelsea F.C. Women with limited game time, Rafferty signed with Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA WSL 2 in January 2017 for the 2017 Spring Series.[4] [5] The team has since moved up to England's top flight, the FA WSL.
In September 2020 Rafferty joined Bristol City on loan for the 2020–21 season. Bristol finished bottom of the WSL table and were relegated to the FA Women's Championship.[6] [7]
On 5 July 2021 Rafferty joined third-tier, Southampton after being released by Brighton.[8] Saints were promoted in the 2021–22 season to the FA Women's Championship, Tier 2 of the English football pyramid.
Rafferty made her debut for the Northern Ireland national team on 6 March 2013 in a match against the Republic of Ireland.[9]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Chelsea F.C. Women | 2015 | FA Women's Super League | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 15 | 1 | ||
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | |||
| Oxford United W.F.C. (loan) | 2016 | FA WSL 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| Total | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |||
| Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. | 2017-18 | Women's Championship | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 22 | 1 | |
| 2018-19 | FA Women's Super League | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 1 | ||
| 2019-20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 30 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 38 | 2 | |||
| Bristol City (loan) | 2020-21 | FA Women's Super League | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
| Total | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |||
| Southampton F.C. Women | 2021-22 | FA Women's National League | 24 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 33 | 3 | |
| 2022-23 | Women's Championship | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 | ||
| 2023-24 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 0 | |||
| Total | 47 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 66 | 4 | |||
| Career total | 115 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 146 | 4 | |||