Education
King"s College London.
King"s College London.
She is the Wales women"s national football team manager. As a player, Ludlow represented Arsenal for 13 years, and captained the Welsh national team until her international retirement in 2012. Ludlow played as a midfielder and remains Arsenal"s all-time record goalscorer.
Ludlow"s father had been a professional football player, and she began her own football career early, playing with a boys" team before having to stop aged 12.
Ludlow enjoyed a promising junior career in athletics, being the British record holder in the triple jump at Under-17 level and also representing the United Kingdom at the Under-20s level She also represented Wales at netball and basketball.
Ludlow decided to focus on football, but had to travel to Barry Town to play since there were no girls" teams in the South Wales Valleys. She then moved to London and played for Millwall Lionesses and Southampton Saints while completing a physiotherapy degree at King"s College, London.
Joining Arsenal in 2000, Ludlow scored 28 goals from midfield as she helped the Gunners to a domestic treble in her first season.
At the time, manager Vic Akers described her as "the best box-to-box player in the women"s game". In the 2005 off-season she returned to the United States to play for New York Magic. She remained loyal to Arsenal, becoming vice-captain and the club"s all-time leading scorer.
Her favourite male player was Roy Keane.
This meant that club captain Ludlow was suspended for the 2010 FA Women"s Cup Final, in which Arsenal were beaten by Everton. In July 2013 after a succession of injuries Ludlow announced her retirement from playing, indicating a desire to focus on her role as an academy coach with Arsenal Ladies and Wales.
The following month she accepted a position as manager and director of Reading Women, who had successfully bid for a place in the FA Forest, Snow and Landscape 2. In early 2010 Ludlow left the Wales team after many years of disenchantment and a dispute with the coach Adrian Tucker.
In November 2010 she returned to the fold following the appointment of new coach Jarmo Matikainen.
When Ludlow retired from international football in October 2012, she was described by Matikainen as "the most successful player that Wales has ever had". Union of European Football Associations Women"s Cup: 1 2000-2001, 2001-2002, 2003-2004, 2004-2005, 2005-2006,, 2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2009-2010 2000-2001, 2003-2004, 2005-2006,, 2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2010-2011, 2012-2013 2000-2001, 2004-2005,, 2008-2009.