Joanne Love (born 6 December 1985) is a Scottish international footballer who plays as a midfielder for Partick Thistle. She has previously played for Glasgow City, Kilmarnock and Celtic, in the English FA Women's Premier League for Doncaster Rovers Belles and in the United States for Cocoa Expos.
Making her international debut aged 16, Love became the fourth player to make a century of appearances, behind Pauline Hamill, Julie Fleeting and Gemma Fay. She last appeared for her country in 2019, claiming her 191st cap at the age of 33. This total makes her Scotland's all time leading appearance holder.
Club career Born in Paisley and raised in Kilbirnie, Love began her career with Kilmarnock.The SSE Scottish Women's Cup: Seven league titles and it all started with jumpers for goalposts, Daily Record, 19 July 2018Cuthbert hails Love's influence ahead of Euro Under-19 finals, The Herald, 21 April 2019 In 2006 she played in the American W-League for Cocoa Expos.
After three years at Celtic, Love signed for rivals Glasgow City in February 2011;Celtic lose Midfielder to City Rivals , Scotzine, 11 February 2011The Mistakes of Celtic’s Lost Decade Must Not Be Repeated, The Celtic Star, 8 December 2021 she remained with the club for over a decade, winning multiple Scottish Women's Premier League championships and cups and featuring in the UEFA Women's Champions League.Loving feeling for Jo if City land historic win, Evening Times, 21 March 2015, via PressReaderPlayers making history: Still on the treadmill all for Love of the game, The Herald, 7 May 2017 Scotland international Jo Love on the World Cup, VAR and the one change she'd make to women's football, Adam Miller, Football Scotland, 25 July 2019Leanne Crichton and Jo Love extend to 2022, Glasgow City FC, 3 November 2020
Outside football Love is a scientist who works as a chemical analyst for Glasgow City Council.The Scotland stalwart lending a scientific hand, FIFA, 17 April 2020
International career In March 2000, Love was called up to the Scotland under-18 team at the age of 14. She made her senior debut for Scotland in the 2002 Algarve Cup during a 3–0 defeat to Canada and scored her first international goal against France in a February 2004 friendly match.
Love reached 100 caps in March 2011 in a 1–0 loss to Canada during the 2011 Cyprus Cup. She was awarded her 150th cap in a friendly match against Wales in August 2014. By the time of her 191st and last cap in a friendly victory against Brazil in April 2019, she was the national record holder for appearances by an outfield player (she was named in the squad for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup two months after that,Jo Love: Scotland midfielder wants to leave 'legacy', BBC Sport, 29 May 2019 but did not feature in Scotland's three matches – unlike at the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 tournament where she was introduced as a substitute in the first two matches and started in the third, a win over Spain).
A football training programme for young girls operated by Ayrshire College is named in her honour.Love Soccer Centre at Ayrshire College Turns One, Ayrshire College, 8 October 2019
International goals Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first. Goal against France in Feb 2004 not included in SFA profile. # Date Venue Opponent Result Competition Scored 1 18 February 2004 Stade Louis Michel, Sète 1–1 Friendly 1 2 6 May 2006 Richmond Park, Dublin 2–0 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup qual. 1 3 10 March 2008 Alpha Sports Centre, Larnaca 2–0 Friendly 1 4 13 February 2011 Bridge Meadow Stadium, Haverfordwest 4–2 Friendly 1 5 16 June 2012 Tynecastle Stadium, Edinburgh 8–0 2013 UEFA Women's Championship qual. 1 6 15 July 2012 Chris Anderson Stadium, Aberdeen 2–0 Friendly 1 7 15 September 2012 Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli 2–1 2013 UEFA Women's Championship qual. 1 8 31 October 2013 Dyskobolia Stadium, Grodzisk Wielkopolski 4–0 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qual. 1 10 23 October 2015 Fir Park, Motherwell 7–0 UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying 2 13 29 November 2015 St Mirren Park, Paisley 10–0 UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying 3 14 7 June 2016 FC Minsk Stadium, Minsk 1–0 UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying 1
See also List of women's footballers with 100 or more international caps Scottish FA Women's International Roll of Honour
References
External links
Glasgow City LFC player profile Jo Love at Killiefc.com