Melbourne Victory have confirmed the signing of Liverpool and England striker Natasha Dowie as a guest player for the remainder of the Westfield W-League 2015/16 season.
Dowie, 27, joins Victory on loan from Liverpool and will play her first Westfield W-League game against Perth Glory away on Saturday, November 28.
Born in the United Arab Emirates, Dowie has played all her football in England with stints at Watford, Fulham, Charlton Athletic and Everton before joining Liverpool in 2012, where she has scored 45 goals in 42 appearances.
Internationally, she has 12 senior caps for England, making her debut in a FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier against Turkey in 2009.
Melbourne Victory W-League head coach Dave Edmondson said he was excited about the arrival of Dowie to the club.
“Natasha brings a wealth of experience, both domestically and internationally, which will be invaluable to the young players in our squad,” Edmondson said.
“It is great to be able to secure someone with Natasha’s playing record at this stage of the season and I am extremely confident she will make an immediate impact when she starts playing later this month.”
Dowie said she can’t wait to arrive in Australia to meet her new teammates and commence playing in her new colours.
“I have always wanted the opportunity to play abroad and experience different styles of play,” Dowie said from England.
“I’m so excited to go on loan to Melbourne Victory and help the team be successful.
“The chance to travel around Australia playing in the W-League is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I want to thank Dave Edmondson for approaching me.
“It will be great to work under him and, as a coach myself, learn from someone with a great deal of experience and qualifications in the women’s game.”
