She currently attends the FA National Player Development Centre at Loughborough University, where she has the tough task of combining studying for an HND in Sport Sciences and coaching with living the life of a top flight footballer.

It is a challenge that Leanne is thoroughly enjoying and hopes that her progress at the Centre will see her claim the England No. 1 jersey in the future. Hall began her career at the age of 11 playing for Sheffield Wednesday, the club she supports, before joining Doncaster Belles when she was 15. However, in the last week Hall has left the club where she spent over six happy years to join Leeds United. Hall took time out of her busy schedule to talk to Ben Rice about the move to Leeds, her England career to date, her aims and ambitions and Tim from Big Brother!

As a child, was it always an ambition of yours to play for England?

Not really when I first started playing as a kid, because I wasn't aware of the women's England team so when I first started out playing it was just a kick-about. Then when I realised the competitions and the leagues that were available, I started to take it seriously. I began to train hard and then it became an ambition straight away. I was about 10 or 11 when I played in my first competitive league.

You have been involved with England since you were 16. What is the highlight of your international career so far?

My first highlight was when I made my debut for England at 19 in front of 45,000 people against France. There were two games on - the French men against a Select World 11 and then us against the French women. It was a charity match and a celebration of France winning the World Cup in 1998, so it was really for them to parade the trophy. We played before that game and lost 1-0.

How has your first year at the National Player Development Centre been?

It's been really good, the set-up is very professional but at the same time it is very demanding. It was very hard work even though it is enjoyable because we literally live a professional footballer's lifestyle as well as the lifestyle of a student. I am studying Sport Science so you can imagine trying to combine the two. With the amount of coaching we receive it has improved my game overall.

What are your international aims and ambitions for the future?

I want to make the number one shirt my own and also, with World Cup qualifiers coming up, it will be good to be involved in major competitions like I was in the European Championships last year. In the short term it would be absolutely fantastic if England could qualify for next year's World Cup in China.

Are you confident that England can make it?

If we carry on progressing at the rate we are, then we certainly have got a massive opportunity to qualify. It is going to be tough but then all international matches are tough no matter who you play against but we are confident.

TheFA.com has heard you've been receiving hundreds of text messages about Tim from Big Brother?

Yeah! I started receiving hundreds of texts about Tim and then one lady rang up and said that Tim was boring so I asked her where she got my number from. My number had been published in a Big Brother magazine as a voting poll, so I have received around 600 text messages in the last week regarding this!

So what do you think about Tim?

I don't really watch it but what I have seen he's boring and that is what other people seem to think as I've got the results!!

You have just joined Leeds United after six and a half years with Doncaster Belles. How tough was that decision?

It was very hard. When you have been at a club for so long, especially such a successful club like Doncaster, it is never easy to leave and it certainly was the case this time. It was a tough decision and it took me a couple of weeks to weigh up all the advantages and disadvantages. It is an opportunity to further my career, I've been involved in the England set-up for 3 or 4 years with the Seniors and basically I thought I needed a fresh challenge to compete for the No.1 spot. Moving to a club with the stature of Leeds with all the potential they have, I thought would enhance my playing career.

You have just been included in the squad for England's next friendly against Nigeria. How does it make you feel about the game?

Obviously I am as pleased as I am whenever a letter comes through the post. Even though I have been involved in every squad for the last 3 years I don't take it for granted that I am going to receive a call-up letter so I just carry on working hard. I've never faced Nigeria before, so they are a new opposition. Most of the games we play are against teams from Europe, it's not very often that we get a chance to play teams from outside Europe. We don't really know what to expect but I am sure that the staff have done the work behind the scenes.

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