Beth Cobden


Beth Cobden is an England netball international. She was a member of the England teams that won gold medals at the 2017 Fast5 Netball World Series and the 2018 Commonwealth Games. At club level, she was a member of the Northern Thunder/Manchester Thunder teams that won Netball Superleague titles in 2012 and 2014. She also played in two grand finals for Loughborough Lightning. In 2019 she signed for Adelaide Thunderbirds of Suncorp Super Netball.

Early life, family and education

Cobden is the daughter of Ian and Pat Cobden. She was raised in Staffordshire, living in Heath Hayes and Lichfield and attending Five Ways Primary School in Cannock. Her older brother, Jack Cobden, is a former England under-20 rugby union international who subsequently represented Romania at senior level. Another brother, Joe Cobden, represented England at under-18 level.
Cobden was introduced to netball by her mother. She subsequently began playing for local clubs, Newhall and Parkside. The Sutton Coldfield–based Parkside club also produced players like Ama Agbeze and Layla Guscoth. Between 2011 and 2015 Cobden attended the University of Manchester where she gained a BA in Accounting and Finance. Together with Helen Housby, she also represented Manchester in BUCS intervarsity netball competitions.

Playing career

Manchester Thunder

Between 2011 and 2015 Cobden played for Northern Thunder/Manchester Thunder. She was a member of the Thunder teams that won Netball Superleague titles in 2012 and 2014.

Loughborough Lightning

Between 2016 and 2018 Cobden played for Loughborough Lightning. She was a member of the Lightning team that won the 2017 British Fast5 Netball All-Stars Championship. She also played for Lightning in the 2017 and 2018 Netball Superleague grand finals. In the 2018 final Cobden ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament and was taken off after just 14 minutes.

Adelaide Thunderbirds

In 2019 Cobden signed for Adelaide Thunderbirds of Suncorp Super Netball. However in a round three match against Melbourne Vixens she again ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament and subsequently missed the rest of season. Cobden was not included in the Thunderbirds 2020 squad
but was subsequently included in the Southern Force 2020 squad.

International

;Great Britain
Cobden was a member of the Great Britain team that won the gold medal at the 2012 World University Netball Championship.
;England
Cobden made her senior debut for England in 2016. In June 2016 she was given a full-time contract by England Netball. She was subsequently a member of the England teams that won gold medals at the 2017 Fast5 Netball World Series and the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Cobden missed the 2018–19 international season, including the 2019 Netball World Cup because of injuries.
TournamentsPlace
2016 Netball Quad Series3rd
2016 Fast5 Netball World Series4th
2017 Netball Quad Series 3rd
2017 Netball Quad Series 3rd
2017 Fast5 Netball World Series
2018 Netball Quad Series 2nd
2018 Commonwealth Games

Coach

While playing for Loughborough Lightning, Cobden and her team mates, Hannah Joseph and Natalie Panagarry coached at Ratcliffe College. While playing with Adelaide Thunderbirds she worked as a youth coach for Netball South Australia.

Honours

;England
;Great Britain
;Northern Thunder/Manchester Thunder
;Loughborough Lightning