Cup semi-final win against Arsenal, however she was to be disappointed once again after a 1–0 loss to Charlton Athletic in the 2005 final. In the 2007–08 season Handley was named Everton captain through the absence of Leanne Duffy. Handley then led Everton to their first silverware in over a decade with a 1–0 win against Arsenal in the Premier League Cup final, where she was named Player of the Match. Season 2008–09 seemed to be full of promise for Handley, but it got off to a bad start when she suffered a broken ankle during the Umbro pre-season tournament. She recovered ahead of schedule and came on as a substitute in the 4–0 FA Cup win against Manchester City before travelling to Cyprus with England for a squad get together. Everton finished second in the league and qualified for the UEFA Women's Champions League. In 2009–10 Handley captained Everton to their FA Women's Cup final win over Arsenal, setting up Natasha Dowie for the opening goal. The 2014 season saw Everton defeat local rivals Liverpool en route to the FA Women's Cup final, but Handley did not play as Arsenal won the final 2–0 at Stadium mk. Worse was to follow in September 2014 as Everton were relegated out of the top division for the first time in 21 years. Back to the Belles On 28 January 2015, Handley announced that she had transferred from Everton back to Doncaster Belles. Unable to shake off injuries picked up in pre-season, Handley retired from playing in May 2015: "I felt it was my body's way of telling me enough was enough". She was studying physiotherapy through the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) and hoped to stay in football in that capacity. International career Handley first represented England as a 16-year-old and played in the U-18 national team. She also represented English Universities while a student. Good performances at club level led to further international recognition for Handley. She made her full debut against Nigeria in July 2002 and was named Player of the Match by Sky Sports. In October 2003 she got her first goal for the senior England team in a 2–2 draw against Russia in Moscow. She was on the score sheet in a 5–0 whitewash of Mexico in the 2005 Algarve Cup and was also involved in the World Cup qualifying campaign, scoring a goal in the record 13–0