I’ll be cheering on England... win or lose this is a triumph for women’s game

TODAY, like millions of others, I’ll be watching the World England.Cup final. And even though I’ve worn the national team jersey for Scotland many times, I will absolutely be cheering for

It’s not just because the Lionesses are a team of wonderful players – it’s also because of what their success means for women’s sport.

As a nine-year-old, I was mocked for being a girl in a boys’ team, so it is great to see the huge shift in attitudes and perceptions.

The success of women’s football in Scotland and in England has played a massive part in inspiring girls, including my own children.

For them, a lot of their friends play so they have other girls to talk to about their excitement and passion. I didn’t have that back then, so for that to be normal now is wonderful.

Today’s World Cup final when England take on Spain will, I think, have a knock-on effect for a lot of different sports, for female athletes, and will really make a difference in their futures.

I think for female sport the tables are now turning and people are really starting to appreciate the quality of football being played on the pitch.

I’ve played football for as long as I can remember with my brother and my dad, in the house and out in the street with the other kids, but it was all boys at the time. That started my love of the game and from there the boys in my primary school class asked if I wanted a game for their team as they were looking for players.

I remember asking my dad: ‘Please, please can I play?’ although at the time I never dreamed I would play professional football – probably because there simply weren’t girls’ teams.

Just having the opportunity to be participating in an organised game and wear strips blew my mind. I joined the team. I loved it there and played with the boys from when I was nine until I was around 13-years-old.

Throughout all those years I was with them there wasn’t a single female in any of the other teams I played against. It was quite a unique situation at the time.

MY own boys’ team back then were welcoming and accepting of the situation and my coaches were amazing. I was treated just like another player.

But, every single game I went to there were comments from other teams and other parents all about how ‘they’ve got a girl playing for them’. It was quite derogatory; we were kind of laughed at.

That was almost like motivation for me because I didn’t want to be the laughing stock when the final whistle blew. It spurred me on so that when the game started I was as hardened and competitive as if I was one of the boys. When I look back now it was a massive test mentally at nine years old but I thought: ‘Nobody is going to take this away, I’ve got a chance to do what I love.’

Every second of my spare time in the garden and the street and even in the house was spent playing football. Once I reached secondary school and was enjoying other sports as well, I had to make a decision: do I stop playing football because the opportunities are not there for girls?

Fortunately there was Prestwick – which later became Ayr United – and my mum and dad were great at allowing me to get to training and make the 25-minute journey there and back three times a week. That was the first time I had ever known of other girls who enjoyed playing football in my area.

They were a great group of girls and it was a brilliant set up. I stayed with them until I left to play professionally when I signed for San Diego in 2002.

I was the first professional Scottish female footballer and I was aware it was an enormous opportunity. Moving to the other side of the world was a huge step. I’m a home bird and very close to my family and my husband Colin, who was my boyfriend at the time. I had to put all those feelings aside and pursue the football side of it and I’m so glad I did because it was an incredible experience, a brilliant opportunity. It was a wonderful club and a great league to play in.

When I look back now, those memories were some of the most special I’ve had in my life. It never entered my head when I was younger that I would get up in the morning, travel to training and I would be getting money in my bank for it – it was beyond my wildest dreams.

At the time, Colin was doing that in his position as goalkeeper, going to training every day and getting paid for it and I just kind of accepted that. I never questioned why I wasn’t getting that opportunity. And then when I did do it, it blew my mind.

I joined the Scotland squad when I was 15 and loved every second both on and off the pitch – as well as the friendships and the pride that came along with it.

The women’s national team was definitely not the number-one priority back then. We had to wear the men’s kits – their actual strips. We had small players drowning in the blokes’ extra-large tops.

WHEN I think back now, I often wonder why was that an acceptable way to be treated. But at the time we were just so grateful for everything we received.

The spectacle of this year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will definitely bring about further progress for the women’s game.

The England team have some unbelievably good players which generates a massive interest in every game they play and draws attention to the quality of the football. Their success so far can only be good news in terms of parity for women’s sport, as well as bringing in bigger crowds, more advertising and more revenue.

So whether or not England captain Millie Bright actually lifts the World Cup today or not (and I hope she does) their achievement is absolutely a resounding victory for girls like the nine year-old me who just wanted to play football.