You've just Scott to push on through

FORMER Manchester City ace Jill Scott faced many hurdles while pursuing her dream of becoming a footballer.

- by GEMMA McCARTNEY

The 39-year-old, who was made an MBE in 2020 for her services to the women’s game, was even picked on as a child for her love of football.

But with more than 400 professional matches under her belt for both club and country, Jill proved all her doubters wrong.

“There were a lot of barriers along the way,” she says. “I got bullied for it because I was the only girl playing football.

“Without that PE teacher, without that coach who said, ‘You know what, Jill, do whatever you want to do, if you’re willing to work hard; I might never have stood at Wembley in front of 90,000 people with a Gold medal for England [in the 2022 Uefa Women’s Championship]. My journey, I feel so lucky I’m the one who’s got to live it, but it wouldn’t have happened without all the support around it. I’d love kids to feel that support to go on and do whatever they want.”

Jill is now on a mission to help others with a five-day 400-mile cycle and marathon from Wembley Stadium to her home city of Sunderland, in aid of Sport Relief.

“I’m a bit nervous,” she admits. “It’s a hell of a distance to do in five days.