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Our Story: Scottish Women's Football

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Our Story - Scottish Women's Football

Scottish Women's Football

BBC Radio Scotland - Our Story, Scottish Women's Football

Mark Stephen chats to Scotland's pioneering female footballers who risked all for football

Mark Stephen chats to Scotland's pioneering female footballers whose determination, passion and talent changed the face of the women's game forever.

This episode of Our Story focuses on the pioneering women footballers who achieved greatness against all odds and changed the game for women forever. Though women's football in Scotland has a long history - there are records of women playing football in Scotland as early as the 17th Century - the discrimination faced by female footballers throughout the centuries has also been rife.  

In 1921, the women’s game in Scotland was officially banned by the Scottish Football Association due to concerns over women's reproductive health and the social attitudes of the time. This ban prohibited female footballers from playing on any SFA affiliated pitches, or using their facilities, affiliated referees or linesmen. As a result, the development of the women's game in Scotland was severely hampered and attitudes towards female footballers calcified, whilst the popularity of the male game grew. Some passionate players however, refused to be deterred. 

During this episode, Mark talks to three such players, whose determination and love of the game saw them form the first international Scottish women's side in the late 1960s. Former player, secretary and manager Elsie Cook was one of the main catalysts in growing the women's game, organising the first England vs Scotland  match in '72.  Margaret McCauley Rae was Scotland's first ever captain. The career of star striker Rose Reilly ultimately took her abroad to Italy, where she was embraced by the Italians for her exceptional talent and lived out a successful footballing career.  

Academic Karen Grunwell also joins Mark Stephen, Rose, Margaret and Elsie in the Scottish Football Museum in Hampden to discuss the development of the Scottish women's game from the 1960s onwards and the impact of their efforts on the game today.

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