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Episode 5 of the A Level Playing Field Podcast features a special conversation with journalism legend Hugh McDonald, who joins Alison McConnell and Cheryl Smith to reflect on a lifetime spent covering football — and the long, often difficult journey of the women’s game.
Drawing on his experiences during a period when women’s football was officially banned, Hugh offers rare insight into what it meant to report on the sport at a time when it was largely ignored, dismissed, or actively discouraged. He speaks candidly about how women’s football was talked about in newsrooms, the language that was used, and the cultural barriers that shaped coverage for decades.
As the conversation unfolds, Hugh charts the changes he has witnessed first-hand: from silence and marginalisation to growing visibility, respect, and legitimacy in mainstream sports reporting.
He reflects on his own role as an ally of the women’s game, the responsibility journalists carry in shaping public perception, and why fair, informed coverage has always mattered — even when the sport itself was pushed to the margins.
The episode also pays tribute to the players of the past who earned Hugh’s admiration long before wider recognition followed, acknowledging their talent, resilience, and influence despite the lack of platform or support.
Bringing the discussion firmly into the present, Hugh shares a touching personal story about his granddaughter and how a new generation of fans are growing up with women footballers as genuine heroes — including her admiration for Caroline Weir.
It’s a conversation that connects history, progress, and hope, highlighting just how far the game has come — and why the stories behind it still matter.
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