Full Transcript for Jane Ross: From Scotland's history-maker to life beyond the pitch I A Level Playing Field I Episode 35

Rangers. 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:20.959 That was the last one before you retired. 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:21.199 Yep. 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:23.120 And uh because I th I remember the press conference. 00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:33.759 I don't know if it was the pre-match press conference or the post-match one, and it might have been you or it might have been someone else, but I remember one of the journalists asking you like what you were going to do, and you said, I really vividly remember it because you said you'd just have to wait and see. 00:04:33.839 --> 00:04:38.800 So obviously it was kind of like in the pipeline, but how did it how did that actually come about? 00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:45.759 Because it is like Alison said, you you kind of think player, coach, manager to go down that sort of route, but how did that come about, you the PFA? 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:53.120 Um, I I think I'd already made up my mind quite early on in the season that that was going to be my last year of playing. 00:04:53.360 --> 00:05:06.720 Um and so yeah, I suppose I'd done a lot of work up until that point with personal development, doing various courses, um, trying to put myself in as best a position as possible for when the time came that I was going to finish playing. 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:11.040 Um the role with KFA Scotland came up at the start of the year. 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:22.079 Um, and I was sitting there, and as I say, the job description I read, and I thought this is something that actually really interests me, and it's something that I think I have a good skill set to go and give into the role. 00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:26.639 So yeah, I applied for the job and yeah, was successful in getting it. 00:05:26.879 --> 00:05:31.040 And as I say, then that kind of just made for the transition afterwards. 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:34.480 I think Tess Medik had done some work with the PFA as well, actually. 00:05:34.720 --> 00:05:34.800 Yeah. 00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:40.959 Uh she was part of the management committee, um, obviously a member also um when she was at Rangers. 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:41.600 So yeah. 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:43.040 So you'd somebody chat to. 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:47.040 A wee bit about it and and maybe a bit about what it might entail. 00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:48.800 Yeah, um, yeah. 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:56.639 I also I've done, as I say, throughout my career, I used a lot of the support from the PFA Scotland, um, a lot of the personal development side of things. 00:05:56.720 --> 00:05:58.079 So I knew the team well. 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:02.639 Um, and it was, yeah, probably a smooth transition for me with regards to that as well. 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:12.319 We obviously see you out and about at clubs and things, but can you tell us a wee bit about the more about the role and kind of what it looks like day to day, just for people that have not fully understand kind of what it is that you do? 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:13.600 Yeah, it's very

varied. 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:17.279 Um, so my job title is Youth and Women's Development Officer. 00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:23.759 Um, so I work with the youth players um professionally, and then also the women's side of the game. 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:29.920 Um and yeah, my job is to support our members um on the youth and women's side. 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:33.199 As I say, a big part of my role is the personal development side of things. 00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:55.759 So um yeah, whether that be one-to-one support or running different workshops, um we have events running at the moment called kickoff events, which yeah, are for first-year apprentices players on the other side, younger female players also, um, to kind of help with that initial introduction into professional football and what it looks like and the different things they maybe need to be aware of. 00:06:55.920 --> 00:07:02.800 So we kind of help with that support side of things, along with running various courses, um, helping with the education side of things. 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:06.639 Would you have quite liked that when you were a young player starting out? 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:09.439 Yeah, I think it's yeah, useful. 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:18.399 Um, definitely beneficial information that you're getting um and a support, suppose just yeah, that support that is maybe required. 00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:21.680 Because I could imagine when you were starting out, there wouldn't have been anything really. 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:24.959 Or there wouldn't have been much for not in terms of workshops, no. 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:27.279 Um I can't even think back. 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:28.639 It was quite a while ago now. 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:36.399 So having to rack back in the archives here, but no, I don't think so much remember um, yeah, anything of that kind. 00:07:36.720 --> 00:08:03.199 We've obviously heard this week about the the project 2035, and we're hearing from lots of different people who have had John Swinney involved, and obviously the SWPL, the SFA, lots of different stakeholders all coming together to present this vision of of what they see happening across almost the next decade up to 2035 the year that Scotland might well be co-hosts of the the World Cup, but I think it's ambitious in its outlook. 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:08.079 Um my own impression was uh the information was very quotes heavy. 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:09.839 We've done a lot of chat around it. 00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:26.560 I I'm not sure it seemed to be a wee bit more lighter on on the detail, but I think everyone would be really pleased if if the the ambitions that it set out reached fruition in terms of doubling the amount of females, registered female players and quadrupling attendancies. 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:30.560 But do you think these are realistic objectives that that we've seen this week? 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:33.120 I think it's a really exciting project. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:42.399 Um, I think, yeah, from the Scottish Government, obviously SFA, SWPL, ourselves, um, along with some other organisations and stakeholders, as you say. 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:49.919 Um yeah, it's ambitious, it's exciting, it's what the game, yeah, we want to achieve and we want to get to. 00:08:50.000 --> 00:09:00.080 And I suppose, yeah, the role of the task force that's been put into place and yeah, the conversations that will happen is what what needs to go, what needs to be implemented in order to achieve those goals. 00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:14.399 I think it was like 250k this year, and then I think probably that will be a negotiated amount then going on 250k from the government uh in terms of the support for the women's game, and then that'll be negotiated in subsequent years. 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:35.360 But for me, from from uh an observer being outside of it, to me, that investment will be crucial to what actually the realisation of what it is that they want to do that that from my perspective, I think obviously it needs to have an injection of cash into the the league and into grassroots and into facilities and into all the infrastructure around the game. 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:38.720 But you've been a player and you've seen it from that side of it. 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:43.919 What would your wish list be almost from from this task force? 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:47.919 What do you think it needs to maybe start to kick us on a wee bit? 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:54.080 Yeah, I think there's obviously four key strategic pillars um that have been outlined in the strategy. 00:09:54.240 --> 00:10:06.799 And I think I've probably come from the players' perspective, obviously, both the current players and listening to their voice and bringing that to the um conversation along with my own experiences from the playing side. 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:17.200 So, in terms of that, it's probably more the elite side of the um structure that yeah, my experiences personally are in and also from our membership um with PFA Scotland. 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:24.960 So I think, yeah, obviously can look and reflect in terms of okay, how can we continue to grow that elite pathway? 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:29.759 Um, how can we continue to make this the WPL as competitive a league as possible? 00:10:29.919 --> 00:10:33.679 And how does yeah, the working standards and environments for players continue to grow? 00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:38.960 It's time for our player of the week, sponsored by Nutmeg Magazine, the home of brilliant football stories. 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:42.320 Check out the latest issue at nutmegmagazine.co.uk. 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:49.600 This week's player of the week is Motherwell's Chelsea Watson, who captained the side to an historic victory over Celtic at the weekend. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:58.000 Motherwell ran out three one winners of our Grant Scots side in their first ever win over the hoops with goals from Eva Thompson, Louisa Boyce and Lucy

Sinclair. 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:02.159 The skipper played a key role in the back line in that stunning win at K Park. 00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:04.960 That was our Nutmeg Magazine player of the week. 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:10.159 For more great football writing and to order the latest issue, visit nutmegmagazine.co.uk. 00:11:10.480 --> 00:11:24.399 I think ultimately what you would want to see is a fully competitive uh sorry, a fully professional SWPL because at the moment you've got, you know, you've got five teams really who are professional or running professional contracts, and then you have the the other half who aren't. 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:32.320 I think if I think it would help the the standard across the league as a whole if ultimately it became a professional league, fully professional league. 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:36.159 I think that would be the goal in terms of obviously long-term goal. 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:40.559 Um yeah, are we there right now in this this point in time? 00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:43.919 I think there's steps that probably need to be put into place to be able to achieve that. 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:50.480 But I think everyone would want it to be um fully professional, and yeah, that's definitely something we would want to achieve. 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:58.080 You are sort of part of a a generation of players that changed the kind of profile of women's football in Scotland. 00:11:58.159 --> 00:12:01.200 Did it did it feel like that for you at the time when you were in it? 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:02.240 Or you just in it? 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:04.080 Or do you feel like that now when you look back? 00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:06.879 Um I think when you're in it, you're in it. 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:15.279 Um I think yeah, very much as an athlete, you're goal-driven, you're wanting to achieve um, yeah, as I say, the goals that you've set out. 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:26.720 So I think in terms of it was always the next game and wanting to win, and as myself as a player, wanting to continue to improve and be better and be the best version of myself, both on and off the pitch. 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:36.480 Um so I think when you're in it and you're just constantly looking to grow and improve, um probably not sitting back and reflecting and saying, Oh, like we're changing things here. 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:45.679 I think when I look back now and look at how much the game has grown and developed um over the time that I was playing, um, yeah, it's massive. 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:59.679 And I think probably just going from when I started out, you couldn't play professionally here within Scotland to looking at where the game is now, the progress we've made, um, and hopefully the next 10 years with this strategy as well as to where we can be. 00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:17.440 I suppose that kind of adds to the value that you have for PFA when you're speaking to players because you like you say, you started at a time when it wasn't professional, things were a lot different, and you you've come through all that whole journey, and now those players that you're speaking to are some of them are professional, we're we're in a different place with it. 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:22.159 And I suppose for you to be able to give them your experience is is valuable to them, I think. 00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:25.039 Yeah, I think they all have their own journeys also, though. 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:33.840 Um so it's kind of I've got my experiences, and if it's relatable or required, then I obviously can share those, but I also think they're all going through their own journeys as athletes, also. 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:36.559 Um yeah, amazing journeys as well. 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:39.600 So I think they deserve the credit for that also. 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:47.279 Um, and my role within PFA is obviously to support them in whatever area I need to or require to to help them. 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:48.000 Yeah. 00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:53.279 You were obviously uh pivotal to Scotland getting to their very first World Cup. 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:59.039 Would what do you remember about the goal that basically took them uh took them to France? 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:02.000 Yeah, um what I remember about the goal. 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:08.240 I mean, in the time, just very pleased to put it in the net because yeah, obviously it put us into a winning position within the game. 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:12.639 Um was I thinking about the end result and what was going to happen, not at all. 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:20.000 I think in that moment, in that the 90 minutes or 90 plus, whatever we played at that point, um, you're just focused on winning that game. 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:23.440 That was the focus when you to put ourselves in the best position we had to do that. 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:28.639 I was completely unaware of what was going on in the other match, wasn't even aware of the bench or anything that was going on. 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:35.600 So when the final whistle did go, I would think I was somewhere down near the corner flag, and everyone else just started running and screaming and shouting. 00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:36.879 And I was it took me a minute. 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:47.679 I obviously was more fatigued to the end of the game than I thought, but took me a minute to clock on to whoa wow, like we've all obviously achieved this, and like, yeah, obviously an amazing feeling and great celebration. 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:56.720 Incredible, and and being part of a team that that went to a World Cup, and that just seemed to me to be almost the peak of of where the women's game was. 00:14:56.799 --> 00:15:05.679 You had the 18 and a half thousand people turning up at Hamden to to wave you off from that friendly against Jamaica to wave you off to to go to France. 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:15.600 And do you feel in some ways as though we we missed an opportunity to build on on just where the

atmosphere and the climate and everything was at that point? 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:20.320 I think we obviously, yeah, amazing um to go to the World Cup. 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:24.240 Um great achievement for the country and something that we've been trying to achieve. 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:31.440 We've come close in recent years, but I think the women's game globally is growing. 00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:34.080 I think you can see that in every nation. 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:47.039 Um, and I think yeah, we we are there in theirabouts, but it's just that final little bit, and hopefully come December this year um we will get over that final hurdle and we'll be going to the World Cup again next year. 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:50.720 Do you know what's going through the minds of the players just now, building up to that? 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:53.600 I mean, they'll all be focused on their clubs at the moment, I'm sure. 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:59.440 Um, got some big matches in between, but I think yeah, there's no doubt that they will be focused on the task at hand. 00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:03.919 I'm sure Mel will have them well prepared um tacally for the matches. 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:07.759 And yeah, I believe we have the talent and the squad to do that. 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:12.799 Um I would love to see Brazil next year, and yeah, hopefully the results can go away. 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:22.159 Do you think it'd be the biggest result, biggest victory in Scotland's history for us to beat Sweden, given just the magnitude of where Sweden are and and how they rank within the women's game? 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:25.360 I I think there's been a lot of good results over the year. 00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:29.360 I don't think yeah, you could put it down to that, but I think it's obviously a massive game. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:32.480 Um, Sweden are one of the top teams in women's football currently. 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:34.720 They have yeah, a number of strong players. 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:40.559 Um, but as I say, like I look at our squad as well, and I also think we have a lot of talented players within that team. 00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:44.559 And having watched recent performances, I think, yeah, they've been performing well. 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:47.840 So I don't see why they shouldn't be going to going into the games with confidence. 00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:50.480 It's incredible to make it to a World Cup. 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:57.120 There's not many people who do, but can I take you back just to your kind of early years before before this the Glasgow City days? 00:16:57.200 --> 00:16:59.919 What was your what was your You're really picking the brains? 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:02.000 What was your the memories? 00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:09.519 What was your journey like up until that point, just from when you first started on the trail of football and to make it as a professional? 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:14.559 Yeah, so I grew up on the Isle of Butte,

um, an island on the west coast. 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:20.319 So yeah, I think starting my journey was just playing locally with the boys. 00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:23.920 Um, some girls also, but it was majority boys. 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:28.480 Um we had a local coaching clinic which I attended two or three times a week. 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:32.880 Um we didn't have a local club, we didn't have a school team that competed regularly. 00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:36.960 So at that age and stage of time, there was no competitive games for me. 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:46.880 Um I started to reach an age around 12, 13, where a lot of the my friends were going away and starting to join boys' clubs on the mainland. 00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:52.240 Mainland, sorry, that's an island phrase, but like going to join the boys' clubs, um, getting the opportunities. 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:56.319 And I think I kind of was wanting to also go and join a club. 00:17:56.480 --> 00:18:03.200 Um, these were players that yeah, I was training with regularly, I was competing with regularly, and I I also wanted that opportunity. 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:07.279 So um my dad yeah, um done some contacting at the time. 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:11.119 There was no social media, there was no internet, it was picking up the phone. 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:15.440 So he picked up the phone and found out what the local girls' clubs were for me. 00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:21.200 Um and I joined Paisley Saints, so that was yeah, the closest club. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:23.920 Um that must have been quite a commute. 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:24.559 Yeah. 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:27.359 Yeah, I mean a commitment. 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:31.680 Um, but yeah, I think I always say I'm very grateful for the support of my family. 00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:37.279 I think my parents, um, yeah, I without them I wouldn't have been able to achieve what I did. 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:38.960 So I think their support was key. 00:18:39.119 --> 00:18:41.599 Um uh it was a big commitment. 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:46.400 I would go away on a Friday, spend my weekends playing Saturday, Sunday, and then come back again. 00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:50.000 I would come up one or two nights a week to train, depending. 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:59.759 Um, and obviously needed an overnight stay before getting up early in the next morning to go on the first ferry back for yeah, to get to school. 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:04.480 Yeah, so it was it was yeah, a journey, but I think I loved it. 00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:10.160 Like I just loved the game, I loved playing it, um and yeah, enjoyed being a part of the team. 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:27.519 How how was it coming from Ireland life and being part of a really small community to go into a dressing room that's really busy and vibrant, and you've maybe been playing with kids that you've known all like you know, you've known all your life, and then you're going in and you're being someone new almost like

coming from from outside. 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:29.279 Was that quite daunting at first? 00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:34.079 Um I think I I don't really remember the first few sessions to be honest. 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:40.000 I think I was just excited to be joining a team and to be, yeah, I think part of something. 00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:42.640 I think the girls at Paisley Saints were all very welcoming. 00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:48.079 Um yeah, I built some good relationships there that yeah, still speak to one or two of the girls now. 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:52.319 Um and yeah, they were, as I say, very welcome supportive. 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:58.079 Um and it probably I enjoyed playing my football there, so that probably also helped. 00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:00.720 Um, but yeah, just different, I suppose. 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:06.880 It's not really something I've ever reflected on or thought about, but I think yeah, it's obviously just a change to what I'd grown up with. 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:18.960 It actually just shows you how it matters, like the support from like your family and your parents, because I probably think probably at that time they might not have been able to like have a vision of what it would have looked like down the road and where it was actually going. 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:27.599 Yeah, I think definitely like I think they were they wanted me to be happy, they would support me regardless of um what route I had chosen to go down. 00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:40.240 So I think yeah, when when I wanted to go into football and wanted to go and have series go, I think, yeah, I don't know if my mum maybe thought, well, but my dad's yeah, they they both were very supportive. 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:42.720 They both um wanted me just to be happy. 00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:52.160 I don't think I think obviously looking back now at the career I've had, um, I think even if it hadn't gone the way it had, they would have been happy and supportive to have yeah, helped me. 00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:54.480 Well it worked out, it worked out really well. 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:57.359 Um what would you have done if you hadn't played football? 00:20:57.680 --> 00:20:59.039 That's a very good question. 00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:06.480 Um I applied for university when I finished school um and I applied to I studied sports and exercise science. 00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:10.400 I got a degree in that, but I also had applied to do PE teaching and physiotherapy. 00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:12.400 So potentially one of those routes. 00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:14.240 I think I was always interested in sport. 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:16.640 I didn't know the direction I wanted to go in. 00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:21.279 Um but I opted for the sports and exercise science, which yeah, I enjoyed doing. 00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:29.359 Because you make a good point at that point, there was there would have been no but but there would have been no, you know, like no professional pathway really. 00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:40.880 So when you were thinking at school, I really want to, you know, maybe go and keep playing football and pursue a career in this, there's no one really to look to to say, I want to do something similar to X, Y, or Z. 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:48.720 Because there's no one that you can I think when I was young, especially before I joined or got into probably the youth pathways with the national team. 00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:50.400 Um, you had no exposure. 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:54.079 There was no social media, there was no women's football on TV. 00:21:54.160 --> 00:21:57.279 So it was more so I knew what I knew. 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:59.759 Um obviously when I started to get involved with the national team. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:04.319 I started, yeah, knowing different players that were involved with the first team at that time. 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:11.920 And I suppose you could look up to like Oma Dickey and Julie Fleeton, who were Julie would just have been slightly older than you a couple of years ago. 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:12.960 Yeah, she's yeah. 00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:14.319 So they were professional. 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:18.480 I think if he was playing in America at the time and Julie was travelling up and down to Arsenal. 00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:23.279 So I think like to have those role models um still didn't have the exposure that we have. 00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:26.960 Even their stories were still at that point quite unique. 00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:27.279 Yeah. 00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:29.279 Because I think Julie flew up and down, didn't she? 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:34.960 She used to like fly up, like sometimes land in a Sunday morning and go and playing the game and flying back up again. 00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:35.519 Yeah. 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:36.559 I think she played Saturday. 00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:39.599 Didn't she play Saturday, Sunday at one point and she early and I didn't visit? 00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:41.599 And then flying down Sunday morning. 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:50.480 But then obviously when you join Glasgow City, You were part of a team there that was just so dominant. 00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:55.039 Six consecutive league titles and then moved to Sweden. 00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:58.319 How did that uh how did that sort of come about for you? 00:22:58.400 --> 00:23:01.839 And what was the thinking behind that going going abroad at that time? 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:04.559 Because I could imagine it hadn't been done massively. 00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:08.160 There wasn't a lot of a lot of people who'd gone abroad in the women's game at that time. 00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:12.319 Um yeah, I had a number of successful years for Glasgow City. 00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:15.599 Um definitely developed massively as a player when I was there also. 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:19.039 And I think I'd finished my studies by that point. 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:29.839 Um I was starting a master's, but I think

the opportunity had come to yeah, go on trial with some clubs um in Scandinavia and Denmark, or Scandinavia and Denmark, same Scandinavia. 00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:35.759 Um and I think I knew my dream was to be a professional footballer. 00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:41.279 Um so when that opportunity arose, then it was kind of that was what I wanted to achieve. 00:23:41.359 --> 00:23:45.920 Um and obviously assigned um in Sweden um to fulfil that dream. 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:47.519 What age were you when you went over this? 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:48.240 23. 00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:52.319 Yeah, so did you go over by yourself, or did your family go over with you first to kind of set we in our? 00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:53.039 No, they didn't. 00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:53.759 My family didn't come. 00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:56.160 Yeah, I went fortunately. 00:23:56.400 --> 00:24:02.000 If you own a day cave was already playing, she was playing at the club that I joined. 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:06.319 So I had someone that I knew from the national team who was already in the environment. 00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:11.839 Um the club I joined were yeah, so friendly, um, quite a small village. 00:24:12.079 --> 00:24:20.160 So all the locals were great, the people who ran the club were fantastic, and so I felt like I joined a a nice team, if that makes sense. 00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:23.200 Like it was a good environment for me to probably move to as my first club. 00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:30.160 Um they all spoke Eng English really well as well, which probably helped with that um transition as well into the professional setup. 00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:33.440 It is still though a different culture moving completely. 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:35.839 How how did you find all of that off the park as well? 00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:36.799 Were you homesick at all? 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:42.319 Were you okay, or was it just a case of well, I know I've always wanted just to play football, so it's worth it? 00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:48.799 Yeah, I think I loved and embraced that side of it, like that I was playing professionally, like that was my focus. 00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:50.720 I had been studying up until that point. 00:24:50.799 --> 00:24:58.799 So and so to now just have football as my sole focus um was something that I really enjoyed, um, probably those first few years anyway. 00:24:58.960 --> 00:25:02.960 I think there came a point where I was probably okay, like I I want to fill my time with something else. 00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:11.440 But I think the first few years especially, it was yeah, nice just to focus on foot football, have the time to recover and to yeah, focus on yeah, not juggle. 00:25:11.599 --> 00:25:13.440 Yeah, not to be juggling different things. 00:25:13.599 --> 00:25:22.319 But the girls, there was a number of um international players in the squad, so we kind of had a good group that would socialise away from football as well. 00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:23.519 So that

probably made it easy. 00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:30.960 Also, as well, football, women's football in Scandinavia is a completely different culture, particularly even from what it would have been here at that time. 00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:33.119 Yeah, it was a very physical league. 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:41.759 Um, it definitely developed me physically as a player playing um there, and at the time it was a strong league within Europe, um, some really top players playing there. 00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:48.480 Yeah, no, it is like obviously still one of the top leagues over there, and then as you spoke about with the national team, the national team's very strong. 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:50.640 Um, so yeah. 00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:58.480 You've spent a lot of time down south as well, Man City, Man United, which is one of those one of those things. 00:25:58.559 --> 00:26:00.960 Not a lot of people have that kind of um dynamic. 00:26:01.039 --> 00:26:03.519 We've played for both sides and in West Ham as well. 00:26:03.599 --> 00:26:04.480 Did you play at Wembley? 00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:05.920 What did you play at Wembley for? 00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:07.839 Um we played at Wembley for the FA Cup for the year. 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:09.519 Yeah, and you played at Hamden as well. 00:26:09.599 --> 00:26:13.839 So I just wanted to be a wee bit cheeky and just ask you what one you thought how do they compare? 00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:16.000 Yeah, I mean kind of what you're gonna say. 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:19.279 I'm Scottish, so I'm gonna say Hamden, obviously. 00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:23.200 Um but no, both fantastic stadiums to play in. 00:26:23.359 --> 00:26:25.279 Um and you have that opportunity. 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:28.000 What was that like when at that time when you went down to the league? 00:26:28.079 --> 00:26:32.240 Do we know what the WSL was like now that what was the experience like for you at that time when you went down there? 00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:34.160 Yeah, I mean, enjoyed it. 00:26:34.240 --> 00:26:44.160 I think all three clubs that I played for, um, yeah, different experiences, different changing rooms, um, different groups, but I enjoyed the challenge of playing in the league. 00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:51.279 Um and yeah, as I say, like improving as a player, so being challenged in training on a daily basis as well. 00:26:51.839 --> 00:27:02.160 We uh we've seen that the FA and the SWSL are going to launch an investigation this week into the amount of female players who suffer from ACLs. 00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:08.079 Now, I know you missed a considerable 16, 17 months that you were out for with an ACL. 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:11.200 Do you think there needs to be more research done? 00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:22.079 And obviously your background as a sports scientist, but do you do you think there needs to be maybe more exploration into the reasons why female players seem to be much more susceptible to that kind of injury? 00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:26.720 I think it's definitely an area that a lot of um organisations are looking into. 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:30.319 So I know FIFP Pro are also they're conducting research at the moment. 00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:37.519 I think they're a year or so into their study, um, working with different leagues and universities down south. 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:46.720 So I think the more we can understand, the more um knowledge we have, and hopefully the more we can reduce the injuries. 00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:55.359 Um yeah, it is a frequent injury within the women's game, but I think yeah, hopefully we can minimise how often it's occurring. 00:27:55.680 --> 00:27:57.920 Is that the toughest time of your career? 00:27:58.480 --> 00:28:01.680 Um yeah, I think in terms of yeah, challenging. 00:28:01.759 --> 00:28:06.880 I think it wasn't as smooth a journey to getting back as I'd hoped and anticipated. 00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:14.640 Um, but I think yeah, probably proud of the resilience I showed and yeah, my ability to get back as well. 00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:20.160 So I think I've grown as a person from it as much as I would never have wanted it to happen. 00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:24.079 Um I think yeah, it's obviously part and partial. 00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:36.480 Have you found that in your role now that maybe players have spoken to you about it if they've found themselves out for a long time with similar injuries and just maybe spoken to you about the mental challenges around it and how tough that can be? 00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:37.839 Not me directly. 00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:42.480 We do have a well-being office or a well-being support service um with PFE Scotland. 00:28:42.559 --> 00:28:50.640 So probably for me that would be where I would signpost the players too if they were struggling or just wanted to chat about the injury side of things. 00:28:50.799 --> 00:29:01.119 Um obviously I am available and able to speak to them about it, but um in terms of actually getting support maybe that they require in that area, then it would be more for the well-being side of things. 00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:04.000 But I think it's important, yeah, to talk. 00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:07.680 I think it's can be challenging to go through long-term injuries. 00:29:07.839 --> 00:29:11.759 Um, and if players are struggling in that area, then definitely reach out. 00:29:12.079 --> 00:29:17.359 I suppose it's probably so important if you have an injury like that to be able to see, like, oh, they're someone that came through it. 00:29:17.680 --> 00:29:23.200 You know, there's someone who came through it and is back playing and you know, were able to pick up their career. 00:29:23.279 --> 00:29:26.000 Caroline Mare's probably like a really obvious example. 00:29:26.079 --> 00:29:30.799 You can pinpoint, you know, um, there's light at the end of the tunnel because I can see that someone else has done it. 00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:31.359 Yeah. 00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:36.240 I think

the thing with injuries though is that no no ACL injury is exactly the same. 00:29:36.480 --> 00:29:38.000 So every journey is different. 00:29:38.160 --> 00:29:47.920 So yeah, you don't want to go comparing to other people because I think everyone's body reacts differently, everyone recovers differently, and it's just the time scale is the time scale that it will take. 00:29:48.079 --> 00:30:00.400 So I think yeah, there's um a lot of examples, unfortunately, out there um of players who have gone through the injury, but as you say, like positive stories of players who have come back and are yeah, at the peak of their performance again. 00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:15.359 Yeah, I think we've spoken to a few of them on the on this podcast had Fiona Brown on a few weeks ago, Cara Henderson, who's at Partick Thistle, and she had the double shoot the ACL and the meniscus, so she was out for nearly two years, and she she just started her first game last week when she was coming back, it was great. 00:30:15.440 --> 00:30:28.480 But she spoke a lot about the kind of the mental side of it and how difficult that was, and just trying to overcome that alongside the physical fitness that you came back and the women on to win another five caps for Scotland, which is unbelievable. 00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:30.240 Like it's massively to your credit. 00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:35.599 I did you think though at one point that did you have any doubts that you would get back at any point? 00:30:36.480 --> 00:30:40.640 Um I mean, peaks and drops throughout the 18 months, to be honest. 00:30:40.799 --> 00:30:50.240 I think there is that mental challenge, and I think you stay positive and you motivate yourself, but you are gonna go through periods where yeah, it is a little bit uh why is this happening? 00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:51.759 Why is it taking so long? 00:30:51.920 --> 00:30:53.599 Um yeah, frustrating. 00:30:53.680 --> 00:30:57.920 But I think within my mind I was always determined that I wanted to come back. 00:30:58.000 --> 00:31:02.240 Um it was always I was gonna do everything within my control and power to come back. 00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:06.799 At the end of the day, if my body had said, no, this isn't gonna happen, then I had to respect that. 00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:13.279 But I think, yeah, I managed to obviously get there in the end, which as I say is something that I'm extremely proud of. 00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:24.880 And just before we finish up, we'll we'll not keep you too much longer, but I think you touched on it earlier about uh Scotland, and you know, you were obviously a part of that team that got to the World Cup, and we really hope that uh we can get to Brazil. 00:31:25.200 --> 00:31:28.640 Alison and I are trying to get a credit converse so that we can also get to Brazil. 00:31:29.119 --> 00:31:31.200 Rio de Janeiro in the summer sounds great. 00:31:31.359 --> 00:31:39.839 But um do you feel like they're in the best possible position they can be under Melissa Andreata since she's come into that job and the results that she's managed to get? 00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:43.759 I think as I say, like the team should be confident going into these games. 00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:50.160 I think they've been performing well and they've put themselves in a really good position, the best position they possibly could be. 00:31:50.240 --> 00:31:52.240 They're two games away from reaching the World Cup. 00:31:52.400 --> 00:31:57.920 So um yeah, I'm sure the players will be embracing the challenge of the games and will be looking forward to it. 00:31:58.000 --> 00:32:01.359 And yeah, and hopefully we can see two really strong Scotland performances. 00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:11.359 You you still know a lot of those players, you'd have played with a lot of those players, uh to play with Erin, played with Carly, yeah, Sophie Howard, Claire, Claire Emsley, yeah. 00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:14.880 You'd have played with loads of them, so you you know them, you know. 00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:22.240 Um do you think these are players that have got the mentality to now go and say let's let's get back to that, let's get back to this stage? 00:32:22.480 --> 00:32:23.279 Yeah, definitely. 00:32:23.359 --> 00:32:28.720 Like they're yeah, some some top players, as I say, like we have an extremely talented squad. 00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:36.960 Um so I think definitely they have the mentality, they have the capabilities, and as I say, hopefully we can see two strong Scotland performances. 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:42.880 What does it take on the cusp of games like this and the the days leading up to it? 00:32:42.960 --> 00:32:47.119 What is it like as a player when you know the magnitude of what's at stake? 00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:50.480 I think every player will be preparing differently. 00:32:50.720 --> 00:32:59.039 Everyone will be individual, so everyone will prepare different, some will want to be completely relaxed, some will want to get themselves um railed up, I suppose, for it. 00:32:59.119 --> 00:33:05.359 But I think everyone's preparation for that game will be individual to what they're they normally do on a game-to-game basis. 00:33:05.440 --> 00:33:07.920 I don't think anyone will be changing anything massively. 00:33:08.079 --> 00:33:11.759 Um they're all there and selected for Scotland because of their abilities. 00:33:11.839 --> 00:33:17.119 So I think, yeah, I think they'll all just be, as I say, looking forward to the matches and the challenge. 00:33:17.279 --> 00:33:18.880 What was your way of preparing? 00:33:19.119 --> 00:33:20.480 What was my way of preparing? 00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:21.519 Um I like music. 00:33:21.599 --> 00:33:24.160 I always put music in, kind of just get in the zone. 00:33:24.319 --> 00:33:26.880 I wasn't very sociable at times before games. 00:33:26.960 --> 00:33:30.880 I just like to be in my own little little zone and yeah, listen to some good music. 00:33:31.119 --> 00:33:31.759 What's your music? 00:33:31.920 --> 00:33:32.960 What was your taste in music? 00:33:33.200 --> 00:33:34.160 Could be anything. 00:33:34.640 --> 00:33:39.359 Um, yeah, it varied, obviously, just depending on what was what I liked at the time. 00:33:39.440 --> 00:33:40.400 Or yeah. 00:33:41.440 --> 00:33:42.880 Last last one from the strike. 00:33:43.119 --> 00:33:47.440 Um what did you think of the when the game when it was played against Czechia uh at St. 00:33:47.680 --> 00:33:48.079 Mirin? 00:33:48.400 --> 00:33:53.920 Um it was I was at the game and I just thought it was like such a different atmosphere because the the crowd, it was a really good crowd. 00:33:54.000 --> 00:34:05.359 I think it was over 6,000, but it just felt like the fans were closer to the pitch, obviously a smaller stadium, and it just it was it felt like when the players needed it, there was there was a noise, there was some uh behind them, like a force. 00:34:05.440 --> 00:34:09.760 And it would you have you've played at Hamden, but would you have enjoyed playing in that type of atmosphere? 00:34:09.840 --> 00:34:15.440 Well, hopefully we're gonna see it again, but um yeah, I think the support, yeah, brilliant to see. 00:34:15.519 --> 00:34:19.519 I think Hamden also, we got good support um at the stadium also. 00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:28.239 So I think the more noise the crowd can bring, the more vocal and support that can get behind the team, then yeah, the the better the atmosphere it is to play in. 00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:29.039 Well, perfect. 00:34:29.199 --> 00:34:30.559 Listen, it's been great to speak to you. 00:34:30.800 --> 00:34:40.639 Some of such interesting points and about your job at the PFA, which is I think people will be really interested to just find out a wee bit more about what that's all about and your your playing career as well. 00:34:40.800 --> 00:34:43.039 So thank you so much for your for your time, we really appreciate it. 00:34:43.280 --> 00:34:43.519 No problem. 00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:48.159 Thank you so much to uh thank you to Alison and thank you to you for listening.