JILL SCOTT has lifted FA Cups, a league title and made history by helping Lionesses win the Women’s Euros for the first time ever.However, the retired Lioness, 36 reveals it was her brief loan stint at Aston Villa that turned her mother into a huge Women’s Super League fan.
Jill Scott’s induction into the WSL Hall of Fame comes 15 months after she helped England win the Euros last August before hanging up her bootsCredit: Getty
Scott joins several Women’s Super League trailblazers honoured for their contribution to the game
Scott’s post-playing career has seen her regular feature as a football pundit on TVCredit: Kenny Ramsay
The former midfielder, who began her 18-year playing career at Sunderland before spells at Everton, Manchester City and Villa is someone who has become synonymous with the WSL.
Before winning the Euros, Scott joined Villa on loan from Man City in January last year.
And last night saw her, Ellen White and Anita Asante become the league’s latest Barclays WSL Hall of Fame inductees.
Scott said: “My mum actually loves following Villa, because of my time there.
“She is a really big fan of Carla and the team.
“She knows how much I enjoyed my time there so she’s always looking out for their results and, with Jordan Nobbs, and Lucy Staniforth going there as well.
“The fact that she works her weekend around the game at times is just great, really.
“Going back however many years, she would not have even known that games were happening, and she wouldn’t have had access to watch them.
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“It goes to show that if we keep putting this amazing product out there, there is an audience who wants to follow this ever-growing game.”
Last August saw Scott, who made 175 WSL appearances, retire after helping Sarina Wiegman’s England become European Champions at Wembley by beating Germany.
A memorable expletive rant (for which she later apologised) during the final in reaction to a heavy challenge during the Lionesses’ historic win that day may have seen her go viral.
But for many WSL fans, and in particular Man City supporters, it’s Scott’s performances on the pitch for which she is remembered most for.
Performances which saw her win four FA Cups, four league cups and a WSL title before joining Kelly Smith, Karen Carney, Eni Aluko, Fara Williams and Rachel Yankey in the Hall of Fame.
Scott adds: “I hope it represents that for any young girl out there, you might not be the best player on your team, you might not be the most talented; but with hard work and if you want something so badly you have to dedicate every day of your life to it.
“If I look at my early days of playing with Fara, then when I look at Keira Walsh, Lauren Hemp, Steph Houghton all these players, I think they made me look half decent at times!”
To date the only football manager included in the Hall of Fame’s inductees is Emma Hayes who has guided Chelsea six WSL title wins.
The Blues chief will leave her current role at the end of this season after 11 years at the helm amid links with the USA Women’s national team manager’s role.
Scott said: “Emma has had a fantastic time with Chelsea in terms of where they were to where they are now.
“I don’t think it’s been confirmed yet where she’s going next.
“I know every single player that I’ve talked to who has played for Emma, says that her emotional intelligence and how she gets the best out of the players is just on another level.
“It’s sad for the WSL that we’re going to be losing one of the best managers – well definitely the most successful -manager to ever manage in it.
“I’m excited for her next challenge.”
Scott’s playing days involved being part of the crop of female footballers who featured in the WSL in its debut season.
Players who contributed to its formation prior the division’s first game played 13 years ago with Arsenal beating Chelsea 1-0 at the home of non-league men’s side Tooting and Mitcham.
The former Lioness, who is among the WSL’s highest appearance makers, hopes to pass the baton on to the league’s next generation and girls aspiring to build careers in the game.
Her Hall of Fame induction comes nine months after the opening of a pitch named after her in Jarrow, South Tyneside
Scott said: “You see the legacy that you do get to leave, the opportunity to open a football pitch which is going to give girls and women’s football the priority to make sure that they have good facilities.
“The fact that we get that on the back of knowing at the beginning of the WSL that we needed better facilities so that you’re helping that next generation, it’s kind of a full circle moment.”
Lioness heroines Anita Asante and Ellen White have also been inducted into the WSL’s Hall of Fame
“For Anita, Ellen and for me to get this recognition, I’m sure the girls are just equally as excited as me.
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“I hope we showed how much it meant to play for our club, no matter who that was.
“It kind of shows all that hard work that put in and hopefully, people see that we always tried to represent our clubs in in the best way possible right till the end.” More
