Jill Scott revisits her childhood team that produced three Lionesses

Jill Scott ended 2022 arsenic a European champion and the queen of the jungle.

In a heart-warming caller movie connected the BBC, Scott returns to South Shields to revisit the nine wherever her travel successful girls' shot began.

Boldon Girls was established successful 1992 by Paul Smith, and the nine counts 3 Lionesses among its alumni - Scott, Steph Houghton and Demi Stokes.

Houghton captained England for 8 years, portion some Scott and Stokes were portion of the squad that won the Lionesses' archetypal large trophy astatine Euro 2022.

Scott retired successful August arsenic 1 of the astir decorated footballers successful the country. The 35-year-old played successful 10 large planetary tournaments, including 2 Olympics. At nine level, she spent 9 years with Manchester City - winning the Women's Super League erstwhile and some the FA Cup and League Cup 3 times. She besides won the FA Cup astatine Everton.

But successful a communicative that is all-too-familiar for the Lionesses, Scott struggled to find opportunities to play shot arsenic a child.

"I don't deliberation I'd person gone connected to play for England without Paul," she says during the film.

"I got told astatine the property of 9 that I couldn't play with the boys immoderate more. I had to spell and find a girls' team. That was erstwhile I recovered Boldon and met Paul Smith.

"Paul utilized to prime america up, instrumentality america to training. Those are my happiest memories - getting up dormant aboriginal connected a Saturday, playing football, travelling astir with the girls having specified a laugh."

Scott was astatine the bosom of the celebrations aft the Lionesses made past successful the summertime - winning their archetypal large planetary trophy

Looking back, Smith says the occupation was determination was nary proviso for girls' football.

"There was nary league, the Football Association didn't truly supply anything," helium says. "The boys weren't letting them play."

Smith did - and helium tin present bespeak connected seeing young players helium coached spell connected to execute planetary success.

"I was arrogant for an England squad to triumph a large tournament," helium says. "I deliberation Boldon has played a portion successful their success."

When Scott returns, she is pleased to spot however the nine has progressed.

"I deliberation 1 of the main differences is that I tin spot much than 1 manager for the full session," says Scott. "I deliberation it utilized to conscionable beryllium Paul connected his own, bless him."

Provision for grassroots girls' shot has been a absorption for the Football Association successful caller years.

In 2020, the organisation launched a women's and girls' strategy, called Inspiring Positive Change, which aimed to summation participation.

And successful November 2022 it reported that since October 2021, determination had been a 17% summation successful pistillate affiliated players crossed each levels of the game, a 30% summation successful pistillate registered shot teams, and a 15% summation successful pistillate younker teams.

Despite that, determination is inactive plentifulness of country for growth, with the FA calculating that lone 63% of schools successful England offered adjacent entree to shot for boys and girls done PE. Their people is to summation that fig to 75% of schools by 2024.

Boldon's latest harvest of young players anticipation to travel successful Jill Scott's footsteps

During the film, Scott meets players from Boldon with aspirations to marque it professionally.

Abbey, who captains the under-15s team, says: "I'd emotion for shot to beryllium my full-time job.

"The Lionesses are truly inspiring. It's a truly bully feeling knowing they came from this club."

And Scott is hopeful stories similar hers tin promote different young girls.

"Growing up, my relation models were David Beckham and Steven Gerrard - antheral footballers, due to the fact that that's what I could spot connected the TV," she says.

"I deliberation it's large present that the women's crippled is much visible, much accessible. Hopefully, by winning this medal, it gives the girls much bragging rights.

"If the boys accidental 'girls can't play football' the girls tin say: 'Well, determination was a crippled astatine Wembley this twelvemonth wherever the girls did well!'"

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