Jill Scott

Biography:

As a child, Jill was a keen long distance runner, winning the North of England Under-13 cross-country title and the Junior Great North Run, whilst also playing football for Boldon Girls. Aged 13, she had to decide between football and running – she chose football.

Scott began her senior career with Sunderland Women and in October 2005, aged only 18, she won the Women’s Player of the Month Award, based on her performances for her club and country (at U19 level).

In 2006, Jill joined Everton Ladies and at the end of the 2007–08 season she picked up the F.A. Tesco Players’ Player of the Year award. 

After leaving Everton in 2013, Scott signed a two-year deal with newly reformed Manchester City, becoming a full-time professional for the first time. This move proved an immediate success, as she played a part in securing the League Cup (Continental Cup) for City in 2014.

Since her City debut, Scott has helped the Blues win three League Cups (2014, 2016 and 2019), two F.A. Women’s Cups (2016 and 2019) and one WSL title (2016). During her time at City, the club has also been WSL runners up four times. Jill scored City’s 2016  F.A. Cup clinching goal against Birmingham in front of over 35,000 fans.

Notable facts/stories:

Jill Scott was awarded an M.B.E. in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to women’s football and she also joined the coaching team at Manchester City whilst still playing for the Women’s team.

Non-City career (briefly):

Scott played for the England U.19s, scoring three times in three games as England won through qualifying for the 2006 UEFA Under-19s tournament. Her debut for the England senior team was against the Netherlands in 2006, as a late substitute in a 4–0 win. Jill made the squad for the 2007 World Cup, coming on as a substitute in England’s opening match against Japan. She started the remainder of England’s matches in the tournament, scoring her first international goal in the 6–1 defeat of Argentina in the group stage. England went on to lose in the quarter-final against U.S.A. Named in the squad for the 2009 Women’s European Championships, she scored a late winner as England beat the Netherlands in the semi-final, having come on as a substitute for extra-time.

At the 2011 Women’s World Cup, Scott scored against New Zealand in England’s 2–1 group win.  She also put England ahead against France in the quarter final but, following a 1–1 draw, the team lost on penalties. She won her 100^th cap in 2015 and, when Scott started the 3-0 win over Cameroon at France 2019, it was her 18th appearance at a World Cup finals, the most of any England women’s player in history. She started every game, missing just 12 minutes of playing time and, by the end of the tournament, Jill had overtaken Peter Shilton’s World Cup appearance record, competing in 21 matches.