Gill Sayell's journey in football began in the 1960s when she disguised herself as a boy to play in a boys' team due to the lack of girls' teams. Undeterred by the FA's ban on women's football, she pursued her passion and was eventually scouted at a charity match for an unofficial women's World Cup in Mexico at 14. Although faced with penalties upon her return, Sayell persisted in her career, becoming a founding member of Arsenal's women's team. Today, she is celebrated through a portrait by David James in the BBC series Extraordinary Portraits.
"Football is my first love, and I've always wanted to play," she said. A few years later, she would be scouted at a charity football match to represent an 'England' squad at Copa 71."
"There were so many people there," Sayell said. "We didn't really know what was going on." However, on her return home there was no paparazzi. Instead, she was banned for three months..."
Collection
[
|
...
]