PICTURES: The Scottish Football Association finally doffs cap to pioneering Inverness woman footballer who played for Scotland in the 1970s
Almost half a century on, the cap fits for Therese Coffey – at last!
At a ceremony at Hampden Park, the Inverness woman finally gained recognition as one of the women's football pioneers who starred for Scotland in the early 1970s.
Therese, originally from Fife but now of Clachnaharry after 18 years in the city, was only 16 when called up to play for Scotland in an international against Ireland in November 1974.
With the Scottish football’s governing body having only just lifted a ban on female participation, the victory at Clydebank’s old Kilbowie Park passed without much fanfare.
There was an apology and a promise, though, from SFA president Mike Mulraney as Therese and 21 other internationals of the 1970s and early 1980s were retrospectively capped before the recent Scotland defeat to England.
The SFA president emphasised how desperate the national association was to rectify past wrongs by promoting equality and tracking down a great many women who went uncapped.
Attending with daughter Claire and partner Juliet, it proved a proud and emotional moment for Therese who also had some of her grandchildren present at the match.
“It was great fun going around and chatting to women who had played away back then,” Therese said. “I wish they’d put out name badges because we’re all a bit more weathered than we were back then!
“There was a great atmosphere of reunion. Many hadn’t seen each other for a lot of years, although a few had stayed in touch.
“I was an east coast girl taken into a mostly west of Scotland squad for that one occasion, so I never really knew a lot of the team, although I played against them in the league.
“I was worried on the night the emotions might get the better of me, but I was quite calm among all the smiling faces.
“The last thing I thought of before actually getting my cap was my late mum and dad.
“My mum indulged me, but my dad who was in the RAF was of the view that football wasn’t a thing that girls should be doing.
“Despite the disapproval of the time, I think they would have been absolutely thrilled and proud to see me receive the cap.”
Among the audience was Elsie Cook, the first secretary for the Scottish Women’s Football Association, who was instrumental in reversing the ban on women’s participation in Scotland.
Therese also got to meet Liza Roselli, a team-mate who accidentally obscured her face with a raised arm in a Sunday newspaper report on the Scotland victory over Ireland.
As a result, for many years until SFA historians got to work, Therese had no concrete proof she had actually played in the match.
