FIFA to fund study into the history of women's football in Scotland
GCU's Dr Fiona Skillen has netted a prestigious FIFA research scholarship to chart the early history of women's football in Scotland.
Provided by the world game's governing body, through the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES), the award will fund the first in-depth study of the origins of the women's game, from the 1880s to 1939.
Dr Skillen, senior lecturer in history, will travel to the FIFA Museum and Archives, in Zurich, Switzerland, to examine minute books, correspondence and records relating to women's football in Scotland and the Scottish FA, as part of the project.
The study will look at the barriers and restrictions faced by the early female players, the role of the First World War, and the impact of the English FA's 1921 'ban' on organised matches.
Dr Skillen said: "There have been no detailed studies of the early history of women’s football in Scotland.
"This award from FIFA/CIES is recognition of how important the history of the game is. Insights from the past can help us to understand and shape the development of the contemporary women’s game."
The latest award will build on a pilot study carried out last year, funded by GCU's Research Reboot fund.
Richard McBrearty, of the Scottish Football Museum, said: "We are delighted that Fiona has an opportunity to undertake this groundbreaking research into the history of women’s football in Scotland.
"This will hugely benefit our knowledge of the game’s past and comes at a great time as we prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first official match involving the Scotland Women’s National Team later this year."
The Scottish Football Museum is currently hosting an exhibition on the hidden history of the trailblazing inter-war side Rutherglen Ladies FC, based on research carried out by Dr Skillen and the football historian Steve Bolton.