The Scottish Women's Football Team 1881

Between early May and late June 1881 a tour was arranged across Scotland and the north of England involving women’s association football teams. The opening match of the tour involved teams representing ‘Scotland’ and ‘England’ to cash in on the popularity of international football.

On 7th May 1881 Hibernian Park in Edinburgh was the setting for the first ever women’s association football match. Lilly St Clare scored the first ever recorded goal in the history of women’s association football while Constance Cole playing under her stage name Louise Cole added a second as the Scotland team went on to chalk up a memorable 3-0 win.

The illustration shows Lilly St Clare and Hibernian Park in the background.

Image courtesy of Stuart Gibbs.

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