Mary Carr is inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame

A trailblazer of the women's game has been honoured at the Scottish Women in Football Awards, held at Hampden Park on 29 November 2025. Mary Carr, part of the Scottish team who played in the first international match against England in 1972, was celebrated by a packed room as she was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame.

Paying tribute to Mary on the evening, former teammate and friend Rose Reilly spoke of Mary's incredible contribution not only to that celebrated match in 1972, but to football as a whole, both here in Scotland and further afield. Rose accounted that Mary's consistency as a player, tenacity and adventurous spirit made her the woman she was and she fondly recalled the 'two Scottish lassies' meeting up during their time playing in Italy.

Rose Reilly paying tribute to Mary Carr and Scottish Women in Football Awards night presenter Jane Douglas.

Rose Reilly and Ursula McFarlane of the Hall of Fame project, celebrating Mary Carr at the SWF Awards 2025

The Scottish Football Hall of Fame aims to celebrate the successes of those in football who have made a significant, positive impact to the game in Scotland.

The Hall of Fame panel is spearheaded SWPL leader Fiona McIntyre, alongside a group of experts, academics, creatives, administrators of the game who are all so passionate about football and women’s football. The Scottish Football Museum team and its Board wish to revamp and refresh the Hall of Fame, to bring its suite of inductees into a new, modern era and to reflect a more inclusive and current view of the game.  

A trailblazer's story 

Mary played for Motherwell AEI – the works team formed at the factory where she worked as a machine operator.

In 1972, the newly formed Scottish Women’s Football Association decided to organise an international football match against England to demonstrate to the SFA that they were serious in their mission to get women’s football taken seriously and restrictions lifted.

Although there had been teams labelled as Scotland previously this was the first time that trials were held to pick the team to play an official international match. Following the trials, 20 year old Mary was picked to play for the Scottish team in the first international on 18 November 1972 at Ravenscraig stadium.

It was a bitter day, and the pitch was frozen with a light covering of snow, but the women were determined to have a good match despite the treacherous conditions.

After 22 minutes, Edna Neillis chipped the ball and Mary defying the conditions, dived to head the ball past a defender and the England keeper into the net. This meant that Mary scored the first ever goal for the official Scottish Women’s National Team.

According to Elsie Cook, the small crowd who had braved the weather to cheer on the team, celebrated like the team had won the world cup – 1 nil up against the English! Despite scoring a further goal 5 minutes later the English came back to win 2-3 but the SWNT were underway.

Matches were fairly infrequent at this time with only one or two played each year. Mary played in a total of 6 matches for Scotland between November 1972 and July 1975. She played twice against England in 1972 and 73 and twice against Italy and once against Ireland in 1974. Her last match for Scotland was in July 1975 against Wales when she scored her second international goal in a 3 -2 victory for Scotland.

Through the years that Mary played for Scotland she also played for Motherwell AEI who were, at the time, one of the top teams in Scottish women’s football. During Mary’s time with them they won the league twice, were twice finalists for the Scottish Cup, winning it once in 1974, the first time the cup was played for after the SFA had lifted restrictions on women’s football. Motherwell AEI also won numerous other competitions organised across the country. For example, in 1974, they won a six a side tournament at Kilmarnock, the Leven trophy and the Arbroath 5 a side tournament.

In 1973, Mary took part in a tour to Morrocco organised by Elsie Cook to help raise funds for charity. In 1975, Mary took a path well-travelled by Scottish women footballers who wanted to make football their career and went to Italy. She would have a memorable spell playing for Palesi, Betonto, Messina and Lecce before ending up in the Netherlands with Cesk. Mary later moved to Ireland and set up coaching for boys and girls between the ages of six and 15. She continued with her coaching role in Ireland for over 30 years.

At the time Mary played no official Caps were presented to those who played for the Scottish Women’s National Team. However, in 2019 the SFA began a project to award retrospective caps to all women who played for the SWNT from 1972 to 1997. Mary’s Cap was awarded in October 2022.

Thank you, Mary 

Everyone at the Hall of Fame project, the Nomination & Induction Committee of the Hall of Fame, the Scottish Football Museum Board and across Scottish football wishes to say thank you to Mary for her incredible contribution to the game. It is greatly hoped that Mary will be in Glasgow in 2026 when the Scottish Football Museum will host a gathering of her friends and family to mark this special moment and showcase her rightful place in the Hall of Fame Gallery at the Museum. 

Images kindly provided by the Carr family.