THE most striking thing about watching the new documentary about the life of Julie Fleeting is how dramatically things have changed in such a relatively short space of time.

The 41-year-old blazed a trail for so many female footballers in this country and without her determination and tenacity, it’s doubtful whether the sport would be thriving as it is today.

The programme, which will air on BBC Alba this evening, documents the life and career of Fleeting, the challenges she encountered and the highs and lows of a career that saw her face many obstacles but still became Scotland’s top international scorer with 116 goals, a tally that her compatriot and former national team manager Shelley Kerr says will never be surpassed.

That Fleeting was interested in football shouldn’t have come as a surprise – her dad, Jim, was a former professional player and manager himself – but what hit me in the programme was the overwhelming and almost universal belief that even as recently as the 80s, girls just didn’t play football and if they did, they shouldn’t.

Fleeting though, got stuck in with the boys and quickly changed a lot of opinions that football wasn’t a place for girls.

From her move to America having signed for San Diego Spirit, becoming the first Scot to play as a full-time professional in the WUSA, to her eight years at Arsenal, during which she won a remarkable 17 major trophies, she succeeded despite having stepped into the unknown.

Her international goal tally remains far and away a record but it was her return to football after having a baby that was perhaps her most significant career decision.

These days, returning to elite sport having given birth is relatively unremarkable but when Fleeting chose to do it, in 2009, it was far less common.

Her ability to combine motherhood and a professional sports career proved to others that having a baby did not necessarily mean hanging up the boots was inevitable. 

Things are still not perfect, however.

Only last week, Scotland captain Rachel Corsie made clear her displeasure at her belief that the women’s national side are still not treated equally by the Scottish FA with, she says, the governing body not providing the same resources for the women’s team as they do the men’s.

So there is still a way to go.

Women’s football, as a whole, in this country has come on considerably since Fleeting broke into the sport but every so often, it is obvious the distance to go remains significant.

But without Fleeting, it’s debatable as to whether things would have progressed as they have in the past two decades.

The plethora of greats of the game who paid tribute in the documentary to Fleeting’s role in not only establishing herself as one of the best but also in showing so many girls who came after her what was possible and that being the first need not necessarily be an insurmountable obstacle, was notable.

Had Fleeting been male and reached the heights she did, she would be a multi-millionaire. Even if she had had her time a few years later, she would have banked significantly bigger pay-cheques than she did.

But the fact she achieved what she did despite having no path to follow has, unquestionably, made things just that little bit easier for all those who came after her.

AND ANOTHER THING

Retirement is, surely, on the horizon now for Serena Williams.

The news last week that her long-time coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, has begun working full-time with former world No.1 Simone Halep is the surest sign yet that we won’t see Williams back on a tennis court.

The American has never been one for disclosing her plans publicly but considering Mouratoglou’s partnership with Halep, it’s hard to imagine Williams envisages herself back
in competitive action anytime soon.

She has not played since Wimbledon last year and at the age of 40, with numerous injury issues having plagued her in recent seasons, a comeback would be a remarkable effort.

Discounting Williams entirely would be folly; she has made clear countless times of her desire to equal, or even break, Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam titles – Williams has 23 – but with her last major win having come over five years ago, and before she became a mother, the odds are getting increasingly slim that she will add to her tally.

It’s odd to think we may never see her in competitive action again; even though she has not been a constant presence in the latter stages of tournaments in recent years, her name in the draw, however poor her form or however far she is from full fitness, always adds an extra level of intrigue to an event.

Love her or hate her, there is no female tennis player that generates the interest Williams does. And at her best, she is a breath-taking player.

There are a number of women who will be relied upon to help the sport thrive in the coming years but tennis without Serena Williams is just that little bit less interesting.

‘Julie Fleeting’ is produced by purpleTV for BBC ALBA. It will air tonight at 9pm and then for 30 days on BBC iPlayer.