Skip to content
British Broadcasting Corporation
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Innovation
  • Culture
  • Arts
  • Travel
  • Earth
  • Audio
  • Video
  • Live
Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, The BBC's first female football reporter

Sporting Witness

Sporting Witness

The BBC's first female football reporter


Up next

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Wrexham's FA Cup giant-killing

Wrexham's FA Cup giant-killing

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Togo bus attack

Togo bus attack

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, P.T. Usha - India's 'queen of track and field'

P.T. Usha - India's 'queen of track and field'

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Stanley Matthews' Soweto team

Stanley Matthews' Soweto team

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Rocky Bleier: The legendary comeback

Rocky Bleier: The legendary comeback

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Knocking down Mike Tyson

Knocking down Mike Tyson

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Nancy Greene: The 'Tiger' of women's skiing

Nancy Greene: The 'Tiger' of women's skiing

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Kenya's first Winter Olympian

Kenya's first Winter Olympian

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Colin McRae: Rally legend

Colin McRae: Rally legend

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, The remarkable life of Eva Szekely

The remarkable life of Eva Szekely

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Ironman's Ironwoman

Ironman's Ironwoman

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, The perfect bull-ride

The perfect bull-ride

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Why I designed the prosthetic running leg

Why I designed the prosthetic running leg

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Parkour

Parkour

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Mary Peters

Mary Peters

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Defying the Taliban

Defying the Taliban

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, The 'Crazy Gang' win the FA Cup

The 'Crazy Gang' win the FA Cup

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Fausto Coppi - Il Campionissimo

Fausto Coppi - Il Campionissimo

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Tofiri Kibuuka - Africa's paralympic pioneer

Tofiri Kibuuka - Africa's paralympic pioneer

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Ibtihaj Muhammad - Fencing in a hijab

Ibtihaj Muhammad - Fencing in a hijab

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Rulon Gardner - Wrestling Hero

Rulon Gardner - Wrestling Hero

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Clyde Best: A black footballing pioneer

Clyde Best: A black footballing pioneer

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Cheerleading's first World Championships

Cheerleading's first World Championships

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Greece's stunning football triumph

Greece's stunning football triumph

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Beckham in Hollywood

Beckham in Hollywood

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Afghanistan's cricket heroes

Afghanistan's cricket heroes

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Coe vs Ovett

Coe vs Ovett

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, The first woman to climb Everest

The first woman to climb Everest

Sporting Witness, Sporting Witness, Tears of a weightlifter

Tears of a weightlifter

December 26, 2019

9 minutes

Available for over a year

In 1969 the BBC caused a sensation by allowing a woman to report on football on air for the first time. The reporter was Mary Raine, who covered a first division match between Chelsea and Sunderland that year, as well as the 1970 FA Cup final. She talks to Simon Watts about being the first woman to enter the all-male press box.

PHOTO: Mary Raine in Goal magazine in 1969 (BBC)

See more episodes

Programme website


British Broadcasting Corporation
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Innovation
  • Culture
  • Arts
  • Travel
  • Earth
  • Audio
  • Video
  • Live
  • Weather
  • BBC Shop
  • BritBox

Follow BBC on:

  • Terms of Use
  • About the BBC
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies
  • Accessibility Help
  • Contact the BBC
  • Advertise with us
  • Do not share or sell my info
  • BBC.com Help & FAQs

Copyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved.  The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.