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Official cap a women's game milestone, says 'original Lioness'

Pat Mitchell-Firth Pat Mitchell-Firth with unofficial capPat Mitchell-Firth
Pat Mitchell-Firth was given an unofficial England cap by women's football pioneer Flo Bilton after scoring a hattrick on her international debut

One of the "original Lionesses" says receiving her FA cap nearly 50 years after her England debut marks a key milestone for the women's game.

Pat Mitchell-Firth, originally from Leeds, scored a hat-trick in England's first official home match in 1973.

When England take on the United States on Friday night at Wembley, the pioneers of English women's football will be presented with an FA cap.

Mitchell-Firth said her team "set the foundation" for the current Lionesses.

The 65-year-old, who now lives in Redruth, Cornwall, is one of 140 former players who will be attending the sold out match, which kicks off at 20:00 BST.

Pat Mitchell-Firth Pat Mitchell-FirthPat Mitchell-Firth
Pat Mitchell-Firth, then 16, wore number 9 during her England debut against Scotland

"It's final recognition that the FA have recognised that women play football, and play football well," Mitchell-Firth said.

The then 16-year-old was given an unofficial home-made cap made by women's football pioneer Flo Bilton after her hattrick in an 8-0 win against Scotland in June 1973 in Nuneaton.

Mitchell-Firth went on to play 11 times for England, scoring nine goals, but was forced to retire from the game aged 21 after a cartilage injury.

"The surgeon said, 'what one earth are you doing playing football? Women's bodies aren't made to play football'," she said.

Pat Mitchell-Firth Mitchell-Firth and Beth MeadPat Mitchell-Firth
Mitchell-Firth met Beth Mead and other current Lionesses during a recent England training session

Mitchell-Firth was one of several former players who met the current crop of Lionesses during a training session on Tuesday and compared the modern team's facilities as "world's apart" from the initial squad.

England's first official women's team, who played their inaugural international match on 18 November 1972, will be presented with their caps at Wembley.

Subsequent players - Mitchell-Firth included - will receive theirs at a later date.

"I think it's going to be a bit of an anti-climax, because if it comes through the post it's going to be the postman who gives me my England cap," she said.

Mitchell-Firth, who later had a 30-year career as a driving instructor, added: "When the Lionesses won the Euros I'm not ashamed to say that I cried my eyes out.

"As women footballers we've come a heck of a long way in 50 years, but it has taken 50 years."

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