A documentary featuring Fife sign language star Layla Cooke will premier on BBC Alba this week.
The teen, from Windygates, is part of the cast of Sadie Smith, a documentary about the legendary female football team, Rutherglen Ladies.
It premiers on BBC Alba on Saturday 9 April.
Layla, who is well known in the community for raising awareness of deafness and sign language, plays the role of Maggie Grozier, a member of the team.
She says: “I’m really excited for the documentary to come out, but I’m also quite nervous.
“I think it will be really good for viewers to see what the team have worked so hard on. I’m really grateful I get to play Maggie Grozier.
“To be in this documentary means so much and I’m so lucky.”
Layla began losing her hearing at the age of five. Ever since, she has been dedicated to helping others learn British Sign Language (BSL) and raising awareness of the deaf and hard of hearing community.
Family support
Layla’s not the only one excited for the documentary to come out this weekend
Her mum, Suzy, enthuses: “We’re all really excited about Saturday. Layla doesn’t want to watch herself on TV.
“But we’re going to be watching with her aunties, uncles and cousins, who are coming through for a premier event with her.
“I’m really proud of her. She’s waited a long time for this so it will be really nice to see her on TV.”
Dad Carl continues: “I’m excited. I can’t wait to see her on TV. She’s worked so hard to get here. It’s brilliant.”
And brother Tyler adds: “I’m a proud big brother. I can’t wait to see her on Saturday night.”
Rutherglen Ladies
The documentary follows the Rutherglen Ladies team, particularly star player and left winger, Sadie Smith, played by Neve Caldwell.
Smith toured with the trailblazing team in the 1920s, paving the way for future generations of women to play the beautiful game.
The documentary covers a time when women in football were ridiculed and even banned from playing.
Women’s football gained popularity during the First World War. However, after it ended, women were expected to return to the home.
Women’s football was banned by the Football Association (FA) in 1921, due to its “unsuitability” for women. It called on clubs belonging to the associations “to refuse the use of their grounds for such matches”.
Because of this, in 1923, Rutherglen Ladies were banned from playing a high-profile match against Dick Kerr Ladies, one of the biggest British teams of the period, at their local park.
However, the game went ahead at Shawfield Stadium in Rutherglen instead.
The team also made an appearance at Dundee United’s Tannadice Park in 1924, in front of 4,000 fans.
By 1926 they were a very well-known team in Scotland, touring around the country, getting media coverage.
In 1927 and 1928 they toured in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. However, the team was disbanded in 1939.
The ban on women’s football wasn’t lifted until 1971.
‘Sadie Smith’ is produced by purpleTV for BBC Alba. It will air on Saturday, April 9 at 9pm and thereafter for 30 days on BBC iPlayer.
