Falkirk footballers' role in history

The team was helped, in no small part by three players from Falkirk district, Sam Kerr, Nicola Docherty and club captain Leanne Ross.

For the midfielder, from Stenhousemuir, it marked her TENTH league title with the club - the only player to feature in all of the consecutive successes and it capped an excellent few months.

Ross, as well as Docherty, is also part of the Scottish national set-up who qualifeied for next season’s European Championships in Holland.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Leanne told The Falkirk Herald.

She added: “We’ve actually just tried to forget about the ten-in-a-row and focus on the job in hand of winning the title. It wasn’t until Sunday when it was really mentioned.

“It’s been brilliant to do it and to qualify with Scotland – all the hard work has paid off.”

A 3-1 win over Hibs clinched the title on Sunday and Ross is hoping for another success over the Edinburgh side in a fortnight to clinch a league and cup double with the Scottish Cup.

Before then though, as captain, she’ll get her hands on the trophy for a tenth time and a third as club captain after facing Rangers this weekend.

“It’ll be special. It’s made me feel old, but I’m the only one who’s been here all ten!

“Being the first club, male or female to do 10 in a row is a great achievement for the club.”

The City stalwart could also achieve further personal success. She’s currently the all-time leading goalscorer with 231 – joint with the now retired Suzanne Lappin – and one more strike could add her name into the history books again.

Ross started out locally with Falkirk Girls and the Young Warriors at Stenhousemuir, before moving on to Newburgh and Stirling Albion before switching to Glasgow and hitting the trophy trail.

All the while she’s held down work – ladies football isn’t professional in Scotland, and Ross works as an active schools co-ordinator in Clackmannanshire.

“I’ve had a great amount of support from family, friends and team-mates.

“There is a lot you miss out on as a footballer growing up, but they’ve all understood that football comes first for me and been really supportive.”

Though she is probably City’s foremost, she’s not the only Falkirk district football history maker.

Nicola Docherty has played for City for the past five years while Sam Kerr joined in the summer having plied her trade at Falkirk and Central Girls Academy.

The local links don’t end with the trio though as the SWPL champions are now managed by former Stenhousemuir manager Scott Booth.

Local player Ashely McDonald also featured for City on their road to ten titles.