“When I was young, I took part in my first football camp with an established local club, and I was the only girl. They didn’t expect any girls to turn up, so the changing rooms were an issue. They ended up finding me an empty room to change in.

Even into adulthood when I started playing again at a grassroots level, I would turn up to clubs that didn’t have female changing rooms, and there would be naked men walking around, in and out of their changing rooms. Our coach would have to stand outside where we were changing to make sure no one just walked in.

It goes to show how much needs to happen in terms of normalising, promoting and investing in women athletes – not just financially but in terms of time. If we’re talking about football specifically, the men’s game didn’t get so advanced overnight. People need to give the same patience to the women’s game.

A good place to start would be better representation in the media. Even though women like me can play, very few are given a platform to be the ‘expert’ and for their voices to be heard at all levels.

This is so important in helping to encourage change. For girls to get into sport, they need someone to look up to, to know girls like them can be whatever they want and see that this isn’t just a man’s game any more.”

Lucy Monkman is the face of all football content on Sports Direct’s channels and a Sports Direct Equal Play ambassador, encouraging female voices to become experts in the industry, not just players.

3 athletes on what needs to change to make sport more equal