Marrie Wieczorek was told to 'get in the kitchen' - now she's inspiring girls to take up football

• Report by Tom Barton

A former England international who was once told to 'get back in the kitchen' is trying an altogether different method of inspiring the next female football generation.

Marrie Wieczorek has been coaching sessions with schoolchildren on Teesside in a bid to get more girls to pull on their football boots and get into the beautiful game.

The Middlesbrough and England star first represented her country back in the 1980s.

Since then, she has seen a complete transformation in womens' football at all levels and says the modern day is a far cry from when she set out in the sport.

Marrie said: "We had people, if we were playing, shout out 'you should be in the kitchen', and things like that.

"And also parents not accepting for girls to play. Now it's coming to where dads are taking them, as well as mums and granddads, grandparents. And it's fantastic to see."

Marrie has been coaching weekly sessions at Chandlers Ridge Primary School in Nunthorpe.

She believes seeing women in action on the world stage is showing young girls they too can achieve their goals.

Next week, there will be a chance to see the modern women's game up close when the Lionesses take on Canada at the Riverside Stadium.  

"I know for a fact I'll be crying when the national anthem is playing. And it's at Middlesbrough FC," she added.

"For the children, the girls, the boys, or the family groups to come is fabulous - fabulous to think that all of these really big things are happening there and it's attainable for them.

"They can get there. They can see it. They can do it."