As we celebrate International Women's Day at this weekend's match against Walsall, FGR Women's captain Hattie Jones spoke to us about her footballing journey.

This is Hattie's story, in her words.

Growing up the daughter of a local coach, football has always been in my DNA.

This weekend, we will be celebrating International Women's Day, and I am honoured to share my journey, which started in Gloucestershire, as part of the club's celebrations.

I sit here having just completed my third season at the club, and my third as club captain. I still feel the same sense of pride wearing the armband every week as I did the first time that I put it on, forever grateful that I stuck through the tough moments, and that my family were able to support me in doing so.

My passion for football was sparked by my dad's involvement with Dursley Town, our local team. I couldn't escape it, and it quickly became a fascination. I used to love watching him coach my older sister a couple times a week, before I first started to join in aged five.

For years I was eagerly anticipating the day when I could officially sign on as a ten-year-old, after playing loads of friendlies, and finding my love for the game against the older girls at training. We were really lucky to experience a set-up like that for girls, it was incredibly rare in those days.

As a teen, I trialled for Bristol Academy (now Bristol City) and furthered my development there until I was offered a scholarship in America, where it really was just like the movies.

Sports were an even bigger part of their culture than I could imagine, I fell in love with the fact that the local community rallied around all the sports teams, and that womens sport was taken just as seriously as mens.

We had crowds coming out to our games, and the American football team weren't that good, but we’d always go to the games, and so would everyone else.

It wasn’t all perfect however, my senior year was a struggle, missing a lot of the season through injury before the pandemic sent the world into chaos, and I was sent home. I never got a proper graduation.

Once the pandemic had disappeared, I was searching for my first football fix in over two years. I had a couple of friends here, most notably Rosie Dimery.

Rosie encouraged me to come along to a training session, and it turned out to be the breath of fresh air that I needed. It was the start of a new chapter after a mentally challenging period.

Our 5-1 win in the FA Cup against Almondsbury in my first season springs to mind as my favourite moment in a Rovers shirt.

Those occasions where we get to play at the stadium are always a joy, it’s an honour that we get to say that we've stepped on the same pitch as some very talented footballers.

Quite a few family members came to watch me score a brace that day, which was a special feeling after four years of playing away from them in the States.

Being captain, playing at this stadium, and scoring two goals that made me proud, in front of the people who have supported me through it all, was quite surreal.

Unfortunately, injury saw me miss this year’s win at The New Lawn over Bristol Rovers, which was gutting, but I’m hopeful of plenty more opportunities, perhaps multiple games in a season.

Occasions like this fixture, and our games at the stadium are vital to the growth of all aspects of women’s football, because we’ve still got a long way to go.

I was fortunate growing up. I was fortunate to play in America with their resources.

It’s still different here, it still has to take something special, like what we’ve seen from the Lionesses to show that we deserve the funding and eyes on our sports.

The International Women's Day campaign is over 100 years old, and we're getting closer to the world equality that the campaign is fighting for. That being said, it’s important to emphasise that there is still sexism that exists throughout womens sport.

There are often some misconceptions about today, some may feel that we as women have already fought for enough, and fail to see the point of this day, but that is exactly why it is so important.

Today is about continuing to fight for more, that fight for equality, and I thank the club for celebrating that at tomorrow’s fixture.

But I want to emphasise that while the last few years have been fantastic, the road is still very, very long.

My message to all the young girls who will be at The New Lawn tomorrow, many for the first time, is to never give up the battle for equality.

Just because we're finally getting some recognition, it doesn't mean the fight is over.

It took some really courageous women a very long time ago to enable us to vote, and it will take some extremely brave women and girls today to earn the equality we so rightfully deserve.