Proud North East reacts as Lioness Jill Scott is…

Proud North East reacts as Lioness Jill Scott is crowned Queen of the Jungle

People across the North East and specifically Sunderland have expressed their pride in Queen of the Jungle Jill Scott.

Mackem Jill first gained public recognition when England won the European Championships last summer.

Since then, after announcing her retirement from the game, Jill joined I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and became Queen of the Jungle.

Now, the teachers and coaches who knew Jill as she grew up on Wearside, have expressed their pride in her.

Paul Smith is Chairman of Boldon Girls FC, the club where she found her passion for football and made the decision to pursue it at age 13. Paul started coaching Jill at nine years old and is very proud of the impact that she has had.

"We still keep in touch, she used to hate being subbed off in games and I knew then that she had the mentality for it. I knew she would do the trials as she's a team player, her whole life she has been in a team environment and this showed through."

"She is a lovely person with a great Northern sense of humour and that has never changed despite her success. She is also competitive, strong, passionate and committed and I think all of these qualities are why people voted for her to win," he said.

A message for Jill Scott on Chester Road in Sunderland (Katie Connor)

Jill had to balance her school studies and football carefully when she was growing up, but this did not seem to affect her, as Iain Buddle, assistant head teacher at her old secondary school Monkwearmouth Academy says that she was an outstanding student.

"Jill was determined, focused and hardworking. She was willing to put the graft in and that is why she has been so successful. The British public have clearly seen her great personality and she's fully deserving of the win."

"The school now has a football academy that Jill is an ambassador of. We have seen a huge increase in girls getting into football after the Lionesses' success and Jill is a wonderful role model for them. She leads by example and has always supported the school in the years since she left," he said.

A spokesperson from the University of Sunderland, where Jill studied a foundation degree in Sports and Exercise Development, has also shared the university's delight at her success.

"The University awarded Jill an Honorary Fellowship in 2018 for her outstanding contribution to women’s football, at club and international level and as one of the North East’s admirable role models for women and young girls. We continue to be proud of Jill as she continues to inspire as the nation's new Queen of the Jungle."

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