Barnsley FC physio Vikki Stevens proving ideal role model for the girls

The wolf-whistles and the inappropriate comments in particular in her capacity as a professional woman in the English Football League; a preserve which is still predominantly male.

Thankfully, it is getting better and more and more women are now working in pitchside roles across professional football’s 92 clubs and beyond. She can look after herself in any case.

Stevens, who started work at Barnsley, initially as an interim in 2012, told The Yorkshire Post: “There are more women around and it is really good to see.

“I don’t get as many wolf-whistles when I am on the pitch now as I used to. I think they are getting used to seeing more females (in professional football).

“In the first game I did for the first team, the Barnsley fans were not used to me either and the stadium just erupted in wolf-whistles when I ran on. My mum was in the crowd and I was thinking: ‘Oh my God, this is so embarrassing!’

“But I have kind of got used to it now. I get some gyp from the away fans sometimes, but the home fans are really good.

“I have had no issues whatsoever in terms of equality since I have been at Barnsley. I have not had one problem with it.

“You can get inappropriate comments (elsewhere), but that’s part and parcel of the environment and the banter.

“I do think it takes a certain personality to do it as well. We do get students coming in and even with male ones, you do think: ‘oh, you might struggle a little bit.’

“You need to think it’s water off a duck’s back sometimes and let comments go sometimes, as it’s the environment you are in. I have always worked with a sound group of players and staff and never had any barriers.”

Stevens took over as head physio following last year’s departure to Huddersfield Town of Craig Sedgwick, a vastly-respected figure at Barnsley for many years and a mentor to her.

Just as Stevens felt inspired by Sedgwick, so the sight of her working in a senior footballing role is motivating aspiring girls wanting to enter the profession.

Stevens added: “I get the odd message from parents saying their daughters are inspired by watching me run onto the pitch and from quite a lot of students, who are usually really good and adapt to the environment quite quickly. Quite a few get taken on as academy physios and we get them back to help out.

“Physio students must do so many clinical hours. We have a link with Leeds Beckett University and offer so many placements a year. A lot are females.

“My advice to anyone wanting to get into it is: ‘Go for it’. Don’t let worries, bad press or barriers put you off.

“If you like the environment, there shouldn’t be anything to put you off.”

A former Women’s Premier League player with Doncaster Rovers Belles, Stevens first considered physiotherapy as a career after a serious ACL knee injury ended her playing days at just 21. After a spell as a physiotherapy assistant as Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Stevens – who has a BSc in physiotherapy and sports science diploma – was taken on as an interim at Barnsley under the tutelage of Sedgwick.

Now she is head physio and also completing a Masters in Sports Physiotherapy. She also has a Level 2 coaching badge.

On entering the profession, Stevens said: “I used to play in the Women’s Premier League and it’s a typical physio story. I got injured and stopped playing.

“I had surgery and was just twiddling my thumbs and there was an internship at Barnsley that Craig had put out.

“He has been my mentor and taught me everything I know and I pretty much owe everything to him, really. He guided me through football and used to look after me a lot when it could have been inappropriate with the lads and I have kind of learnt how to deal with that in this environment because of him.

“I wouldn’t be where I am without him. He is still there on the end of a phone and he does that with me as well and he will ring me for a rant or if he wants ideas. It’s nice and he’s a great friend and mentor.”