An Ode to Jill Scott: Man City Midfielder Shows No Signs of Slowing Down With New Two-Year Deal

Jill Scott has put pen to paper on a new two-year deal at Manchester City in a combined playing and coaching role, emphasising her continued ability to defy age and the huge importance she still has for both club and country.

City have a proud history of investing in youth, with youngsters Keira Walsh, Jess Park and Lauren Hemp all signing new, long-term contracts at the club over the past six months.

Despite the club's reputation for putting their faith in youth, they had no qualms in handing Scott a two-year deal that will see her remain at City past her 35th birthday - a fitting tribute to the longevity that the England midfielder has enjoyed at the very top of the game.

What makes Scott's ability to continue to compete at the very highest level all the more remarkable is the fact that she started out before the women's game had any form of professionalism.

The 33-year-old's senior career began at Sunderland in 2004. England had failed to qualify for the last two World Cups, the Women's Premier Division was a primarily amateur league, and Bend It Like Beckham had only been released two years previously.

Scott moved to Everton in 2006, where she worked as a coach during the day back in her native Sunderland, before driving to Merseyside in the evening to train.

She is from the generation of grafters. The generation of dual careers, paying to play and baggy men's kits.

The women's game has taken huge strides in professionalism and ambition in the last decade, and Scott has been there stride for stride every step of the way. She has been a beneficiary of the trail that she herself has helped to blaze.

This makes Scott's ability to remain at the top all the more impressive. She is not competing against those on a level pegging to her; today she is competing against players who have only known what it is like to be treated as an elite athlete.

Scott did not become a full time professional until she moved to Manchester City in 2014, one month before her 27th birthday. The fact that she has been able to keep pace with those afforded the coaching, infrastructure and opportunities that she could have only dreamed of, while making the transition from part time player to elite, professional athlete is a testament to her drive and discipline.

This graft, discipline and exemplary ability to look after herself is evident on the pitch. She is such a hard worker, covering every blade of grass with an unrelenting energy. Scott has featured out wide for Manchester City for large chunks of the season, drifting inside when in possession and tearing up and down the flanks when out of it. What 33rd birthday?

At the 2019 World Cup, although top scorer Ellen White and marauding right back Lucy Bronze stole the headlines, Scott was the Lionesses' most consistent performer. She started every game, missing just 12 minutes all tournament despite putting in such a gut-busting shift every match. She also overtook Peter Shilton's World Cup appearance record, stacking up 21 by the end of the tournament.

Scott added a bit of bite to the midfield, doing the unselfish work and protecting Keira Walsh, enabling her to pull the strings in the middle. But she matched this with quality too, with her clever link up play and composed finish to give England the lead just three minutes into the quarter final clash with Norway.

That goal was a crucial nerve-settler, but the City midfielder has always been the player for the big occasions.

She came on after 54 minutes against Norway in the last 16 of the 2015 World Cup with England 1-0 down and yet to taste victory in a World Cup knock out match. Despite playing in an unnatural wide position, she changed the game, setting up Bronze for the winner 14 minutes from time.

At the 2009 European Championships, Scott was responsible for one of the greatest moments in the Lionesses' history.

England faced Holland in the semi finals, with the scores poised at 1-1 in extra time and the game set to be decided by spot kicks. But in the 115th minute, Scott rose highest to power a header home and send England into the final of the European Championships.

Never has an unsung hero been such a hero.