England football captain Leah Williamson to be awarded possible honour in her home town of Milton Keynes tonight

Amazing Lionesses captain Leah Williamson is to be awarded Freedom of the City by Milton Keynes Council tonight (Tuesday).

It is the highest possible honour any council can bestow and recognises her value as an outstanding member of the community.

Leah, 25, was born and bred in Newport Pagnell and as a child played for a boys’ team – Bletchley’s Scots Youth – because no girls teams were then available. Within months she was their star striker.

She recalls: “I used to get abuse from the sidelines every week,” she said. “My mum made me wear a gumshield to protect my teeth because everybody wanted to kick lumps out of me, but it didn’t put me off.”

Last year Leah steered England to victory in the UEFA Women's Championship Council, prompting MK city Council leader Pete Marland to describe her as an “inspiration”.

He said: "I hope the win will have a lasting impact on women’s sport and I’m sure it has both inspired a new generation of women and girls to go out and take part in whatever their chosen sport is, as well as changing the attitude of many others to women’s sport in general.”

“The Lionesses are an inspiration to everyone and have shown that through teamwork, ability and hard work, anything is possible."

Tonight’s ceremony will take place in the council chamber at the civic offices. Leah will be the first person to receive the prestigious award since Milton Keynes achieved city status.

The move has been unanimously approved by all councillors, but local Conservatives have added on an extra request. They are asking for more new sports pitches to be built across the whole of MK as a positive legacy of Leah’s success.

Conservative Group leader Cllr David Hopkins says there is a demand for more pitches in expansion areas to meet the “ever-increasing demands” from local soccer clubs.

The Tories say a recent report prepared by Wavendon & Woburn Lions FC shows MK City Council has fallen short of the expected provision of sports pitches as set out in the two most recent local plans, Milton Keynes Core Strategy and Plan:MK.

“The success and inspiration that *Leah Williamson has engendered across MK and beyond has meant that the demand for pitches has increased enormously across MK and beyond from all ages and genders and there is a danger that we might miss this opportunity to help tackle the fitness, obesity and wellbeing demands of our local residents,” said Cllr Hopkins.

"Football pitches and associated facilities such as club houses and pavilions also offer open space for walking, dog walking and numerous other team sports – as well as habitats for wildlife and an extended green lung for the city.”

He added: “MK City Council has a very real opportunity to commit to delivering on the legacy of the success of Leah Williamson in the form of many more much needed soccer pitches (both grass and artificial) to meet the enormous surge in demand since Leah led the England Lionesses to European glory. in 2022.