When Lauren Doran-Barr lined up for Motherwell in the Scottish Women’s Premier League against Celtic last month, it represented the culmination of a two-year journey back to the starting line-up.
But the 22-year-old feels her comeback was just the latest stage in an ongoing attempt to get where she wants to go in football and make up for lost time.
The former Scotland youth international had last played in February 2020 before suffering the latest in a short series of medial knee ligament sprains in training.
Further assessment from the physio led to the feeling there was something more to the sprains but the pandemic caused major delays in getting to the root of the problem.
“She suggested I go to my doctor and hopefully they could refer me for an MRI scan,” the right- back said.
“I had my doctor’s appointment a week before lockdown happened so there were bigger things going on in the NHS. It took about six months to get the MRI.
“The scan came back clear but I had a ganglion cyst. People usually get them in their wrist but it is really uncommon in knees so it was a bit new to the physios. I still had pain when I ran so I got referred to a knee specialist and waited another six months.
“Thankfully I didn’t need surgery, he was happy for me to push on and the main thing was strengthening about the area because there was quite a bit of scar tissue there. The biggest thing that kept me out for so long was the waiting but there was nothing I could do with Covid going on. It was a bit of a strange injury and the timing wasn’t great.
“Since then it’s been trying to find a rehab programme that has worked for me. It was just trial and error and eventually we got it right and get to the level of strength where I was able to kick through it.”
Doran-Barr returned to training in January and was back in action in February off the bench before starting the last two games against Celtic and Partick Thistle.
“It felt like a long time coming,” she said. “I was just absolutely buzzing to be back kicking a ball again.
“I have just tried to take it one week at a time and not look at the bigger picture. It’s just about getting game time under my belt to get my fitness levels back up. It’s been two years so it’s not going to happen overnight.
“As much as you are buzzing to come back in and you can’t wait, it is quite daunting. My first session back, I was really quite nervous.
“During the two-year period, not only have I got to catch up fitness wise but there’s a feeling that everyone else has had an additional two years’ development. But I can only focus on myself and take it one week at a time and be better than I was the last week. That’s what got me through the two years, just celebrating small wins.
“It was probably quite a surprise that I started a couple of weeks ago, but I have just tried to keep my head down and work away sand thankfully I got an opportunity. Hopefully between now and the end of the season I will get as many minutes as I possibly can and look to get a really good pre-season under my belt and kick on next season.”
Eddie Wolecki Black was in charge when Doran-Barr got injured but current boss Paul Brownlie and player/coach Leanne Crichton have made sure the pathway to the first team was open.
“They have been great in terms of supporting me and keeping me on throughout the journey,” she said.
“Under that change, initially there was that doubt before I had a conversation with Paul, he was not a coach I had worked with before. Given I was out for so long, it was in the back of my head: ‘Will he keep me?’
“But the first conversation I had with him, he just wanted to get me the support that I needed. Straight away his take was that he wanted to get me back fit and back playing.
“He hadn’t seen me play for a long time so coming back from injury I feel a bit like I have a point to prove to re-sign for season 22-23. I am hoping to get as many minutes as I can and hopefully stay on for next year.”
Doran-Barr has had to show similar determination to prove herself throughout her football career.
“I played in boys’ teams when I was younger,” she said. “I think it has massively changed now but back then I was the only girl in my team and I don’t ever remember coming up against another girl.
“There was always a comment or two made by the opposition player or coaches: ‘They have got a girl in their team’. That probably puts a target on your back at times. Maybe at times they thought it was going to be easier because I was a girl.
“I think it gives you a bit more determination to prove yourself and make a point that you are not a passenger, that you can actually play. You always work that bit harder to impress the coaches.
“The coaches and boys I played with were always great, they accepted me straight away, and I think that was off the back of me working hard every session and wanting to win. They were always very encouraging and accepting and I definitely felt part of the team.
“Rangers was my first girls’ team. I got scouted when I was playing for the school team. It was a tournament at Toryglen and I think I was in first year. I signed for Rangers when I was 11 or 12, going into the under- 13s, and worked my way up to the first team.
“When I was 17 or 18 I left to go to Stirling because I was at university in Stirling. In my second year, I went and played for Stirling University in the SWPL and then came over to Motherwell.
“My initial time was under Donald Jennow, who really kicked me on confidence wise and had a lot of belief in me.”
As well as her football education with Rangers, Doran-Barr also won 10 Scotland youth caps at age levels up to under-19s.
“I absolutely loved going away with Scotland squads. I have got so many memories and made friends for life throughout that journey. There were so many amazing trips.
“Everyone wants to play for their national team but my focus is just on getting back to where I need to be and helping the team. I don’t think I am anywhere near where I want to be, I have still got a long way to go to get back to sharpness.
“It is definitely an exciting time to be at Motherwell, we are trying to kick on. The club has taken massive strides in the two years I was out and I want to be a part of it. We are building something special.
“Paul and Leanne have great experience in the women’s game and it’s somewhere I feel I can become a better player.”
Football has also been a major part of Doran-Barr’s education and current full-time job for a sportswear firm, where she has worked after graduating from a sports studies degree in 2021.
“In my dissertation I looked at the perceptions and knowledge levels of the menstrual cycle within Scottish women’s football,” she said.
“I interviewed six coaches and sent a survey out and got over 100 responses. I got a first in it so I did all right.
“It was definitely interesting. It’s something not a lot of people talk about or are aware of. There is still more that can be done to develop the education side of women’s football for coaches.
“Women’s football has taken massive strides and the participation levels for young girls are amazing to see, it wasn’t like that when I was younger.
“But there are still sides oft the game that need to be developed, the education side of the game is almost entirely based on male athletes. For coaches that are coaching the women’s game, I think it’s important they have more knowledge of the athletes they are dealing with, that they go through different things.”
