Cathy is training hard for that coveted England place.

Football enthusiast Catherine O'Sullivan has come a long way since the Burnley Express first featured her soccer debut eight years ago. That was when she scored a "glorious" goal for St John's Junior School which put them on the road to a 7-2 win over Barden in their first match of the season.

Now it seems to be only a matter of time before 16-year-old Cathy plays for England. It was a strange sequence of events that brought her back to football after a few years' break. Who would have thought after a 23-0 defeat by Preston Ladies that Cathy would have offered her services to ailing Rossendale Ladies' football team? However, since she joined them in November, it appears that Cathy has made a tremendous difference to the side, playing a key role in midfield. And now she has been selected to play for the North of England in May, after only five months' playing this season. Moreover, it is from regional matches like this that the national side is selected.

Playing against Cathy this season the present England Ladies' captain, Mrs Sheila Parker, said that if it wasn't this season, then next season Cathy stands a very good chance of a regular England place. And Rossendale Ladies' team organiser, Mr Rodney Poucher, said that her footballing potential was virtually unlimited. He went on to say that it is a great achievement for any girl to reach a national trial, but for Cathy to do it after only half a season is something quite remarkable. Cathy of Lydgate, Burnley, is calmly taking her sporting success in her stride, but it has long been her ambition to play for the England Ladies' team.