Julie Fleeting

Early career

Fleeting began her football career aged nine with Cunninghame Boys under-10s. Fleeting, the only girl playing in the entire league, also helped St Winning's Primary School beat 1,000 other schools to the 1992 national championship. The competition was sponsored by Tudor Crisps and Fleeting's school prevailed 1–0 in the final at Ibrox Stadium. She joined Prestwick Girls when SFA rules barred her from mixed football at age 12. In April 1995, Fleeting scored twice as Prestwick beat Cumbernauld Cosmos 7–5 in the final of the Under-16 Scottish Cup. The following season, Prestwick came under the auspices of Ayr United, and the Sunday Mail newspaper was already describing Fleeting as: "the most gifted young footballer in Scotland." After finishing school in 1998, she resisted overtures from American Universities to continue playing for Ayr while training to become a PE teacher at Moray House School of Education. Fleeting explained that: "I was only young when I had to decide which university to go to, and at the time, Edinburgh was far enough away from home. But when I graduate I will still only be 21 and young enough to go abroad if I want to." In the 2001 Scottish Women's Cup final at Almondvale Stadium, Fleeting scored a hat-trick but Ayr lost on penalties to local rivals Kilmarnock after a 3–3 draw. Having already won the league championship, Ayr manager Hugh Flynn consoled his players with the prospect of participation in the following season's inaugural…

Fleeting was called up to the national under-16 team at the age of 14. She made her senior Scotland debut, aged 15, against Wales at Somerset Park in November 1996. In January 1997, Fleeting was part of a youthful Scotland squad who toured Brazil; suffering three straight friendly defeats to their hosts. When Scotland played an Auld Enemy fixture in August 1997, it was reported that the Scots had been "pinning their hopes of an upset" on the teenaged Fleeting. Fleeting represented Scotland in the 1999 World Cup qualifiers. Starting with away games in Estonia and Lithuania, Fleeting scored four in Scotland's 7–1 win in Tallinn and three in a 5–0 win in Vilnius. In May 1998, she scored twice in a 7–0 win over Estonia at Somerset Park, then headed the equalising goal in a 1–1 draw with the Czech Republic in Inverness. With Scotland competing at the 'B' level of UEFA competition—and ineligible to qualify—they needed a final win over Lithuania and a 16–goal swing to overhaul the Czech Republic and win the group. Fleeting hit four goals, including a decisive injury time header, as Scotland won 17–0 to top the group and secure a play-off against Spain for promotion to the 'A' grade. She was unable to make an impression as Spain consigned the Scots (coached by Julie's father Jim) to further participation at 'B' level. In September 2000, Fleeting scored 16 goals in one match; a 27–0 win over the Isle of Man in the Celt Cup, a quadrangular tournament held in Carryduff and also…

Fleeting was a striker, mainly deployed as a centre-forward, which was undoubtedly her strongest position because of her ability to "play through the middle". Referred to as "big" and "very strong", she was also cited for being a "fantastic target player" and someone who "wins everything in the air". Fleeting, most known for her prolific goalscoring ability, was often praised for her ability to score a goal out of nothing. When asked, "What does she add? Arsenal manager Vic Akers replied of Fleeting: Goals." She is also known for being a "great finisher" and an "extremely good header of the ball". When finally recalled to the Scotland squad in January 2015, manager Anna Signeul referred to Fleeting as a "special player" and "tactically very knowledgeable". Signeul said of her "We don't have a player like that in the squad, and have not had one since she was last in the side."

Fleeting's father is former professional player and Scottish Football Association Director of Football Development Jim Fleeting. Former Kilmarnock owner Bobby Fleeting is her uncle. She also has a brother named Barry who played football at Junior level. Fleeting attended St Winning's Primary School in Kilwinning, Ayrshire for her primary education and St Michael's Academy in Kilwinning, Ayrshire for her secondary education. While still at school, Fleeting showed talent in basketball (she played for Cunninghame Basketball Club and represented her country in the sport) and field hockey (she played for Eglinton Ladies Hockey Club and had a trial for the national side) as well as football. A teacher by profession, she has taught Physical Education in St Michael's Academy in Kilwinning in North Ayrshire; St Matthew's Academy in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire; Charleston Academy, Inverness and—since 2008—Auchenharvie Academy in Stevenston, North Ayrshire. Fleeting married goalkeeper Colin Stewart in June 2005. They became a couple when Fleeting was playing for Ayr United and Stewart was coming through the youth ranks at Kilmarnock, having met through Jim Fleeting's friendship with Colin's father Jim Stewart. The wedding at St Mary's Church in Irvine was attended by Scottish football notables including Tommy Burns, Jim Leighton and Ian Durrant. Fleeting, known to teammates as Fleets, retained her maiden name for football purposes. On 23 December 2008, Fleeting announced she was pregnant…