IF it was not exactly on the same scale as Neil Armstrong's descent on to the moon's surface, then the award presented to Kim Little on Sunday night was still a fairly momentous step forward.

Recognition for women's football is what the sport craves, and Little took it to another level in London.

The 22-year-old's crowning as the PFA's first Women's Player of the Year allowed the Scot to share the stage with Gareth Bale – winner of both the Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards – and rub shoulders with the best in the men's game, including Sir Alex Ferguson and his 1992 Manchester United team. No wonder Little was still drinking it all in yesterday.

"Just being there on the night was such a special thing for us women footballers," said the Arsenal and Scotland midfielder, who has earned 81 caps for her country. "We saw so many greats from the men's game, both past and present. To have women's football put almost on a par with men's football meant a lot to us – and to win the award was even more special."

Little was one of a six- strong shortlist – including two others from Arsenal, England's dominant club – nominated for the inaugural women's award. Her own vote was for Wales captain, Jess Fishlock, who recently moved to Seattle Reign in the United States.

The former Buchan Girls and Hibernian midfielder was also named player of the year by her peers in 2010 after scoring 47 goals in all competitions, but having the award elevated to PFA status meant that she spent much of yesterday giving media interviews. Little doesn't normally court publicity but she has come to enjoy the level of attention her award has brought.

Yet she was also aware that just 15 years ago women were not allowed to attend PFA award dinners – far less be honoured at them. It took a High Court action by football agent Rachel Anderson to overturn that rule and expose the sexism which prevailed in football at the time, and still does in all too many quarters.

Anderson, whose marquee client was West Ham United's Julian Dicks, had been invited to the 1997 dinner as a guest of the Sheffield United players she represented, only to be turned away at the door by Brendon Batson, then the PFA'S deputy chief executive and now advises the association on, ahem, equality. She went to court and won her case.

"I read about Rachel Anderson at the weekend," said Little. "It shows you how far women in sport have come in that time."

Players in England's Womens Super League now have the option of being PFA members, again reflecting the huge change in status which has occurred, even in the last nine months following the success of the Olympic tournament. Little, of course, represented Team GB at the Games and is anxious for more opportunities on the big stage.

She had been left as distraught as the rest of her Scotland team-mates when, despite scoring in both legs of a Euro 2013 play-off tie against Spain, her side was eliminated when the hosts scored with the last kick of the ball in Madrid.

"That was devastating," said Little. "But it makes us all the more determined to reach the finals of the 2015 women's World Cup in Canada. It's going to be tough with Sweden in our group, because they are one of the best teams in Europe, but we can beat all the other sides and we're capable of taking points off the Swedes, too."

The highlight of Little's Sunday night was sharing the occasion with Ferguson and his 1992 United side. Although only born in 1990, they are a side which left an impact on the Scot. "They were a team I enjoyed watching when I was growing up, so it was a thrill to see Sir Alex and Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt at the ceremony," she said.

There was, however, no David Beckham. The former England captain and the player Little most wanted to see at close quarters was playing for Paris St-Germain, although he might have wished he was at the dinner after being sent off after coming on as a substitute.

Little's PFA award was the first for a Scot in 30 years. She was not even born when Andy Gray (1977), John Wark (1981) and Kenny Dalglish (1983) won theirs. "The other Scots were a bit before my time, although I'd heard of them all," she added.

Little joined Arsenal in 2008 and last Friday kept her side on course for a domestic treble when she scored the goal that defeated Liverpool in the semi-final of the FA Cup at Anfield. "I have one more year of my contract at Arsenal [left], but given all that is happening in the women's game this is the place to be," she said.