Glasgow City FC made history in November when they became the first Scottish team to reach the quarter finals of the UEFA Women's Champions League.

The fixture against Paris Saint-Germain promises to be one of the greatest women's sporting occasions in Scotland when the two teams meet in March

JO LOVE

Jo works for Glasgow Scientific. She is Scotland's most capped outfield player with 155 caps.

Position: Midfield

Age: 29

Signed: February 2011

Previous clubs: Celtic, Doncaster Belles, Kilmarnock

Lives: Elderslie, Renfrewshire

Nickname: Jo

My dad says I kicked a ball around from the word go. There was a neighbour whose sister ran a girls' team. She asked me to go along, as I played football with her son in the cul de sac. So when I was about nine, I went along to Largs Girls and played there until I was 15. My parents have done everything they can to support me from running me around to training to forking out for boots and kit.

I was one of those girls who enjoyed PE. Football has always been my sport but I like most sports. There wasn't a girls football team at my secondary so I played for Largs, and Scotland. As a youngster I knew I wanted to play football, but there weren't many teams able to pay women compared to now. There are more opportunities now, particularly at a lower entry level for girls. I still don't think that it is encouraged enough at schools.

Growing up Brian Laudrup was my hero. The things he could do with a football were frightening; he was effortless, and such a humble man.

I work part-time due to an award granted to me via SportScotland and the SFA. Being part-time allows me to recover properly and be 100% ready for my next session. I go back to full time in April, which means quite a hectic lifestyle. During the week, four mornings out of five I'm at the gym for 7am before starting work and then four evenings out of five I have training and am home for 9pm. I have Saturdays off and Sunday is game day.

I can be fast, creative or aggressive depending on the day; being a centre mid you need all three capabilities. My team mates would describe me as funny or silly, they probably wouldn't even get to my footballing abilities.

A good crowd definitely eggs you on. For me though, it's not often that I'll notice any noise. All the focus is on the game and maybe that's a good thing as the crowd doesn't phase you. It's nice to take in an amazing atmosphere at the right times though, goosebump material.

The only ritual I have before a game is that I wear the same sports bra. Most of my friends are in the team and in women's football. When, outside work, the only time you have is spent with these girls, it becomes almost like a second family. My career highlight has to be my first Scotland call up, my 100th cap and that last game for Glasgow City against Zurich that got us into the quarter finals.

HAYLEY LAUDER

Hayley is one of 2 professional players and was signed from a Swedish side.

Position: Forward

Age: 24

Signed: December 2014

Previous clubs: Vitsjjo, Mallbackens

Lives: Elderslie, Renfrewshire

Nickname: Haylbo

After school, I went to Heriot Watt university to study sport and exercise science but I was always hoping that the chance to play football professionally would come up, which it did. I ended up leaving university without getting my honours degree but I felt it was too good an opportunity to pass up.

When I was 14, I joined Muiristen girls in Livingston and that was my team until I was 17. I had been with Spartans in Edinburgh before I moved to a club in Finland in 2012 and have played professionally since.

I've always been a Livingston supporter, and I had a season ticket for quite a few years. In terms of footballers who have inspired me, I've always really rated Zinedine Zidane. When I tell people I am a professional footballer, it's probably not the answer they were expecting. People seem genuinely interested. I have a lot of male friends and they love it. The most heard-of player when I was growing up was [English player] Kelly Smith.

I played in Finland and then Sweden for two years. I'd say that physically they are stronger and faster but it is professional over there, and the majority of the girls in the team would be professionals.

I've been in the national team for a few years and I love representing my country. Recently I've been playing left back but for Glasgow I'm going to play midfield. I'd say I'm a creative player. I'm not overly fast and I'm definitely not aggressive but I can make things happen.

We have a big squad and it's very competitive. Your place is never guaranteed. I don't think anyone can go into a game each week expecting to start, we've got to earn our place. At Glasgow City the girls are very professional at training but we all get on great. It is a job but it's not a chore. We are playing football and we love it and it's a good laugh. Obviously playing abroad, especially with the national team, is great but if I had to pinpoint a memorable game it would be when we beat England 2-0 at the Cyprus Cup [an international women's tournament]. That was a good day.

ALYSHIA WALKER

Alyshia is a Scottish youth national team player. She is a pupil at Bathgate Academy.

Position: Forward

Age: 16

Signed: January 14

Previous club: Celtic

Lives: Blackburn, West Lothian

Nickname: Leashy

My big brother Christopher had wanted a younger brother so taught me to play football when I started walking. Eventually, he gave up football. In fact, I've got four big brothers and I'm the only one that's still playing. I played for Fauldhouse Foxes. I was the only girl in the team and the captain. The guys were really supportive of me. I was quite sad to leave them. I joined Celtic girls team in 2011, aged 12.

At first I didn't enjoy playing in an all girls team but I had to move on because I was too old to play with boys. The girls were more technically gifted, whereas with the boys it was more physical. I've adjusted my game. I'm still pretty physical but I bring in more technical skills now.

My heroes were Cristiano Ronaldo and Julie Fleeting, who has played for Arsenal and Scotland. It was good to have a female footballer to look up to. I signed for Glasgow City last year. In my first game I played against Queen's Park. I've played for the national team as well but it's more nerve-racking playing for Glasgow City because there are more older girls whereas with the national team it's people my age.

At the end of March I was playing against Hamilton Accies. I kicked the ball and then planted my leg down and my knee just went away from me and it ripped my cruciate ligament. I had to have an operation. The worst part was that I had just got in to the team and then that happened.

During my rehab I got Monday and Friday mornings off school and had to catch up. I like to put my football before school even though I shouldn't. I've passed all my exams so its not been an issue so far. This year I've focussed on my schooling as much as my rehab because it's a big year in school. It's quite stressful, sometimes I need to take training nights off to study. It's hard to fit in everything. I'll go to school and at lunchtimes I'll study and after school I'll come home and do homework.

CHERYL MCCULLOCH

Cheryl works as an assistant for Glasgow Life at the Emirates stadium.

Position: Defender.

Age: 25

Signed: February 2014

Previous club: Hamilton Accies

Lives: Glasgow

Nickname: Chez

As soon as I could kick a ball my dad Pat had me out the back of the house playing football. I'm the eldest and he couldn't wait to get me started. He was pretty much the biggest influence on me. He loves football and would take me to Celtic games and his amateur games at the weekend. My little brother is four years younger than me, he would play as well but most of the time we'd put him in goals.

As a kid I played any chance I got. I was always playing with the boys. As soon as the boys could see that you could play football, it didn't matter that you were a girl. When I was in primary 5 I started playing in the school team. I was the only girl. At high school I joined a female team.

Henrik Larsson is one of my idols and when I was growing up Julie Fleeting was a big name. Suzanne Lappin [also plays for Glasgow City] went to my secondary school, so everyone was always talking about how good a player she was. She was five years above me so that was nice to have someone to look up to.

When I signed last year I was a striker but I'm now playing in defence. It was quite daunting, taking on a different role but I'm enjoying it. There is no strict diet or restrictions placed on you but if you really want to play at a high level then it's just automatic that you would do that. There are times where my friends are going out at the weekends and you need a bit more willpower to say that you are just coming out for an hour. It doesn't bother me at all, it's just the way it is.

I play strong and aggressive. Off the park I'm pretty laid back but when you are defence, you just need to be a bit more aggressive. My career highlight has to be getting this far in the Champions League. To get to the last 32, was pretty special, the way we won at home, scoring in extra time. Then we did the exact same to get to the last 16; we scored two goals and needed to score four and we did it in the last few minutes.

It was so surreal in the changing room afterwards, we couldn't believe we had done it. We were sitting there saying; "Did that really happen? The next day I was up at 6am for work, and some of the others were working too, so it was a matter of going home and trying to switch off and get back to normal.

EMMA BLACK

Emma is the longest serving player. She works in financial services at HSBC.

Position: Defender

Age: 27.

Signed: July 2004 (aged 16)

Previous club: Cumbernauld Cosmos U16

Lives: Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire

Nickname: Fernie

I was seven when I started playing in the street. There was a school team at my primary and I was told it was for boys only. My mum Carol wrote a letter to the headteacher and I was allowed. Then I joined a local boys club called Langloan Boys. When we met other teams you heard the usual: "Oh, they've got a girl in their team, they won't be very good."

I was playing for a girl's team called Cumbernauld Cosmos when I got approached by the manager of Glasgow City and asked to come along to some training sessions. I would never have put myself forward. At that time I didn't think I was good enough.

When I joined Glasgow City training was two nights a week after school. It wasn't compulsory so you could maybe go once a week and still play on a Sunday. Now it's four nights and three mornings. As soon as I say I play football, people ask if I play for Glasgow City. A couple of years ago people would ask why I didn't play for Rangers or Celtic. The profile has risen. Obviously it's in the papers every week and social media has been a big part of it.

It feels like a different team now. When I joined it was just the ladies' team and there was one training kit which wasn't even branded. Then Eddie [Black, the coach] came in and it became more like professional. There are five male coaches and a female physio along with a kit man. Eddie was with the team for a year before we got together. We married in Gibraltar in July 2013.

If you miss training or you are lacking in fitness you know you won't play. Everyone wants to come and play for us, the best young players in the country and senior players, so there is competition there; it's a dramatic change from the way it was years ago.

We don't usually see that much of the places that we travel to, just a hotel room and a football park. Sometimes we've got a couple of hours and can explore the city. It's nice to be able to say that you've been in such-and-such a place because you still get to see a little of their culture when you are passing through.

I work part-time. I had to reduce my hours. I couldn't do full-time as well as all the training. My work are really good with me. You've got to live your life properly off the field. You can't be at pubs and at the dancing on social media because the club and the coach will find out and you just won't play. To begin with it was hard because all my friends liked going out partying. I got used to it and now I can go out to a party and don't have to have a drink.

We've got a social convener who organises dinner every few months or we all meet at someone's house or go for a coffee. We're always meeting up, it's not like we are just football friends and nothing else. We see each other almost every day. My team mates would describe me as a winner; I like to win all the time and if my team doesn't win in training I moan.

Glasgow City Ladies FC play Paris Saint-Germain on March 22 at the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie. Kick off is 4.05pm. Tickets from £5 from www.glasgowcityfc.co.uk/tickets