Image via Getty It seems as though Rebecca Welch makes history every year but she’s not done yet. Welch will become the first woman ever to take up the fourth official role during a Premier League match when Fulham play Manchester United at Craven Cottage on November 4. Welch follows in the footsteps of Wendy Toms who became the first woman to be an assistant referee in the top flight back in 1997, since then Sian Massey-Ellis and Natalie Aspinall have also officiated in the Premier League – this time, it’s Welch’s turn to take up the reins, a responsibility she won’t shy away from. Just last year Welch became the first woman to referee in the FA Cup’s third round, and she continues to pave the way for other women in the English top-flight. Welch is a trailblazer in refereeing, constantly shattering the glass ceiling to create pathways for more women to follow in her footsteps. This moment in history means more than just the 90 minutes. The PGMOL has made efforts to diversify the touchline, with more women and people of colour officiating matches from League Two all the way to the Prem in recent years. Football has historically been viewed as male, pale and stale when it comes to refereeing, and although that narrative has slowly been changing, there is still a lot to be done when it comes to inclusion off the pitch.