THE BE AUTIFUL GAME

Women’s football has come a long way in the past few years hasn’t it? In fact I heard a male commentator actually describe the English team as “European Cup Winners” without prefacing the statement with “ladies”.

It may seem that the women’s game is a relatively new thing - at least so far as popularity is concerned, but there is in fact a somewhat “hidden history”, let me explain.

From the late 18th century there are reports describing annual football matches involving the fisherwomen of Musselburgh and Inveresk in Scotland. These matches would have been informal, with no ratified rules - as was true in the men’s game at this point.

The Football Association came into being in 1863, and by the late 19th century women wanted to establish their own teams and leagues. The earliest known match was played at Easter Road, Edinburgh, in May 1881. It was an international match between Scotland and England with Scotland winning 3-0.

The popularity of the women’s game grew…as did the resistance to it! Check out this quote from the London Daily News, 5 March 1895:

It is a great game, and a manly game, and deservedly popular. It must not, however, be forgotten that it was originated and improved by strong young men, and only by strong young men can it with any safety be regularly played

In the face of such misogyny women’s football faded away for a while, only to stage a dramatic resurgence during WW1. With the men’s game suspended, the FA allowed the women’s game to use the facilities and grounds of their male counterparts and attendances soared. Tens of thousands of people attended matches across the UK raising funds for effort in the process.

After the war the popularity of the women’s game was seen as something of a threat to the men. Equivalent men’s games drew much smaller crowds than the women. There were even claims that the ladies were using charity fundraising (millions was raised during the war) to pay the players - a claim strenuously denied.

In December 1921 the FA banned all female footballers from playing and using league pitches and facilities. The financial allegations were cited as the reason, but as the following comment was recorded, I think we can safely say that at the heart of the issue was the male ego.

Complaints having been made as to football being played by women, Council feel impelled to express their strong opinion that the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged.

And that could have been that, except ladies football proved popular throughout the world and thus continued. The home nations have now (gratefully) re-embraced women footballers and the game is arguably even more popular than in the early 20th century.

With the Lionesses currently champions of Europe, who can discount them becoming World Champions in this summer’s World Cup taking place in Australia and New Zealand?

Football may finally be coming home, AFTER ALL, LIONESSES ARE THE HUNTERS!