WOMEN'S FOOTBALL 1971-2021

 100 YEARS AFTER WOMEN'S FOOTBALL WAS BANNED AND 50 YEARS SINCE THE BAN WAS LIFTED, HOW FAR HAS THE WOMEN'S GAME GROWN IN ENGLAND?

One hundred years ago in 1921 women's football was banned across Britain. Expert medical advice at the time suggested the physical demands of the game were too rigorous for the female body. Women have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. There are historical artefacts showing women playing football and similar sports dating back centuries often, alongside men. It is believed (prudish) Victorian attitudes towards sex and gender roles contributed to the opposition to women taking part in sport. Of course, it hadn't stopped record crowds attending women's matches - more spectators were recorded at women's games than were going to men's games. But, despite this huge popularity there wasn't a great deal of opposition to the decision at the time. There were some campaigners but, with very few women even allowed to vote by 1921, women's voices were not heard. Gate receipts from women's matches raised tens of thousands of pounds for charities supporting injured soldiers and the widows and families of soldiers who never made it home. With the Football Association ban on women's matches being played at football grounds, popular teams of the time moved to rugby pitches and other grounds intended for other sports in order to keep playing. 

In 1894 Nettie Honeyball placed an advert for players to join a new women's team. There were 30 respondents and in 1895 the British Ladies Football Club was formed and drew a crowd of over 12,000 in their first game. The average attendance in the men's Football League at that time was around 7,500. Honeyball was once quoted as stating that football was "a manly game that could be womanly as well". In Scotland an annual Mid-Lothian match had been played from the 1790s but, the first game recorded by the Scottish FA was in 1892 - three years before Honeyball's British Ladies. Women's football became popular during the First World War as women took on the traditionally male roles and on Boxing Day 1917, a team from England played an Irish team to a crowd of over 20,000. Dick, Kerr's Ladies from Preston in Lancashire was the most famous women's team of the time and played in the biggest women's matches of the era. Dick, Kerr's Ladies drew crowds from 4,000 to tens of thousands on a regular basis and were even paid 10 shillings per match to cover expenses. Following a tour of France in 1920 where they were unbeaten and played to crowds up to 25,000, the team returned to England playing St Helen's Ladies at Goodison Park to a record crowd of 53,000. That record attendance stood for almost a century. Despite the FA's ban, Dick Kerr's continued to play and bring in crowds of thousands and took their hugely popular brand of football across the world. They went on a tour of Canada and the United States in 1922 but, upon arrival in Canada, the Dominion Football Association refused to allow women's matches to be played in the country. The team played nine matches in America against men's teams winning three, drawing three, and losing three. They beat teams that included players who had previously played the English Football League and at least one player who would go on to represent the US in the first World Cup in 1930. Goalkeeper for the New Jersey-based Paterson FC, Peter Renzulli who had played against Dick, Kerr's in 1922 said "We were national champions and had a hell of a time beating them." Following a falling out with the Dick Kerr's owners, manager Alfred Frankland took the team and renamed them Preston Ladies FC (no connection to Preston North End WFC (now Fylde Women)) in 1926 and the team continued to play until 1965. Throughout the 1930s and despite the FA imposed ban, Preston had average crowds of 5,000 and were crown 'unofficial' world champions after beating Scottish champions Edinburgh Ladies 5-1 in 1937. 

With World War II raging across Europe, Britain's men were once again sent off to fight for our freedom and women were brought in to fill the labour gap at home. Women once again began kicking a ball about as a distraction from the hard work in the factories doubled with maintaining a family home and from the horrors of the time. With the ban effectively ruling out any organised football for women, they would gather in any local green space that didn't object and enjoy a friendly game. 

Half a century on from the ban, in 1971, it was finally lifted with the recently formed Women's Football Association (WFA) taking control of the governance of the amateur sport. With many attitudes towards women's football formed over fifty years still strong, games were often played to a crowd of family and friends of the players. With the ability to play major games at purpose-built grounds and stadiums, the game saw a level of development that hadn't been seen before. Some teams were able to affiliate with grassroots branches of professional men's clubs but, many were completely independent. An affiliation didn't lead to access to training facilities or support from the club's resources. Quite often an affiliation with a professional men's club meant being able to use the club's name, badge and kits (usually replica shirts only) and nothing more. 

With the birth of the Premier League in 1992, The FA decided to take over the governance of the women's game from the WFA in England from 1993 although, little seemed to change. Two years later England qualified for the World Cup for the first time which brought about an increase in interest in the sport. Just five years on from England's first appearance at a World Cup, Fulham's women's team became the first in Europe to be a professional side. At this, it was predicted other teams would follow suit and the women's game could raise it's profile. After three years and some success, it didn't happen and the team went part-time. In 2006 Fulham Ladies were disbanded. 

In 2010 The FA announced a new women's league to replace The FA Women's Premier League (WPL) as the top flight. The new FA Women's Super League (WSL) started in 2011 - knocking the WPL down one tier in the women's football pyramid - as a semi-professional league played throughout the summer instead of the traditional winter calendar. This was to avoid clashes with the men's season allow maximum exposure for the women's game. This was the first major step The FA had taken in supporting and promoting women's football in its history. At first the WSL consisted of just eight teams with no relegation from or promotion into the league. Liverpool finished bottom of the league in the first two seasons before winning back to back league titles. 

In 2014 a second division was added (WSL 2) knocking the Women's Premier League down a further tier and eradicating it's national division. In 2018 yet another league reshuffle occurred and a rebranding of the top for tiers. The top flight remained the WSL with WSL2 being renamed The FA Women's Championship and The FA Women's Premier League (tiers 3 and 4) renamed The FA Women's National League (FA WNL). The WSL became a fully professional league with the Championship semi-pro and promotion and relegation throughout the women's football pyramid. On the international stage, England's success helped raise the profile of the game. In the 2015 World Cup in Canada, England progressed to the Semi-Final where they faced reigning world champions Japan. England more than matched their more illustrious opponents but, were eventually beaten by a freak own goal. England then entered the bronze medal play-off against European champions Germany causing a big upset by claiming the bronze medal making them the most successful senior England team since the men's 1966 World Cup winning side. Two years later England once again reached the Semi-Final of a major international competition in the 2017 Euros hosted by the Netherlands. England were beaten by the hosts and eventual winners. Following two consecutive Semi-Final appearances, England's ambition was to go one step further in the 2019 World Cup in France. For the second successive World Cup, England faced the reigning world champions at the Semi-Finals. This time it was the star-studded United States ranked number one in the world. In a somewhat controversial match, the USA won and went on to claim their second successive world title while England lost their bronze medal play-off against Sweden. 

Due to England's 'success' in international competitions, a Great Britain team would qualify for the Olympic Football competition in 2020. With the Covid outbreak, the Olympics were postponed for a year and it is unclear as to whether the tournament will take place at all. England were also due to host the Women's Euros this summer with the hope of winning their first major international competition but, once again, due to the global pandemic, the tournament has been pushed back a year. 

One major point of controversy in the women's game still raging today is the FA Cup. Up to 2015 the winner of the Women's FA Cup received a paltry £5,000 compared to the men's champions being lavished £1.8million. After years of campaigning and petitioning, The FA finally increased the the prize fund with the winners receiving £25,000 - the same as the FA Vase. However, since then the total prize fund has increased but, the prize money for the winners remains at £25,000 while the FA Vase winners now get £30,000. The FA Trophy winners prize money has increased from £50,000 to £60,000 in the same time. One of the biggest gripes for fans of the women's game is the FA Cup prize fund which stands at £338,210 with all other FA cup competitions receiving more. Even the WSL is only offering prize money for the first time ever since last season. A total of £500,000 paid out to the 12 top flight teams with the champions receiving £100,000 thanks to the sponsorship deal with Barclays. Current FA Cup sponsors Vitality health insurance was said to be the largest sponsorship deal in the competition's history and yet, there has been no increase in the prize pot. There have been many reports in recent years of clubs paying out more money to play an FA Cup match than the prize money they receive with teams being paid as little as £75. In 2013 I was calling for The FA to increase the total prize fund to £1million immediately and gradually increase year by year to £1million for the winners. The lack of adequate prize money for women's competitions is holding the game back from reaching it's natural potential.

The women's game has come a very long way since emerging from from a catastrophic setback imposed out of spite and fear but, clearly has a very long way yet to go. And, at the centre of all of it, The Football Association - the world's oldest football governing body.