Women's Football

Rachel Hawley-Thomas

rachel.gabsbitesizeblogs@gmail.com

While many of us are enjoying the men's World Cup that is going on right now (good luck to them and I do hope they bring it home), can we take a minute to look at the women's side of football?

Many might not know that women's football has been around for just as long as the men's game with the first recognised games happening between England and Scotland in 1881.

During WW1 popularity increased while the men were away and the ladies games raised a lot of money for charity which drew in thousands of people to watch. But, in 1921 everything would stop and a ban was placed on women's football for the next 50 years - fast forward to 1971 the ban was lifted and the WFA was born with China hosting the first FIFA World Cup in 1991.

In 2022, the England Lionesses won the Euro's and broke records, popularity grew again, BUT...

There is still a massive difference between the men and the women. The pay difference is the biggest thing, while men like Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Christiano Ronaldo are making over £250,000 a week- the ladies would be lucky to make £75,000 a year (and that is for the teams in the womens super league). So, many women who play professional football also have part time jobs to supplement their income. Some say there is a big difference in the games between men and women but I have watched both live and on TV and, in my opinion, both games are awesome and women deserve just as much credit as the men, so why don't they?

Maybe it is a social thing, for as long as I can remember women have been portrayed as the weaker sex, "we don't have the stamina" they say, the game just isn't as enjoyable apparently! But I can tell you I would pick watching the ladies games over the men's any day.

I have been a supporter of Ipswich town for a very long time and I am shamed to say that I didn't even realise ITFC had a women's team until 2020. And once COVID was done I started going to games in Felixstowe. My first question was why aren't they playing at Portman Road (Ipswich's main ground)? After a few years their fans increased and I noticed one thing and that was the amount of girls coming along to watch with my own daughter getting very interested in the game too. She got to meet the players at every match with our favourites being Natasha Thomas, Sophie Peskett and Maria Boswell, every player was happy to sign programmes and take pictures with us.

Myself and my daughter have been to nearly every match the tractor girls have played, we even travelled to Manchester to see them play Manchester city ladies in the FA Cup in 2025, and, when they gained promotion to the WSL2- we were over the moon.

ITFC have come along way too with merchandise as they now sell the women's style of writing for the back of the kits and my daughter was excited when I got her a top with her favourite player's name and number on the back.

Women's football has come a long way in the last 140 years and it's growing with every year; so if you enjoy watching men's football I say go and support the ladies team, take your children too.

So to the men - good luck and bring it home!!!