Not a Lasses' Game? - Where We Are Now (#1)
Exploring how women have come to shape the landscape of north east football from then to now
Women’s football was thriving in the north east long before the Football Association banned the sport in 1921.
A match between the English North and the South in Newcastle entertained crowds of around 8,000 and Blyth Spartans even lifted the inaugural Munitionettes’ Cup at St James’ Park in 1917.
In a sense it became a threat to the men’s sport, which prompted the decision in December 1921 to call time on things professionally - an outcome which was not reversed for more than half a century.
Times have changed since then, and women’s football is at the forefront of many people’s minds again thanks to the successes by the Lionesses on the global stage.
But how did we get to today, and what lies next for a sport primed for heavy change in the future?
Credit: Aran Embleton, Instagram (Posted 25 February, 2024).
Credit: Aran Embleton, Instagram (Posted 5 November, 2023.
SoundCloud recording from a phone call with Aran Embleton (January 16, 2024).
For the north east’s first England representee Aran Embleton, (one of only 229 esteemed individuals with a cap to her name) that evolution has come at a pivotal moment for the region - a far cry from the “different” experience she faced during her heyday.
“There were 20 of us, maximum, that really played in the whole of the north east,” she recollected.
“There wasn’t a lot of funding involved. We didn’t have much. We struggled to get travelling expenses, we bag-packed. We did everything we could to scrape every penny we had.
“We played subs every week to try and help, whether that was to contribute towards balls, cones.
“That was just the norm: we struggled with pitches, we played on local fields.
“It wasn’t until you were playing higher levels like the National [League] and stuff like that when you’d play at stadiums.
“But generally it was on a field and even the ground wasn’t particularly great. There were divots in there, not like pitches with carbon nowadays.
“But it’s evolved massively and that’s been down to the success at the European Championship with England.
"It’s gained a huge audience and it’s captured the nation, which is why it’s kind of pulled a lot of people in, and now they’re getting stadiums filled up at 90,000.
“There’s been a lot of challenges along the way for the people that have paved the way but credit where credit’s due to the girls there now at the top."
The Newcastle United Women commentator isn’t alone when it comes to experiencing hardship like that, a stark contrast compared to today.
“They’ve got a lot of media attention, they’re very professional, [they] come across well, and more and more people are getting involved with women’s football and it’s the fastest growing sport in the country.”
Embleton ready to commentate at a Newcastle United Women game. Credit: Aran Embleton, Instagram (Posted: 15 October, 2023), (Link: https://www.instagram.com/aranembleton/p/CybiZcZM1tD/).
Embleton ready to commentate at a Newcastle United Women game. Credit: Aran Embleton, Instagram (Posted: 15 October, 2023), (Link: https://www.instagram.com/aranembleton/p/CybiZcZM1tD/).
An uncomfortable role model...
Jen O’Neill was uncomfortable being a girl who enjoyed and played football, and the former She Kicks editor has taken it upon herself to be a role model over the past two decades to avoid others feeling the same way.
She said: “I felt embarrassed about being a girl who played football growing up, and even at university age, despite playing at a reasonably high level.
“I didn’t want others and younger girls coming into the sport to feel like that.
"So many girls and women grew up not knowing there was an England side, international tournaments to dream of or these incredible players, teams and competitions to play in.
"I felt embarrassed about being a girl who played football growing up, and even at university age, despite playing at a reasonably high level."
“In a vacuum we were a source of fixture/results details, promoted role models and helped people find clubs to play for.
“That desire to help by being a trusted focal point for media comment/assistance, information and sharing the positive news and personalities from grassroots to international level, kept us battling away for over two decades.
“The game is in a place now where I feel I can take a break and enjoy how far it has come.”
She Kicks front cover. Credit: Jen O'Neill, Twitter (Posted: September 22, 2023), (Link: https://twitter.com/SheKicksdotnet/status/1705154272441078144).
She Kicks front cover. Credit: Jen O'Neill, Twitter (Posted: September 22, 2023), (Link: https://twitter.com/SheKicksdotnet/status/1705154272441078144).
She Kicks front cover. Credit: Jen O'Neill, Twitter (Posted: November 18, 2022), (Link: https://twitter.com/SheKicksdotnet/status/1593631814408617988).
She Kicks front cover. Credit: Jen O'Neill, Twitter (Posted: November 18, 2022), (Link: https://twitter.com/SheKicksdotnet/status/1593631814408617988).
What's still to change?
Intervew with Roker Report and Haway the Lasses Pod contributor, Ollie Burns. Credit: Nathan Bell (Video posted: 25 February, 2024).
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lucy Frazer, wants to “reframe the opportunity in women’s football” and she presented a policy paper to Parliament to achieve this.
The paper recommended a “world-leading” entity called NewCo which would govern the top two divisions of the women’s game in England: the Women’s Super League (WSL) and Women’s Championship (WC) before the start of the 2024-25 season.
Stakeholders do not want to repeat the same mistakes which have been made in the men’s game.
Financial restrictions in recent years such as Financial Fair Play (FFP) and the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) have strived to offer great change, so that clubs do not spend money they cannot afford, or invest unsustainably beyond their means.
Ollie Burns, writer for the Roker Report and contributor on the Haway The Lasses Pod, believes that grassroots clubs - where every penny counts - may be neglected as the sport continues to support its richest teams.
“I’m worried the money’s not going to be trickling down,” he feared.
“I think that’d be very concerning if the grassroots game didn’t get more funding, particularly in this country where we’ve seen huge amounts of community funding cut in the last decade or so.
“Although I can see the professional side of the women’s game growing hugely, I think whether or not it’s sustainable is another question and that FAs across the continent ought to make sure there’s proper redistribution of the new funds in the game.”
And there may come a point where the richest clubs simply get richer while those without that financial advantage stay permanently behind, potentially mirroring the men’s game against many fans’ wishes.
He continued: “I agree… probably the likely trajectory at the moment. I think that’s a bit unfortunate.
“I think there’ll be some kind of general efforts made for it to not be such a hyper-capitalist replication of the men’s game but I can’t really see that being a huge changer.
“The biggest consequence we’ll probably see is that women’s football in this country has got a long history of independent clubs - Durham being a good example in more recent times but there’s other examples like the Belle Vue Belles.
“I think what will happen in the next few years is that teams who are associated with the men’s side, particularly a Premier League team, will see successes as a result of that and that independent women’s clubs will struggle particularly for funding.”
Another issue that figures in the game have had to deal with is scepticism towards women’s football.
Sunderland and Middlesbrough Women fan Graeme Field urged critics to accept the sport for what it is, as it continues to grow and evolve over time.
He said: “I’d say to any critics of the women’s game, watch the Lionesses and although it’s not as fast and physical as the Premier League, the quality of the game as a whole is very very good.
“Not only that, it’s getting better and better. As the advertising deals and brand endorsements increase, as well as TV deals, this will open up funding for more S&C professionals to join women’s clubs.
“Throw in full time goalkeeper coaches and analysts and it’s going to get better and better.”
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