When Martin Reagan went in to bat for women’s football

Martin Reagan (1924–2016): The man who stepped up to save women’s football in England   Women’s football lost one of our own with Martin Reagan’s recent passing, but his deeds will never be forgotten     In May 1984 the England women’s football team manager Martin Reagan returned from Gothenburg with a creditable 1–0 defeatContinue reading “When Martin Reagan went in to bat for women’s football”

Players: Maggie Pearce

Morag “Maggie” Pearce (née Kirkland): England’s original and best left-back   Born: c.1957, Southampton Position: Left-back Debut: Scotland (A) 18 November 1972 Occupation: Schoolgirl (1972)   Southampton WFC great Maggie Pearce is the only player to start both England’s first ever match in 1972 and the UEFA Championship final 12 years later. At 15 sheContinue reading “Players: Maggie Pearce”

Players: Lorraine Hanson

Lorraine Hanson (née Dobb): Belles and England great   Born: c.1959, Worksop Position: Defender/Forward Debut: 1975? Occupation: Sales receptionist (1983, 1985), Clerk (1986)   Considering Lorraine Hanson was such a brilliant footballer for Doncaster Belles and England, there is next to nothing about her on the internet. After starting out in her native Nottinghamshire withContinue reading “Players: Lorraine Hanson”

Match: Republic of Ireland 0–5 England, 3 May 1981, Dalymount Park

Reagan’s rampant England put five past Ireland     Classic match report: Debuts for Coultard and Gallimore as England drub Girls in Green   In June 2016 England blooded two new Lionesses in the shape of Rachel Daly and Nikita Parris, who both made their debuts in a 7–0 cakewalk against hapless Serbia. Some 35Continue reading “Match: Republic of Ireland 0–5 England, 3 May 1981, Dalymount Park”

Players: Liz Deighan

Liz Deighan: North-east football pioneer whose greatest legacy stands on Merseyside…     Born: c. 1953, Northumberland Position: Midfielder Debut: France (H) 7 November 1974 Occupation: Computer programmer (1981), electronic test engineer (1983), technical training tutor (1991)   Elizabeth “Liz” Deighan is an English soccer great. That a generation of Lionesses fans have grown upContinue reading “Players: Liz Deighan”

Report: #SHEKICKSBACK 2, Doncaster, 23 November 2015

Walker, Smith and Coultard meet their public at Doncaster roadshow   On a rainy Monday night in November, the #SHEKICKSBACK roadshow rolled into Doncaster. Following an earlier event in London organisers chose Doncaster Belles territory for the second edition, in honour of the South Yorkshire giants’ proud history.   A joint venture between women’s soccerContinue reading “Report: #SHEKICKSBACK 2, Doncaster, 23 November 2015”

Mundialito Femminile ’84 – The Little World Cup

Martin Reagan’s beaten Euro 84 finalists square off against Belgium, West Germany and Italy in Jesolo and Caorle     In the days before the FIFA Women’s World Cup there was the Mundialito…   An invitational tourney along the lines of the latter day Cyprus or Algarve Cups, it was a much bigger deal thanContinue reading “Mundialito Femminile ’84 – The Little World Cup”

Players: Debbie Bampton

Debbie Bampton: Highly-decorated midfield powerhouse     Born: 7 October 1961, Sidcup Position: Midfielder Debut: Netherlands (A) 30 September 1978 Occupation: Cashier (1981), Selector (1982), Courier (1987), Footballer (1988), Postwoman (2005)   Right… where to start with this one!? A Hall of Famer with an MBE for services to women’s football. Six Women’s FA CupContinue reading “Players: Debbie Bampton”

Match: Sweden 1–0 England, 12 May 1984, Ullevi (part 2)

Ullevi 12 May 1984 – Sweden 1–0 England   Pia Sundhage’s header beats England in first leg of Euro 84 final   Classic match report: Martin Reagan’s brave England stay in touch for second leg in Luton     Part two in a two-part series: profiling England’s classic Euro 1984 final defeat by Sweden. EnglandContinue reading “Match: Sweden 1–0 England, 12 May 1984, Ullevi (part 2)”

Match: Sweden 1–0 England, 12 May 1984, Ullevi

Ullevi 12 May 1984 – Sweden 1–0 England   Pia Sundhage’s header beats England in first leg of Euro 84 final   Classic match report: Martin Reagan’s brave England stay in touch for second leg in Luton     Part one in a two-part series: profiling England’s classic Euro 1984 final defeat by Sweden. EnglandContinue reading “Match: Sweden 1–0 England, 12 May 1984, Ullevi”