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Home Latest

When women’s football was barred – and Workington beat the ban

by Cumbria Crack
03/08/2022
in Latest, Sport
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Programme for the women’s match in Workington

Women’s football is on a high after England’s success in the Euros at the weekend – but there was a time when it was banned by the FA.

Indeed we have been reminded by a number of enthusiasts that a famous international game was played in Workington to beat the ban.

Dick Kerr’s hugely successful women’s side actually played at the Ellis Sports Ground, home of Workington Zebras Rugby Union club in July 1954.

The reasoning was that June and July were months outside the FA’s jurisdiction and so too was a rugby union ground.

We have been told that Workington Reds groundsman Billy Watson and famous ex-manager Bill Shankly marked out the Ellis pitch for football and put up the posts.

The match had been organised as an attraction by the Workington Reds Supporters Club.

Programme for the women’s match in Workington

A decent crowd watched the action, played in the evening, with Dick Kerr’s X1 taking on a French X1.

It has been suggested that the game was played in Workington because those in charge of the Dick Kerr team had been tipped off about the ability of a young girl off the Marsh and Quay, Betty Hodgson and wanted to see her play.

Dick Kerr Ladies FC was one of the earliest known women’s football teams in England. The team remained in existence for over 48 years, from 1917 to 1965, playing 833 games, winning 759, drawing 46, and losing just 28. 

During its early years, matches attracted anywhere from 4,000 to over 50,000 spectators per match. In 1920, Dick, Kerr Ladies defeated a French side 2–0 in front of 25,000 people that went down in history as the first international women’s association football game.

Programme for the women’s match in Workington

The team faced strong opposition by the Football Association, who banned the women from using fields and stadiums controlled by FA-affiliated clubs for 50 years (the rule was repealed in 1971).

If those old fuddy-duddys could have seen events unfold at Wembley Stadium on Sunday night it would have been interesting to hear their observations.

Cumbria Crack is grateful to a former local goalkeeper Billy Monan for producing the programme and if anyone else has information on the game – including the result! We would be delighted to hear from them. Email admin@cumbriacrack.com

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