Barrow vs. Cheltenham Town

Ten years ago, I embarked upon a journey to visit all the 92 grounds in the English professional leagues – and write about them. The result was ‘Playing Offside’, a five-volume football groundhopping book series that was completed in the early part of the 2020-21 season. Obviously, time has seen clubs move in and out of the 92, while some clubs have moved to new grounds entirely. So, an update to get me back on the full complement of grounds is in order, and I figured the tenth anniversary was a good place to kick off from. This is why I’m on my first leg of update today as I’m on the Furness Peninsula to see Barrow take on Cheltenham in League Two.

The journey to Barrow is a picturesque one – the train I’m on rattles around the North West coast, with glimpses of the Irish Sea, Morecambe Bay and the Duddon Estray visible from your window. The positioning of the town has seen it referred to as a ‘cul-de-sac’ due to it being tucked away at the tip of the Furness Peninsula and as such, it’s relatively awkward to get to. This has seemingly put it at a disadvantage in post-industrial Britain – although many other towns like it have suffered from industry decline and decimation, they at least are located within easy reach of a city so are able to retain their populations and foster business connections. Barrow has struggled in both these aspects – and this situation has even seen the football club decide to train a hundred miles away to build a competitive team.

After previously training in Lancaster and Rochdale, the club agreed a deal to train in Salford at De La Salle Sports & Social Club two years ago, citing that it was an opportunity to have good facilities in a location that would be easier to get to for prospective players. It’s seemingly worked so far as Barrow have managed to establish themselves as a League Two side – and are probably pushing to be involved in a promotion push this year. As of summer 2023, they moved on to train at FC United’s ground at Broadhurst Park in Manchester, where they remain to this day. It’s a difficult situation – while the idea to train in a more ‘central’ location does offer more opportunities to retain and recruit players, it will definitely have an impact on the community aspect of the club when the players who play for it have no connection to the area.

Some supporters have voiced their concerns about this, while others have been more accepting, saying it’s necessary for the club to have a long-term future in the EFL. I can see both sides and without knowing much about the ins and outs of the club, I can’t really comment either way – but what I do find concerning is that the club have also abandoned their academy, like several clubs in the EFL. EPPP, which has been criticised for being perceivably weighed in favour of the bigger clubs to hoover up the best young talents, no doubt having an effect.

Barrow AFC were founded in 1901, playing at several local grounds, including the evocatively-named Strawberry Ground before moving to Ainslie Street and then Little Park. By the time of their move to Holker Street – the ground they play at today – they were playing in the top division of the Lancashire Combination. Remaining there on either side of the First World War, Barrow went on to win the league title in 1920-21 which coincided with the formation of a Football League Division Three North – they were invited to become founder members and duly took their place amongst the professional clubs.

They were to remain in the Football League for 51 years, the highlight being promotion to the third tier of English football (after the two Division Three’s were combined and divided into two nationalised divisions) in 1967, going on to spend three seasons playing there. They had several interesting moments in the FA Cup as a league club – in the 1953-54 competition, a still-record crowd of 16,874 packed into Holker Street to see them draw 2-2 with Swansea, while a few years later, they hosted reigning Football League champions, Wolverhampton Wanderers. The side, containing England captain and all-time great, Billy Wright, were given a scare by Barrow, persevering 4-2 in front of another 16,000 crowd.

By the 1970s, the club was in dire financial trouble; relegated back to the Fourth Division in 1970, they finished bottom of the 92 the season after but survived in the re-election. However, despite finishing third-bottom the next season, they failed to be re-elected and were replaced with Hereford United. The vote was close, going to a second round after a tie between the two, but three factors ultimately put paid to their status as a Football League club – their isolated location in the far North West, Hereford’s performances (notably their famous FA victory against Newcastle United), and the Barrow board’s decision to offset the club’s losses by laying out a speedway track around the Hoker Street pitch.

Their return to the 92 in 2020 was a result of several years of solid building on-and-off the field – including a change of ownership. A consortium, made up of local businessmen and supporters purchased the club from Texan millionaire (yes, you read that right!) Paul Casson in 2018. New chairman, Paul Hornby, cited that the opportunity to run the club in a more democratically, was the way forward. And so far, he’s been proved right – Barrow won promotion a mere 18 months later and have since settled into the EFL, finishing just outside the play-off places last term. With the centralised training base in Greater Manchester offering an attractive workplace for new players, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that they may go on to reach the third tier of English football again after a 55-year absence.

Sponsors in the lower leagues are always interesting – away from big brands and betting companies that dominate Premier League shirts, the EFL often has a wide variety of interesting businesses and causes sponsoring their teams. Barrow are one such club. The Canadian Province of Newfoundland and Labrador are the shirt sponsors of Barrow. Not a company, not a charity, but the local government of Newfoundland and Labrador! One of the reasons why they chose Barrow could be the town’s shipbuilding history – several Canadian ships were built here, including the HMHS Newfoundland (a hospital ship used in the Second World War), as well as a cargo ship, the Geraldine May. Officials say that the two-year deal would allow them to be ‘showcased on a global stage’. With it being public money, they’re bound to reveal how much they’re spending and it turns out the deal is worth $171,000CAN – just under £100k. It’s an amusing story to talk about, but that’s the point – it’s unique enough to get people talking and get the name of Newfoundland and Labrador (which is a very interesting name already!) out there.  All for £50k a season. Tax money well spent, in my opinion!

Holker Street is a short walk from the train station and the centre of town – you just turn out of the station and walk down the road for ten minutes, it’s that simple. The ground lies next to another football ground – that of Furness Rovers of the Furness Premier League. There’s a match going on there right now, in fact, so I slip into the Barrow ‘fan zone’ for a beer and soak up the action. I’ve been seeing an increasing number of these outdoor fan zones outside grounds in recent years and the one here is great – not only does it have relatively-cheap beer (where else in the EFL can you get a pint for £4 these days?), but much of it is under cover which is very helpful in times of adverse weather. On the walls of the outdoor bit of the fan zone are boards, chronicling the club’s history which I think is a nice touch – charting the highs and lows up until the 2020 season and their return to the 92. Naturally, I love such educational additions such as this and I think many of our clubs could do with something similar – a reminder of history informs us that we too will be part of it, potentially inspiring us to make a difference from the stands, helping to create new entries on those same boards?

There’s a long queue at the turnstile and I just about manage to get in as the game kicks off – in my rush to get to my seat, I almost bump into Barrow mascot, Bluey (the bluebird, featured on the club insignia) as they appear from a doorway. I give Bluey an awkward thumbs up and I get one in return – my day has been made already! I don’t know what it is, but I find interacting with mascots funnier as an adult than I did when I was a child – I used to think they were very uncool and not all hip, so maybe age has made me more cringe, I don’t know. On taking my seat in the Brian Arrowsmith Stand, named after the former player and manager, who played in the Football League for the club, making well over 500 league appearances, I’m immediately impressed by the sight of the interior of the ground. All the stands are mismatched, obviously all built at different times, so they offer a unique aesthetic. The stand I’m in (nor the one opposite) runs the full length of the pitch, so three smaller stands have been added to the side of it; two on one side, one on the other. The Brian Arrowsmith Stand has been built above the pitch, so you have to walk up a set of stairs just to get to the first row.

Barrow were top of League Two this time last week, but two defeats in a week has seen them slip to fourth. We’re still very early into the season but getting into a bad run at any point could potentially derail any ambitions your team has, so the supporters are onto their side right away, expectant of a better performance. Lining up in goal for the home side is Wyll Stanway – not only a Furness lad but also the younger brother of Euro 2022 winner (and arguably one of the best midfielders in the women’s game), Georgia Stanway. Wyll started his career playing next door at Furness Rovers before a spell at Holker Old Boys earned him a move to Chester where he made over fifty appearances. He also spent time on loan at various non-league clubs, most notably Macclesfield who apparently wanted to sign him permanently but couldn’t agree a fee. After a stellar season back at Chester (where he was voted Supporters Player of the Year), Barrow brought him home in this summer. This is a lad who was playing on the pitch next door just three years ago. What a story!

As it was, the first fifteen minutes of the match are quite even – as in not much happened. Well, except Stanway almost let Cheltenham in – he attempted to clear the ball from inside his six-yard box, missed it, it hit his standing leg, and he just about corrected his positioning to boot it clear as an attacker was closing in. Relieved gasps from most inside the ground. Just as it seems like we're heading for an uneventful, scoreless half, Cheltenham grab a goal. Ethon Archer has a shot that Stanway does well to beat away, but it falls to the edge of the area where Ryan Bowman smashes it into the top corner. It was a great finish, to be fair – I’ve seen Bowman knocking about Leagues One and Two for several years now, and he’s one of those players who always seems to be a good bet for a goal. Barrow then immediately go up from kick-off and make Owen Evans, the Cheltenham keeper, produce his first save of the match. Makes me wonder why they couldn’t have put this much pressure on them earlier, seeing as they did it straight from the restart? It was comfortable enough for Evans – a low shot straight at him, but it nevertheless represented Barrow's first chance of the match. Something to build on.

I can only assume that it was the gameplan to take it easy in the first half, as Barrow come out flying as the second began. Just a matter of seconds after a ball across the Cheltenham penalty area was blocked, it’s crossed back in where Emile Acquah is on hand to power a header into the same corner of the net that Bowman did earlier! That move came down Barrow’s left side, and they continue to find some joy down there – another cross is put into the area, another header goes up but this time, Evans does well to catch and hold on.

The supporters, although muted for the majority of the mostly-uneventful first half, have been growing in volume throughout the second, as their team continue to dominate the ball and look for space behind the opposition defence. They create another chance when a last-ditch block inside the area prevents a clear shot at goal – this animates more of the supporters around me, who continue to will their side on, desperate for a goal that could send them back to the top of the league. I have noticed that there are quite a lot of young people here – I don’t know if that’s because I’m getting towards middle age now (as well as being cringe), but it seems that there’s been a concerted effort to appeal to the younger end of the Barrow population to fill these seats. Encouraging for the future of this club.

The home side are probing down both sides, playing the ball with increasing pace – and Cheltenham are struggling to contain them. With barely five minutes left, a move down the right is blocked out to the left, where full-back, Ben Jackson, is waiting. Skipping inside, he finds space just inside the area and fires the ball across towards the penalty spot where an on-rushing Andy Dallas is there to sidefoot into the corner – a great move and finish. It’s fully-deserved for their performance in the second half – with the shackles off, they’ve looked like a different side. I did have to laugh at Bluey though, who was standing on the opposite side of the ground, going crazy; jumping up and down with their arms in the air. Amongst all the other Barrow white shirts in the crowd, all I could see was a giant bird’s head bopping up and down – would look quite frightening if this was a night game, with darkness surrounding the bopping bird’s head!

Speaking of scares, Barrow look jittery at the back – especially now we’re in added-on time. Just before the goal, a free-kick into their area was just inches from being turned in by a Cheltenham player. Nevertheless, they just about hold on and celebrate three points that takes them back into the automatic promotion places – I check the table later, and they’re just a single goal from being top, in fact! I’ve really enjoyed my visit to Barrow today, the match aside, they seem to be doing things ‘the right way’ in regard to the supporter experience – which isn’t a coincidence, seeing as their shareholders are supporters! Hopefully, they’ll be able to balance the need to train at a more central location in the North West with fostering a community feel around the club, because it’s vital – the number of young people here today is proof that there is a future for this football club at this level.

I have a pint in the nearby Supporters Club (or ‘Soccer Bar’, as the sign outside says!), after the match. It’s a smart social club-type environment, the sort that most grounds used to have, but have sadly faded away. I plump for a decent pint of mild for three quid, which again, is relatively cheap in 2024. What a lovely place – I’m considering moving here if the value for money is this good!

Barrow 2
(Acquah, 47. Dallas, 86)

Cheltenham Town 1
(Bowman, 41)

Attendance: 3,518

‘Playing Offside – The Complete Collection’ will be an updated, refreshed and expanded collection of all five volumes, plus updates of new clubs and grounds like this one that I’m visiting. It will be released during the 2025-26 season. In the meantime, you can grab all five volumes of the original Playing Offside – which contains all clubs that were in the 92 as of the 2019/20 season – from Amazon Kindle for just £6.97

Read More

Wigan Athletic Women vs. Blackburn Eagles

I’m at the Brick Community Stadium today – no, it’s not a new groundhop, quite the opposite in fact! Previously known as the JJB Stadium and DW Stadium, I’ve already seen countless matches here in Wigan but today is an historic occasion in this, the 25^th anniversary of its opening – it’s the first home game for Wigan Athletic’s new women’s team as they host Blackburn Eagles in the ‘Championship’ division of the Lancashire Women’s County League!

This new women’s section of Wigan Athletic is the first in-house women’s football team, part of owner, Mike Danson’s, remit to ‘be a driver of positive change in the town and community’ when he purchased the club last year. Managed by 2013 FA Cup-winning captain Emmerson Boyce, ‘the Lady Tics’ (can’t see that being adopted as an official nickname, but let’s just run with it for now!) opened with a 2-0 win at Haslingden last week and followed it up with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Euxton on Tuesday. Promotion is the evident aim – and with a crowd of over a thousand expected here today, can they continue their form and impress as many supporters as possible, inspiring them to join their journey?

I had to word that introduction carefully, as technically speaking, Wigan Athletic have been represented by another women’s club since 1999 – Latics effectively lending them their name. As I understand it, the other club had two meetings with Wigan Athletic last year after which it was decided that they wouldn’t be incorporated and therefore would have to change their identity. While they’ve since changed their club crest, they’re still going by the ‘Wigan Athletic Ladies’ name – and what’s more, they currently play in the North West Regional League, two tiers above the new team. It's all very confusing.

It's regrettable that an agreement couldn’t have been made between the two clubs – I followed the other Wigan Athletic in the Women’s FA Cup last season (for which, I’ve written a series of blogs – feel free to check it out!), and they’ve built a great club with various youth sections and an exciting first team who swept all before them last season as they won the Lancashire County League Premier Division and reached the first round of the cup (this despite all the players being Under-17's). I can only assume Wigan Athletic (official) wanted to start from scratch, building their own club, rather than having to spend time and money in negotiating whatever legalities will be involved in incorporating an existing club. They've been placed in the seventh tier of the women's football pyarmid and tt the moment, they’ve got a first team and nothing else – but with a Category 2 EPPP set-up at the club, there’s scope to build their own girl’s youth sections rather quickly.

The ambition is to push this team towards the WSL – with Wigan also able to take advantage of the huge population centres nearby, the club can offer local women and girls opportunities to play football and develop in a great environment. A key part of this plan will be their home ground/training centre at Edge Hall Road. The former home of Orrell RU and Wigan Warriors development squad, the 3,000-capacity ground is currently being refurbished to be ‘a hub for women’s sport in the borough’. When it does open (hopefully soon!), that WILL be a new groundhop for me to cover!

It's great to see Boycey back at the club in a key coaching role – not just because of his legend status, but also because he’s got a genuine pedigree in developing women’s football. Previously, he coached the Barbados women’s team and later became technical director of the country’s FA, bringing all his experience to the table to develop the Caribbean nation's youth teams (imagine leaving Barbados for Wigan though???) He’s the perfect appointment, really – a well-loved club figure adds a degree of ‘legitimacy’ to the women’s club project in the eyes of supporters, so they’re on board right away. Him being experienced in the women’s game and team development is crucial, however – his expertise stands the team in the best stead to hit the ground running. He’s been surrounded by several coaches with experience in local women’s football too, so all the pieces are in place for the new club to grow and develop throughout the next couple of years.

What gives me further confidence in the club is their approach from the outset. The players they’ve recruited aren’t professionals, but they’re being treated as such. Introduced before and during half-time of a recent men’s home match, they’ve been heavily promoted on social media – even going as far as giving them squad numbers and names on the back of the shirts. This isn’t a done thing at this level, what with the costs involved – it can be easy to forget that the vast majority of women’s leagues are essentially made up of amateur clubs. What this does, is give players a sense of ‘ownership’ over their shirt – pride that instils that professional approach, driving them on to improve even further.

Entry is free, but to gauge the numbers, the club required people to pre-book tickets, with the period to do so ending on Friday evening. Despite heavily promoting the fixture on social media during the week, I’ve seen people complain on the same platforms that they ‘didn’t know’ the game was taking place. Which I find incredible, to be honest – they’re certainly quick to make negative comments after a post about the men’s team! However, it did leave me wondering how many people would have been here today if they were able to just walk up? Obviously, the club have to be aware of how many people are expected to put sufficient staff in place, but how is this going to translate to Edge Hall Road when they play there? I’m not expecting an average of 1,000+ to turn up at each game in Orrell, but I can see anywhere from 200-500 being present on average, especially considering the novelty appeal of the new ground. With very limited access (the ground is tucked in behind houses), how can they prepare for this, even with advanced online ticketing? There’s even a queue at the turnstile here, as people struggle with their QR codes – I don’t think this is realistic to roll out at the new ground.

Once I do get in, I get a prime seat bang in the centre of the West Stand – a very rare experience. One thing that’s immediately obvious is that the club have placed a lot of emphasis on creating a family atmosphere that’s so prevalent in women’s football. They’ve hit the ground running, putting on various activities inside the stand and just generally creating a relaxing, non-threatening atmosphere. And Crusty The Pie, Wigan’s erstwhile mascot, is in his absolute element too, dancing along to pre-match music, without the worries of being verbally abused by opposition supporters. Saying that, Crusty has just returned from the ‘Mascot Derby’, for which he trained extensively, so with him being quite hench, you won’t catch me calling him anything but a fine, upstanding, young gentleman. And hot and tasty (he is a pie, after all).

Why was Crusty The Pie in JD Gyms, Wigan? 🤔@JDGyms | @LaticsOfficial#wafc 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/SyK3L9R9zh

— JuniorLatics (@JuniorLatics) August 19, 2024

Another nice touch for this historic occasion is having the players enter the pitch with family members. With their names on their backs, family members by their side, a large crowd applauding them on in a professional stadium and one giant pie dancing around, they must feel ten feet tall. The positive feelings take just a couple of minutes to take effect as Ellie Cleary scores the first home goal for Wigan Athletic Women – volleying in a cross from inside the area. That’s her fourth goal in three games – all the more remarkable, considering she was signed on the eve of the opening game last week!

Blackburn Eagles – it must be stressed, an independent community club from the hometown of Rovers – take just four minutes to find an equaliser. A free-kick is played into the Wigan penalty area, the ball is bundled towards goal, which Wigan keeper, Amelia Knowles, saves – but the rebound is put in. We have no idea who scored, nor who is on the Blackburn team – I suspect no teamsheet has been handed to the PA announcer. This is another reminder of the level we’re at here – half of these teams play on 3G pitches in sports centres, so why would they make copies of teamsheets? This goes to show the growth that’s needed in the women’s game.

The match is very competitive for the first half-hour – Wigan shading it with their tidy, short passing, whereas Blackburn favour the more physical stuff. The pressure tells soon enough though, as Cleary adds another – latching onto a ball into the area, she’s challenged by the keeper and slips over, but still manages to put the ball in while on the ground! Cleary has been somewhat of a find; a forward that likes to cut inside, she’s been a constant menace to the Blackburn backline, pressing and harrying them. Not long after her second, she completes her hat-trick – threatening to get behind the defence several times already, with the offside flag or last-ditch block preventing them, Wigan slip a pass through and Cleary runs on it, proceeding to round the keeper and put the ball into an empty net.

The supporters have naturally been enjoying themselves – but so have the players. Each goal has seen them all (bar the goalkeeper) run to Cleary to celebrate. Some of them have run 60 or 70 yards to do so – I hope they don’t knacker themselves out! Boycey must be going spare! Maybe they have tired themselves out, because for some reason, Wigan decide to make two substitutions at the 40-minute mark and then another a couple of minutes later. All the players seem uninjured – couldn’t they have waited until half-time? How bizarre.

The first half was very enjoyable (several goals for your side does tend to have that effect!) But the crowd have been good too, being animated in all the right places and shouting at the ref. Some chap even attempted to start a ‘Cleary’s on Fire’ chant, which raised some nervous giggles. The play is somewhat slower than what most here will be used to, but there’s also been plenty of action which most here will not be used to either! People always make the mistake of thinking slower play means ‘less entertaining’, but it’s been anything but. It’s absolutely pissing it down too, which isn’t helping!

I can only assume Boycey wants to see all of his players in action, as he makes another sub at half-time – replacing goalkeeper Knowles with Faye Mossley. The mystery of these early subs is made clear to me during the second half – it turns out they use rolling subs at this level, presumably to safeguard the fitness of players. Considering this is effectively amateur football (and many of these players are teenagers), expecting them to play at the same intensity for 90+ minutes is unrealistic. I think the rolling subs keep the players fresh and as such, keep the game fresh too – so it’s a better watch for the supporters also!

The second half has been competitive – in the sense that Wigan have dominated, while Blackburn have defended well, without creating anything. Just as it seemed we were going to end the match without a goal, Wigan win a free-kick just outside the penalty area, left-of-centre. Midfielder, Molly Hassall steps up – and smashes the ball into the top corner! It was a great shot; one of those hits that you know is going in as soon as it’s struck. Late on, Wigan had another chance, but it hit the post and bounced agonisingly away from several onrushing attackers.

It finishes 4-1 and the players celebrate and take some well-deserved adulation from the crowd. I feel like there's a lot more to come from this Wigan team – considering they were only put together a matter of weeks ago, it’s still very early to gauge what their potential is, but they’ve certainly started in the right manner by playing crowd-pleasing short-passing, attacking football. Although I’m looking forward to experiencing what Edge Hall Road has to offer, I do hope they host more games at The Brick throughout the season – over one-and-a-thousand were here today and as the team develops and hopefully puts together a successful league campaign, I’d imagine that number could easily be doubled next time. Well, if some people would read their social media feeds properly, anyway!

Wigan Athletic Women 4

Blackburn Eagles 1

Attendance: 1,541

If you’re interested in reading more about women’s football, I have a book out in November! In an attempt to evaluate the standing of women’s football at all levels in the current climate, I followed the winning club through each round of the 2023/24 FA Cup – starting with the ‘other’ Wigan Athletic Ladies – all the way to the final at Wembley, chronicling my experiences along the way. Stay tuned to this blog for more information on the release date – or follow me on X at pints_pies!

Read More

Playing Offside - A 'Doing The 92' Groundhopping Book, The Final Volume OUT NOW!

After five years (!) I’m delighted to finally be able to release Volume Five of ‘Playing Offside’ – the final part of my journey tochronicle all the current grounds in England’s professional leagues! The project was completed back in 2019, but with a busy schedule and much upheaval since then, it’s only now that I’ve been able to put the finishes touches to it and get it out. I’m the George R.R Martin of the football writing world, what can I say?

It’s been quite the journey in completing this volume. The vast majority of it follows my attempts at completing the 92 during the 2018/19 season – but following numerous delays with Tottenham’s new stadium, I had to roll it over to the start of the 2019/20 season. So, it’s quite the read, if I say so myself!

It’s definitely the most ambitious volume I’ve written, with deeper looks at the various historical and social aspects of the clubs I visit. The chapter on Portsmouth is 6,000 words alone, containing passages about bloodcurdling murder and bizarre financial issues (not related) – absolutely stuff I couldn’t leave out! Some more highlights include: catching a flight to Exeter because it’s cheaper than the train, going on a pub crawl pre-match in Brentford, and witnessing a lover’s tiff between two giant cuddly mascots in Swansea. Riveting stuff! It’s available on Amazon Kindle NOW for £2.99 – withthe complete set of five volumes priced at £6.95.

Being able to release the final volume now is interesting timing too, as the beginning of the upcoming 2024/25 season will mark ten years since I first embarked on the project. To celebrate this milestone, I’m already working on an updated ‘Complete Collection’ of all five volumes, with new clubs and grounds included to bring everything up to date. Previous chapters will be edited and extended for better clarity too – some of the chapters in Volume Five absolutely dwarf many of the ones in earlier volumes, so I want to present a better balance for all clubs. I’m expecting Playing Offside: The Complete Collection to be released in Autumn/Winter 2025 (it will probably bleed over into the 25/26 season, due to the expected opening of Everton’s new stadium!)

Exciting times ahead! I best get a move on!

Read More

Manchester United Women vs. Chelsea Women - 2023-24 Women's FA Cup, Semi Final

Sunday 14^th April 2024
Semi Final
Manchester United vs. Chelsea

For on the journey to Wembley, all roads have led back to Leigh – or ‘Wemberleigh’, as it will be decreed from this day forth (in case my sister is reading this, no, ‘Wemberleigh’ isn’t ‘cringe’!) After watching a first round match on a 3G pitch just outside the stadium, I’ve returned to Leigh Sports Village via the North East and now the South East with today’s fixture seeing me back for the (semi) final time. Unlike the men’s game, where semi-finals are held at neutral grounds (or Wembley, as they have been since the new one was built), semi-finals in the Women’s FA Cup are held at the venue of the first teams out of the bag. United were drawn out first – but unlucky for them, the next team drawn were league title challengers, Chelsea. Home advantage vs. arguably the best side in the WSL. Who will reach Wembley proper?

I obviously would be saying this – what with the home side playing a couple of miles from my house and thus helping me save lots and lots (and lots) of money yet again – but not playing the semi final at a neutral ground is the right choice. We’re still in the very early stages of development in women’s professional football, so the crowd numbers simply aren’t there to warrant the games being held at neutral venues right now. Hosting the semis at a participant’s ground ensures an attendance that will likely surpass the average number, considering the magnitude of the occasion. Another benefit is that it lends even more prestige to the final – one of the major criticisms of the men’s semi-finals being held at Wembley is that it takes a little gloss off the showpiece occasion. Reaching Wembley should be the pinnacle, an honour fitting for the showpiece game that the final is – I think the men’s game loses out on that a little bit. Saying that, just like they’ve done on the odd occasion for league games, I was half-expecting this game to be switched to Old Trafford to boost numbers even further. I don’t know if FA Cup rules allow for it but if they do, I suppose switching may run the risk of players struggling to express their usual game in unfamiliar surroundings. Plus, I can’t get the bus direct to Old Trafford so it’s fine by me.

There’s been much speculation and pressure placed on both managers in the run-up to this game. United’s Marc Skinner is out of contract in the summer and is apparently in discussions about a new one. However, after an inconsistent season in the WSL that has seen them drop out of Champions League contention, some supporters have put him under some ‘heavy criticism’, even going as far as chanting for his dismal at a recent training camp in Malta. In fairness to Skinner, he’s defended the supporters for doing this, indicating that ‘everyone is entitled to their opinion’. How interesting would it be if he would deliver the club’s first trophy in the shape of the FA Cup this season? They’ll have to give him a new contract, surely?

Chelsea’s Emma Hayes is definitely off at the end of the season, having agreed to take charge of the United States’ national side. With her Chelsea side still in contention for the WSL title, England’s most-decorated women’s coach is hoping to end her twelve years in charge of the club with a treble – downgraded from a quadruple a fortnight ago, after they lost in the final of the Continental Cup (the Football League Cup-equivalent). This match caused, shall we say, some ‘controversy’ in the media as after the 1-0 extra-time defeat to Arsenal, Hayes refused to shake opposition manager, Jonas Eidevall’s hand, instead pushing him away.

In the post-match interview, she cited ‘male aggression’ [on the touchline] on Eidevall’s part as the reason for her reaction. It’s since been speculated by regular watchers of the WSL that it may have been a crafty diversionary tactic on her part, something she’s not been averse to doing. Apparently, Eidevall was shouting at the fourth official over a violation of an agreement to use a ‘single ball system’. Prior to the match, Arsenal wanted to use a multi-ball system (in which balls are placed at the side of the pitch for easy grabbing – ideal if you want to get on with the game quickly), while Chelsea wanted to use a single-ball system (where it has to be fetched – ideal to waste time/take the sting out of the game). They eventually agreed on the single-ball, and in extra-time with Arsenal a goal up, the ball was kicked out and a Chelsea player grabbed another to quickly get on with the game. This is what led to Eidevall’s reaction and Hayes’ resulting fury (although I’d speculate the defeat mostly contributed to that!) As a result, the hornet’s nest of men’s role in the women’s game has been kicked over once again and internet bores have been regaling us with their opinion that the women’s game is ‘crap’ for the umpteenth time this year, citing this incident and Hayes’ ill-judged comments as proof. If it were indeed a diversionary tactic, I’d like to say (in a non-aggressive way), that it was a very poor decision by Hayes and will do nothing to help the women’s game.

With Chelsea still involved in the title race – and not to mention, being ahead of their opponents by 15 points after 17 games – it can be easy to assume that today’s tie is a foregone conclusion. Chelsea are going to win today, quite comfortably. That’s the beauty of cup football though – when it’s a game of knockout, form and perceived team quality goes out of the window; the pressure ramps up knowing that you’re just a swipe of the ball away from losing this competition. A good example of this is United’s recent tie with Southampton (which was arguably an even larger quality gap, considering Southampton play in the Championship) – after drawing level, Southampton were on top for a spell and could have notched ahead, potentially closing out the game from there. However, United managed to keep them at bay and used their quality at the other end of the field to score the late-clinching goals. Cup football emphasises that ‘professional attitude’ – this isn’t a league match where any shock defeat can be put to one side; if you’re not up for a cup tie, you could get beat and you’ll be out. United have had that attitude in the cup so far – but so have Chelsea; reaching the final of one competition and being involved in the latter stages of the other three. No matter the format, they’ve shown their quality and professionalism throughout. So, we’re in for some game today!

I’m sitting in the West Stand today for a change – this is the ‘main stand’ here at the LSV, well, it’s the one with the hospitality boxes, anyway. Sadly, I’m not sat in there, munching on some posh Marks and Spencer’s butties and crisps, I’m sat close to the corner flag instead. I’ve chosen this area to watch the match because it’s close to the supporters behind the goal who have tended to be more boisterous – but the ‘spiciness’ is happening just down the row from me, as a group of United supporters sing to the sizeable Chelsea supporter in the stand opposite to ‘go on home’, to the tune of the timeless nursery rhyme, ‘This Old Man’. Not a single swear word or accusation on the character was uttered, just a polite scolding!

I was slightly worried that tickets might be hard to obtain for the game, what with it being a semi-final and the initial phase only being open to season ticket holders and club members. Theoretically, all of Manchester United’s membership base could have got a ticket for the game – the club were even offering a £22 deal to see them play Chelsea in this match and a WSL encounter at Old Trafford next month. Thankfully for me, it didn’t sell out, so I was able to purchase with relative ease. I was both pleased and disappointed at this – although obviously pleased at being able to obtain a ticket, I would have thought a game of this magnitude, against one of the best sides in the game, might have attracted a sell-out crowd, so it was a disappointment. LSV is a tiny ground in comparison to Old Trafford and travelling to it isn’t that difficult, considering coaches are laid on from Old Trafford.  As it is, we’ve got an above-average crowd here today, which is great and all, but it’s been swelled by around a thousand Chelsea supporters too.

The teams enter the field to much whooping and hollering – the United supporters are sensing they can take advantage of a tired Chelsea today. Aside from their opponents’ busy schedule and the negative press after the Arsenal game, what’s perhaps given them confidence is that the Blues are missing key players in the shape of captain, Millie Bright and Sam Kerr – arguably the best forward player in the women’s game right now. It says a lot about the depth of quality Chelsea have, that they’re still able to field several other big-name internationals – one of whom is Lauren James, who signed for them from United almost three years ago. The supporters behind the other goal – the one with the terrace (which is actually the first time I’ve seen it open on this, my fourth-ever visit here!) – give her name a pantomime boo when it’s announced. Is there some drama here that I’m not aware of?  Are they not happy at her leaving for Chelsea? Are they simply trying to create a sense of intimidation for Chelsea’s foremost attacking talent right now? Whatever their reasoning, it’s forgotten barely a minute into the game – as their side take the lead.

From kick-off, the ball pings between the two sides, eventually landing at the feet of Mary Earps, who boots it long, out to the left. After a flick-on, Chelsea defender Eve Perisset looks like she’s going to clear, but she doesn’t get much on the ball, allowing United’s Leah Galton to race away and cross it into the penalty area where Lucia Garcia is on hand to head past Hannah Hampton and into the net. Earps goes mental, screaming her delight at us sitting near the corner flag – what a start for the underdogs! Despite the early blow, Chelsea gather themselves rather quickly and start to dictate the game, almost immediately after the restart. Moving the ball quickly, they shift it wide right towards Johanna Kaneryd – she cuts inside and shoots straight at Earps who does well to hold onto the ball. Just as it seems the away side is warming up – and their expectant supporters are banging drums and chanting – before long, the other three sides of the ground erupt once again.

There doesn’t seem to be much on as Ella Toone is shepherded out towards the left touchline – she’s barely retaining control of the ball. However, she does gain control and manages to turn away from her marker, crossing the ball with her other foot into the penalty area where Rachel Williams is rushing into this time, planting an emphatic header past Hampton for 2-nil! Against the run-of-play, but who cares? United have doubled their lead against the favourites after barely a quarter of the game has gone. I’ve no idea about Marc Skinner’s usual management style or tactics (it’s been hard to judge in the games I’ve seen so far, considering they’ve played teams they’ve been expected to beat) – although I wouldn’t be surprised if he told his side to try and hit a weakened Chelsea early on, I doubt even he would have dreamed of the start they’ve made here!

Chelsea, again, respond well – dominating the ball and patiently searching for gaps in the United defence. Aside from the early save, Earps has largely been untroubled – her defence has made several last-ditch challenges to prevent any meaningful attempt at her goal. Their commitment to sitting back to defend is appreciated by those around me, typified by an incident near me, as they roar a crunching tackle put in by Galton. No doubt due to the occasion, the United support have been very animated throughout the first half – standing in anticipation every time they play it forward. Fortunately for me, I’m of above-average height, so I can stay seated and still look over the heads of the majority of women in the crowd who stand up. After Chelsea finally do breech their side’s defence, only to see an effort deflected wide, the United supporters take the opportunity to remind the away contingent of the score and that they ‘aren’t singing anymore’. They spoke too soon.

As the half draws to a close, Chelsea create several more chances – the pick of them being a cross that was headed just over the bar, while another header was pushed wide by Earps. With just a minute of added time to go, the Blues finally make their pressure tell – and who else bags their goal, but Lauren James. Some good combination play between Niamh Charles and Erin Cuthbert sees the former run down the left side of the penalty area, get to the byline and pull the ball back to the penalty spot where James is on hand to sidefoot in. Chelsea are back in it – and there’s even time for a spot of wrestling between James and her England teammate, Hayley Turner on the goal line as the defender picked up the ball to prevent James from retrieving it – both get booked for their efforts. Naturally, James was booed when her name was announced as the scorer! It’s two-one at half-time and I must say it’s gone by in a blur – by some distance the most entertaining half of football I’ve seen in this FA Cup run. Not just in terms of the quality of the play, but everything surrounding it – the atmosphere, the commitment both teams are showing – United desperately defending, Chelsea desperately attacking, and yes, the pantomime fun between Manchester United and Lauren James too!

It’s been a great first half for United, obviously, but with their season (and his job, potentially) riding on whatever happens in the second forty-five minutes, I’d imagine Skinner needs to deliver one of his better team talks here to preserve his side’s lead. That late goal will only work to embolden Chelsea – they’ve dominated all but the first five minutes of the game, with their better chances coming within the last ten minutes, their momentum building. It’s one of football’s most well-worn cliches but it’s clear here at 2-0 was a dangerous lead – especially when you’re up against the attacking quality of Chelsea! If they went in two goals behind at half-time, it would have seen heads lowered and fingers pointed. As it is, the goal just before the break will see determination broadcast on faces and fists being pumped. On the opposite side, the United players may be worried that their hard-fought lead will be overturned quickly, adding a sense of trepidation to the dressing room atmosphere. And this is where the coaches earn their money – can Skinner inspire his side to stand strong? Can Hayes inspire her side to overrun their opponents? Can the lady at the back of the long toilet queue I just passed get to do her business in time and return to her seat for the start of the second half? It’s all to play for!

As expected, Chelsea do come out hard – conducting several raids on the United backline in the opening couple of minutes, with more blocks and last-ditch tackles preventing certain goals. Clearly, both managers have communicated their messages well. Chelsea’s best chance during all this was a headed cross that Earps had to stretch to save – I have a feeling that’s not the last time she’s going to be doing that! The key component for the away side in their attacking endeavours has been centre-forward Mayha Ramirez, who has been a handful for the home defence. Playing as a centre-forward, she’s physically much bigger than any of the United players (she’s 5ft 10, apparently), so everything is going through her, as she holds up the ball, looking to bring teammates into play. I’ve very rarely seen this amount of physicality in women’s football – these types of players are ten-a-penny in the men’s game, especially in the lower leagues – so it’s interesting to watch here.

The Blues continue to hammer at the door, with Earps making two saves in quick succession – the first being straight at her, while the other was straight out of the top drawer. Chelsea swing a cross into the penalty area, Lauren James (it had to be her!) jumps, heads towards goal and the ball looks every inch in – until Earps dives across to claw it away. What was great about this moment is that both players seemed to hang in the air for ages – James did well to get the header on target, while Earps had to adjust quickly just to be able to dive the right way; two great examples of what women’s football has to offer right there. The United support don’t waste the opportunity to let James know their delight. This drama could run and run!

Now I’m not saying Mary Earps likes to shithouse her way through games but midway through the half, she goes down with a knock (apparently); the break in play allowing her manager to regroup his players and make a change. He addresses the constant Chelsea onslaught by replacing Toone with Hayley Ladd – an attacking midfielder replaced by a more defensive one. Designed to help United retain the ball, it helps to a degree as their opponents are forced to play the ball out wide more, instead of going through the middle and Ramirez. Both sides start to make more changes as the game slides towards its final quarter – including appearances for England stalwarts Nikita Parris for United and Fran Kirby for Chelsea. Naturally, the flow of the game is interrupted which everyone in red no doubt appreciated. Mary Earps also helps in her own way – collecting a ball that went out on one side of her goal before walking behind the net with it to place on the other side. She receives a yellow card for her trouble.

United have a rare foray into the Chelsea penalty area but they can’t quite get a shot off – the ball breaks to near halfway where James picks it up. She turns but Ladd is there to put in the type of crunching challenge that I suspect she was put on the pitch for. Naturally, this moment produces many cheers on three sides of the stadium, with a supporter behind me bellowing ‘Take Lauren James off the pitch’, in another incident of polite barracking. With gaps appearing in an increasingly-desperate Chelsea team, players such as Parris and Melvine Malard (who was also subbed on earlier), are using their pace to run the ball away from Chelsea.

And United will be glad of such assets too, as eight minutes are added on at the end of the match – can their nerves hold? Funnily enough, they really should have sealed the game early on in that added time – Parris finds herself in heaps of space on the right; she bears down on goal and I don’t know if she got caught in two minds of whether to shoot or cross, but she hit the ball across goal and an onrushing Malard can’t quite reach it – Hampton getting a hand to it to deflect it away. Parris really should have just smashed it at goal instead. A deathly silence then hangs over the stadium when Ramirez lays off the ball to Aggie Beaver-Jones on the left of the penalty area – she takes a touch before firing into the side netting.

The theatre is amping up as the match reaches its conclusion – the United supporters going through a range of emotions; first, excitement and disappointment as Malard tries a speculative effort from long distance that goes a couple of yards wide and then dread, as Chelsea quickly get on with play and create a chance that’s blocked out for a corner. All the players – including the Chelsea goalie – are piled into the area as the corner-taker swings the ball in, everyone in the crowd holds their collective breath…

But they did it, they held on! United are in their second consecutive Women’s FA Cup final and the supporters jump up and down as the final whistle sounds, scarves and signs all being waved in jubilation (and possibly to rile up Lauren James, I don’t know). There’s an ironic twist to this win because not only have United beaten the side who beat them in last year’s final, this victory represents their first-ever win against Chelsea in any competition – so all things considered, this is probably the first genuine ‘upset’ I’ve seen during this run! Not many teams, bar Man City and Arsenal, have come close to competing with Chelsea in the last decade, so this result could well be a milestone in the women’s game in England.

So, there we have it. After following several teams throughout this competition, it’s Manchester United who are in the final. Just like me, they’ll be travelling from the ‘other’ Wembley here in Leigh to Wembley itself – from Wemberleigh to Wembley!

Manchester United 2
(Garcia, 1. Williams, 23)

Chelsea 1
(James, 45)

Attendance: 6,876

Next round: Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Read More

Brighton and Hove Albion Women vs. Manchester United Women - 2023-24 Women's FA Cup, Quarter Final

Saturday 9^th March 2024
Quarter Final
Brighton and Hove Albion vs. Manchester United

Brilliant, just brilliant. Despite the odds of a home draw or a visit to any of the three other North West teams left in the last eight being high, Manchester United get drawn away to Brighton Hove Albion – the furthest I could have travelled for a quarter-final tie! But that’s alright – I’ve been to Brighton before, I quite enjoyed visiting, in fact. Except the women’s team play in Crawley – again, that’s alright as I’ve been here before too, during my ‘doing the 92’ groundhopping project, so at least I’m familiar with the route. Then my plans are thrown into utter chaos – the tie gets switched to a Saturday, which happens to be my birthday! But that’s alright too, as more trains running on a Saturday, so I could even get home on the same day and make last orders if they have an afternoon kick-off. So, imagine my despair then, when the match is confirmed for an early-evening 5.15pm kick-off, meaning I’ll have no chance of getting back home. Cheers. I’m never being ‘peacock smug’ about anything, ever again!

Things are looking up though, as I board the train down to London when I birthday treat myself to a
gingerbread man with a football shirt on – which sounds pathetic, I know. Just to make things better – when I unwrap him, the gingerbread man is sporting a crooked smile, which I feel is mocking me. So, I bite his head off. Due to issues of time and cost, I’m getting an overnight coach back tonight, but the upside is that Crawley is relatively easy to get to; just a change in London and you’re there. I’ve come a long way (literally) since that whimsical frolic with nature in Penwortham.

Today’s tie is a repeat of last year’s semi-final, which United won. Held in Leigh, a crowd of over 4,000 saw an extremely entertaining game in which both sides held the lead, before Rachel Williams popped up with an 89^th-minute winner. Funnily enough, I watched this match – on a tiny television in a Blackpool bed and breakfast! Only in the job for two months at that point, Brighton’s American head coach, Melissa Phillips, got a great deal out of her side and almost pulled off a shock. Containing young forward talent, England’s Katie Robinson and Norway’s Elisabeth Terland, there’s certainly plenty to build on at Brighton – exciting, creative football to draw in the supporters. Fast-forward to today, however, and they’re struggling towards the bottom end of the WSL (10^th of 12 teams) and just last month, removed Phillips and installed Mikey Harris as interim head coach. Brighton cited ‘results and performances not being at the level we had expected’, given the ‘heavy investment’ into the squad and infrastructure as the reason for the change. What a difference a year makes.

Founded in 1967 by workers at the Post Office’s telephone exchange, Brighton GPO played in charity matches for the first few years of their existence, before becoming founder members of the Sussex Marlet Women’s League in 1969. The Marlet, by the way, is a mythical bird that appears on the coat of arms of Sussex – I assumed it was an electrical shop or something, sponsoring the league! The Brighton and Hove Albion supporters club also formed a women’s team during this period, winning local league competitions and even went on to reach the semi-final of the FA Cup in 1976 – although they were beaten 8-1 by Southampton Women (the ‘other’ Southampton we covered last time out!), and disbanded not long later.

After the FA ban on women’s football was lifted in 1971, small amounts of money started to trickle its way into the game with one such example being the sponsorship of Brighton GPO by local sports shop, Clapshaw & Cleave. This deal – which was no doubt arranged by C&C employee and Brighton GPO player, Julie Hemsley – saw the club renamed to ‘C&C Sports’, going on to win the 1979-80 Sussex Marlet League and various cup competitions, before joining the Home Counties League, which was considered a stronger competition.

During this period, the club were primarily playing at Southwick FC, while East Preston FC also served as an occasional venue. In 1990, Brighton and Hove Albion FC founded their ‘Football in the Community’ scheme, with the development of women’s football being high on their priority list. As such, C&C Sports became affiliated with Brighton and Hove Albion, changing their name and playing home matches at Sussex University, before pitching up at the Withdean Stadium; the council-owned athletics stadium which would also become the home of the men’s team in 1997, up until 2011. Hemsley was doing some coaching with the Community scheme by this point and the incorporation of the women’s side led to her being appointed as the club’s first ‘Community and Development Officer’, specifically focusing on the development of women’s and girl’s football. Later, she would combine this role with the assistant manager’s job with the English national team – experiences which would see her given a seat on the FA Council, developing the women’s game on a national scale. It was while with the FA that she encountered Hope Powell; an England international who would later become manager of the England senior team, as well as Brighton and Hove Albion.

Brighton grew steadily throughout the 1990s; winning several local competitions in Sussex – they even went on to have a two-season spell in the top flight of women’s football at the turn of the 21^st century. After various league restructurings saw them placed in the Southern Division of the Women’s Premier League, the 2000-01 season saw them pip Chelsea to the title by a single point to win promotion to the nationalised Premier League. Despite a relegation two years later, the club continued to develop coaching programmes throughout the area and by 2015 had announced an ambitious five-year plan to reach the Women’s Super League and qualify for the Champions League. It took three years for them to get to the WSL – although this was achieved due to another restructuring; their superior infrastructure was deemed ideal for the now-professionalised top flight and so were invited to join. Since then, the club have generally been stable in the WSL – operating in the lower half of the 12-team league – although they did finish in 11^th last season, only five points away from relegated Reading.

It was during the announcement of their joining of WSL1 that they announced that home games were to be played at Crawley FC of the men’s Football League; their Broadfield ground being some 20 miles away from the centres of Brighton and Hove. Interestingly though, there have been recent rumblings that the club may get their own stadium in the same complex as the men’s stadium at Falmer. In what would represent the first purpose-built stadium for a women’s football club, the plan to build a 10,000-capacity ground was voted on by the council back in October and although there will be more hurdles to overcome before a spade hits the ground, it no doubt represents an exciting project for the club and women’s football as a whole. The idea seems to hit the right balance between giving the women’s side their own facility from which to develop and grow, forging their own identity as they go, whilst still being part of the Brighton and Hove Albion ‘family’, on account of being in the same location as the men’s club. 

On arrival at Crawley station, I nip to The Railway pub for a pint – I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this, but it’s my birthday. It’s a nice and cosy pub – plenty of people milling about in the early afternoon, comfy seating, nice premium beers on tap – there are even two massive huskies just lounging on the floor, patiently waiting for a stray crisp to slip from the grasp of their owners. A welcome respite after the journey from Wigan this morning, on my birthday. The ground is roughly a mile away from here, mostly done via ‘Southgate Avenue’ (or the A2004, if you’re boring) – funnily enough, current England men’s manager, Gareth Southgate, is from Crawley. While I’m sure it’s a coincidence that the road is called this, if he does go on to lead England to a major trophy, the local council should pretend that they’ve named it after him and claim the adulation and good press that’ll follow. Just before the ground comes into sight, I pass through a pedestrian tunnel that’s decorated with the red-and-white colours of Crawley FC, along with a painting of a massive football – just so you know where the tunnel leads to. How handy.

Broadfield was ‘only’ built in 1997 (if I remember the year, it can’t be that long ago) and is a decent enough ground – named after the area of Crawley that sits behind, the stadium is made up from a combination of terracing and seating. I’m sitting in the East Stand today, which is the newest at the ground after the original terracing was demolished in 2011 for an all-seated stand to make the stadium compliant with Football League regulations. Once I’m scanned in with my e-ticket and enter, I feel that the stand doesn’t seem like it’s only 12 years old – there are supporting pillars running in front which are largely a relic of grounds of the 20^th century, or temporary stands that have been designed to be transported. There’s no concourse, instead the food van and toilets are located in a corner – I’m imagining a long queue of women and girls, running down the front of the stand during half-time, patiently waiting to use the facilities, while I mischievously stroll into the empty men’s. Maybe we’ll see the toilet gender balance redressed if/when Brighton Women do get their own stadium? An interesting factor to consider in stadium fitting plans, I’m sure!

The pre-match atmosphere is building nicely; the walk to my seat sees me go past a band with multiple drums being hammered and trumpets being blared – think of a military band playing Ska music. Madness. Leading the clapping is Brighton’s mascot, Sally Seagull – she’s the female equivalent of ‘Gully’, who usually appears alongside her at Brighton games, but I can’t see him here. Should I take my chance and ask Sally out for a birthday pint back at The Railway, later? A neat addition to the supporter experience here is the availability of the match programme – which has been advertised as a download via QR codes printed on posters attached around the ground. The supporters around me are very respectful – clapping both sides heartily as they emerge onto the pitch and kick-off. Lining up for United is Maya Le Tissier – who they signed from Brighton in the summer of 2022, going on to make her England debut.

Earpsforce One is here as well – just like in Eastleigh last month, every touch of the ball by England’s No1 Mary Earps has been met with screams of MARYYYYYYYYYY like she’s all of The Rolling Stones circa 1966. During this match, she would rush off her line to punch away a cross and it was met with cheers worthy of any goal – no joke; you can say she's quite popular everywhere she goes! What I find interesting though is the continuing trend of supporters being attracted to the game because of players, rather than the clubs’ themselves. How many people are here to see the teams or to see England stars like Earps and Ella Toone in the flesh?

I remember hearing as far back as the men’s 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea that people in that part of the world like to ‘follow players’ (such as David Beckham), which I found bizarre at the time. Yes, by all means, admire a player for their deeds on the pitch, that’s just good sportsmanship and a respectful nod to their talents, but the concept of following them and not having your own club per se was baffling. Unthinkable, even. Watching a football team was all about being part of a collective, being together – how can you do that with a player? They aren’t pop stars! It’s a team game, there’s plenty more where they came from! Twenty years later and with games in leagues around the world easily available to watch and social media pushing the personalities of players, it’s quite common now to see supporters changing one shirt for another when their favourite player moves on. They are popstars, people do feel ‘together’ in their fandom of said figure – Mary Earps is the Taylor Swift of the WSL. But will supporters follow Earps – or any of the top players in the women’s game – if they move on? How will that affect the growth of clubs’ going forward? How can women’s football take advantage of this ‘pop star’ quality it’s quickly growing? Will Sally Seagull text me back? All questions I’m pondering as the match kicks off.

United wasted no time in opening the scoring – they’ve spent the first eight minutes or so camped in the Brighton half; red shirts passing the ball along the floor with ease, as blue-and-white figures chase its shadow. A Katie Zelem corner isn’t cleared and after a game of head tennis in the penalty area, the ball finds its way back to Zelem on the right, she cuts inside on her left foot, swings the ball in and centre-back Millie Turner loses her marker to head in. Too easy for the away side as the goal is met with loud cheers – and not just from the ‘official’ supporters behind the goal, but from some of the ‘neutrals’ around me too. The songs about Wembley echo even louder not long later, as Toone and Melvine Malard combine to slip the ball to Nikita Parris, running into the Brighton penalty area – she takes a touch before firing past Sophie Baggerly in the home goal.

It feels like it’s game over already – most Brighton supporters around me are muted, but nevertheless, still smiling; enjoying the occasion and the atmosphere whipped up by the band. Sophie Baggerly probably isn’t enjoying the occasion though, as the beleaguered Brighton goalie is kept busy throughout the rest of the half (saying that, maybe she is enjoying showing off her skills? Must be a weird conundrum being a goalkeeper – you don’t want your team to give up loads of chances, but at the same time you want to be kept busy because it allows you to make saves and be all impressive?). Baggsy (as I’ll be calling her from now on), does manage to make a great save, as she palms a looping shot from just outside the area, over the bar. United have several other close chances that go wide and over – the most guilt-edged chance being when Brighton decide to play out from a goal-kick. After playing a one-two with one of her defenders, Baggsy hits the ball too hard at another defender, she loses it and somehow – from almost on the penalty spot – United’s Lisa Naalsund blasts her shot over, with the ball hitting the front of the stand and bouncing onto the outside of the net, in an almost-mocking manner.

Brighton are working hard, trying to close down United, but they’re simply quicker all across the pitch – and large gaps are now appearing as the half draws to a close. Chasing the game, the home side lose the ball on halfway and it’s played up to Malard. The Frenchwoman is in the penalty area after playing a one-two with Toone. Baggsy tries to close her down, but after slipping the ball under her, it looks like Malard will score. However, the ball hits the post and rolls agonisingly across the goal-line – but Lucia Garcia is on hand to tap in. Three-nil and categorically game over now. The band try and trumpet up some support, and their team at least respond with a couple of half chances – the best coming just before the whistle as a low shot is pushed away by Earps, earning yet more celebratory screams from her dedicated fan club. It’s been tough on Brighton; they’ve been given the runaround by their visitors, who look leagues better in every department.

The second half sees United attacking the end that I'm sat close to; I’m sat in-line with the penalty area, and after being starved for action in the first half, I’ve got a great view of the visitors’ fast-attacking, which naturally resumes when the half starts. Brighton are still chasing shadows as Malard in particular has a couple of good chances – Baggsy making two good saves from her; the second of which being a one-on-one that she did well to push wide. It wasn’t long until she’s beaten again, however – and in some style. A United corner is only half-cleared to the edge of the penalty area, Malard plays it to Naaslund on the left-side of the area, she cuts inside past a defender and absolutely wellies a shot across goal that flies past Baggsy and into the corner of the net. Brilliant goal – the shot was exactly what her earlier attempt wasn’t; powerful but with control.

Aside from Toone and Malard running the show for United up front, another forward who has impressed me has been Parris. She’s been a handful all game – really awkward for the defenders to deal with. She’s been constantly popping up in attacking space, running at – and beyond – defenders. I’ve only ever seen her play out wide (usually as an impact sub) for England, where she tends to drift in and out of games, with little space to play in. After watching her during this FA Cup run – and here today – she seems to be used more centrally by Marc Skinner; at different times she’s dropping deep, going wide or sprinting beyond defenders. Even I’m having trouble picking her up, so I can only imagine what the Brighton defence must feel like! Just to underline all this, she has a great chance late on; running towards the area with the ball before unleashing a strike that Baggsy does brilliantly to tip wide. Parris should have a couple of goals, Baggsy should be bagging player of the match for Brighton.

One aspect of the women’s game that has been praised in recent years, has been the lack of theatrics. There are some post-tackle afters when Garcia pushes Brighton defender, Jorelyn Carabali down on the ground – right in front of me too. But instead of rolling around or complaining to the ref, Carabali just got on with it. Fair play – maybe you can argue it was pointless to try anything while 4-0 down, but I’ve not seen any playacting at all during this FA Cup run, so I somehow doubt it would have happened even if the scores were closer. Now, I’m not saying it doesn’t happen in women’s football, just that it doesn’t happen anywhere near as much as in the men’s game. The reason for this can be put down to the one-hundred-and-fifty years of professionalism and big-money prestige that’s been attached to men’s competitions. Every game means something, so players will try anything to win and so this behaviour is engrained within professional men’s football – professional women’s football is still in its early developmental stage. Now, the question is, will theatrics start to appear more if/when the women’s game starts to bring in more money and prestige? Let’s see where we are in a decade or so…

The visitors see out the game comfortably, with Brighton unable to create much of note – United through to yet another semi-final. Can they make it two finals in a row? Their travelling supporters seem to think so – they’re singing about Wembley again as they receive applause from their team; scarves and signs being held aloft for them to see. I actually experienced all this first-hand, as I somehow got lost and ended up having to walk around the ground, in front of the away supporters and through a gate at the opposite end of the ground! No idea why I didn’t go back the way I came? I’m off back to London (via The Railway pub) to spend my life savings on a couple of pints before my overnight coach home. It is my birthday if I’ve not mentioned it. Got to make the most of it.

Brighton and Hove Albion 0

Manchester United 4
(Turner, 8. Parris, 17. Garcia, 45. Naalsund, 59)

Attendance: 3,701

Next round: Manchester United vs. Chelsea

Read More

Southampton FC Women vs. Manchester United Women - 2023-24 Women's FA Cup, Fifth Round

Sunday 11^th February 2024
Fifth Round
Southampton vs. Manchester United

That’ll teach me to be slightly smug about the locations of the previous rounds! The last one was a local bus ride away, this one is, a bit further afield, shall we say. With the quantity of teams being whittled down to smaller and smaller numbers as each round goes by, the likelihood of me following a team to somewhere far away was high. Nevertheless, it was still a sobering moment to learn I’ll be travelling to the south coast and Southampton, as the Women’s Championship side were drawn at home to Manchester United.

Well, the game will be taking place in Eastleigh, to be more precise – from Leigh to Eastleigh! Southampton Women divvy up games between St Mary’s, home of the men’s team and nearby Eastleigh (just under 5 miles away), home of the men’s National League side. Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to it, relishing the opportunity to experience a new environment – will the feeling of watching a women’s game be different in a completely different part of the country? Will the atmosphere be better in a tighter, smaller ground? Owing to the impracticality of travelling down on the Sunday (it was impossible on public transport, in fact), I went down on the Saturday and stayed in Southampton, enjoying some fine hostelries.

A glance at the history of the Women’s FA Cup will tell you that Southampton won the first edition and went on to appear in ten of the first eleven finals – but this isn’t the same club as the one we’re visiting today. Rather confusingly, Southampton Women’s FC – who still exist to this day, playing in the National League Division One South West (the fourth tier) – are a separate club from Southampton FC Women (the one we’re seeing today), and have never been affiliated with the men’s club. Formed in 1970, they won the competition eight times in that eleven-year run – intriguingly, the first three were against Scottish sides, two of whom became absorbed into Kilmarnock FC). Another club, Red Star Southampton, did link up with Southampton FC to become ‘Southampton Saints’ – even going on to reach the 1999 Women’s FA Cup Final, losing 2-0 to Arsenal. However, after financial issues surrounded Southampton FC and relegation from the Premier League was confirmed in 2005, Red Star/Saints were cast aside and continued as an independent women’s football club until 2019, when they folded due to declining player numbers and lack of financial support.

By 2015, the FA were starting to take women’s football more seriously, offering increased support and funding to clubs. After fostering a good reputation for producing young players, Southampton FC were granted an FA licence to create a Women and Girls Centre of Excellence, from which they formed several youth sides. It was these teams that formed the basis of the women’s club, which was introduced for the 2017-18 season and placed in the Hampshire Women’s League Division One, winning it in their first season. Despite being turned down for a place in the FA Women’s Championship (the second tier), a combination of circumstances saw them ‘promoted’ to the Southern Region Premier Division (fifth tier) for 2018-19. Helming the club at this point was former England international, Marieanne Spacey-Cale, who (to this day) holds a dual role as head of women’s and girls’ football and first team manager. Southampton won 18 out of 18 games that season, earning a promotion to the Women’s National League.

Their progress was halted somewhat by the Coronavirus pandemic – in both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, they sat atop of the National League Division One South West but both competitions were curtailed. Despite this, the club applied for a place in the National League Premier Division South for 2021-22 – and this time, their application for ‘promotion’ was granted. Elevation from the Women’s National League back then wasn’t as straightforward as just winning the league – split into North and South divisions, the league winners would face each other in a play-off final to determine who would take a place in the Championship. Losing just once in the league all season, Southampton won the division and faced North winners, Wolverhampton Wanderers, in the final. Over a thousand spectators attended the final, held at Edgley Park in Stockport, as a 21^st-minute strike from Sophia Pharaoh sent The Saints into the women’s second tier. The play-off has been scrapped from this season – so now both National League winners get automatic promotion – which is a bit unfortunate for Wolves, who went on to miss out on another National League North title (and play-off place) on goal difference, while they’re way off the automatic promotion pace set by our rampant friends from Newcastle this season. Just goes to show the final lines and windows of opportunity that exist in football.

Southampton have since been going steady in the Championship – following a mid-table finish of sixth
last season, they are currently sitting in fourth – just a handful of points away from more well-established clubs. Following promotion, they announced that they would turn professional and play all of their games at St Mary’s (with Eastleigh operating as a ‘backup ground’). With the structure of Southampton FC and a sizeable catchment area, clearly the support is there to develop a top-level women’s club here. While promotion to the WSL may not happen this season, it just seems a matter of when, not if, Southampton FC are same-league buddies as today’s visitors, Manchester United.

Eastleigh’s ground, Silverlake Stadium, is only a short hop from Southampton – in fact, it’s closer to Southampton Airport than the centre of Eastleigh itself. So, after a luxurious McDonalds brunch in the city centre and a seven-minute train ride, I step out of Southampton Airport Parkway station in the crisp, early afternoon sun. The sky looks ideal to fly in too – the airport was developed from what was Eastleigh Aerodrome, with the site being famous for the first flight of the Spitfire. This was celebrated in 2005 as a poll amongst Eastleigh FC supporters resulted in them adopting ‘The Spitfires’ as a nickname and incorporating the famous fighter plane on their crest.

The walk to the stadium is around a mile and I’m not the only one doing it; several groups of people follow me along the same straight road before we cross into some dark woodland. Which sounds a bit weird, I grant you – naturally, being in the immediate area of the airport, there’s nothing else here but roads and parkland. Just before we get to the creepy woods though, a chap in a Southampton shirt asks me if ‘this is the way to the football ground?’, ‘Yes’, I answer, with all the confidence of someone who’s a regular visitor here – what would we do without Google Maps in this timeline?

The ground, which has been historically called ‘Ten Acres’ (with Silverlake being a sponsored name), was opened in 1957 and has gone under a vast number of renovations to bring it up to what I would guess, is League Two standard at least. Many of these changes have happened within the last 15 years, with two new stands being built from scratch, with other developments occurring on three sides of the stadium. While the other stands are a mixture of covered seating and terracing, the focal point is the West Stand, which dominates the rest of the ground. With a capacity of over a thousand, the eight-rowed stand looms up, rather than across, the west side of the ground – very reminiscent of stadiums of the past, where a grandstand would hang over a track of terracing underneath. So, there’s still an ‘old-fashioned’ look to everything, despite it being renovated relevantly recently.

I’ve pre-booked a ticket for the West Stand – and it’s a good job I did. I see online that the game has been sold out, with no available tickets to buy on the gate. Due to my leisurely start to the day, I arrive later than planned, so when I arrive through the turnstile a couple of minutes before kick-off, I’m left, once again, searching for a seat – and there isn’t one. I never learn – I still think it’s the first qualifying round where I can just turn up and pick a spot. So, it’s standing room only on the west side of the ground and I have to find a spot by the side of the pitch. The crowd behind the hoardings is already two-people deep, but thankfully they’re dispersed by the stewards as they’re all stood in the ‘yellow area’ where people aren’t allowed to stand for safety reasons. Anticipating this, I hung behind, leaning against a wall, which was good enough for the stewards. So, while my stupidity/laziness/slight drunkenness prevented me from getting here early enough to grab a comfortable seat, I at least have a great view of the pitch, roughly on the halfway line.

Just as the teams emerge from the changing rooms, a brass band walks the length of the pitch, playing 'When The Saints Go Marching In' to inspire the crowd. They’re wearing red jackets with ‘Saints Brass’ on them, along with their own hashtag, #saintsbrass. With hashtags indicating internet savviness, I checked out their socials after the match, and I was met with a YouTube page with brass covers of popular songs. Here now, as they’re pumping away (is that the right term for playing brass?), I look up at the teams who are now lining up for the pre-match handshakes and see a rainbow behind them. What a beautiful image; the teams, walking alongside their young mascots, are shaking hands as a sign of respect with their opponents, a rainbow evoking peace and tranquillity shines above and a brass band is playing the soundtrack. It’s so picturesque, it almost made me forget about my lack of seat and slight hangover.

The lack of seating at least affords me a pitch-level view of the action, which is a nice change – they say that being up in a stand lends a better view of the play, but you get to feel more of a part of the action with this sort of view. Aside from seeing the players up close, you can hear the sounds much better too – the ping as balls are kicked, the crunch when tackles are made and the venom with which opposing players call each other ‘pricks’. As it happens, the first seven minutes are somewhat quiet – both sides just traded the ball for periods of possession, without doing much with it – then BANG, Ella Toone gets in on the action. Wearing their away colours of white (what with Southampton wearing red), United move the ball up towards the Southampton penalty area, it’s laid off to Toone 20 yards out and she takes a single touch before firing past the outstretched glove of Kayla Rendell, and into the corner of the net. A goal out of nowhere – but it gees up the sizeable United travelling support sitting in the stand opposite me, who sing about ‘going to Wembley’. Still a bit early, guys!

Standing a few yards away from me, shouting instructions at her players and donning a funky green hoodie, is Southampton head coach Marieanne Spacey-Cale. For those relatively new to women’s football, Spacey-Cale is a bit of legend – winning 94 caps for England and a domestic treble for Fulham one year, before going on to spend nearly a decade with the all-conquering Arsenal side of the 2000s. The former attacking midfielder has been a leading figure in women’s coaching ever since, holding various positions within the England set-up (at every age group, as well as a spell as senior team assistant manager under Mark Sampson), and at club level with Fulham, Arsenal and Charlton. It’s this vast experience that led Southampton to appoint her to not just to coach the first team, but also to help develop the club – which is now on the verge of breaking into the big time. It’s figures like her – ones who started their careers when there wasn’t much money (or indeed professionalism) in the women’s game who are invaluable to its ongoing development. Her experiences acting as a reminder of the resilience and determination required to overcome barriers and achieve greatness, hopefully inspiring the next generation of female players and coaches, taking the game to new heights. She also looks like she could beat me up, so I’ve got nothing but good things to say about her.

United seem happy to let Southampton have the ball – which probably suits both teams at the minute. With that early goal, keeping the ball is the home side’s best form defence, while for United, they can sit on their lead and simply look to spring counter-attacks. This almost paid dividends, as United break up a period of Southampton possession, move the ball to Nikita Parris inside the penalty area – she shoots towards the right-hand side, but the ball hits a defender’s leg before spinning to the left-hand side and hitting the post. Almost two – and it would have been if Leah Galton’s follow-up wasn’t blocked by some great defending. Just before half-time, captain Katie Zelem has an opportunity to double the score, but her free-kick from a central position, 20 yards out just goes wide of the right-hand post – Southampton not offering much to get the majority packed inside Silverlake excited.

Half-time and still a single goal separates the two sides, but people here seem to have enjoyed themselves; there’s a large number of children here, many of whom have been in good voice, chanting ‘Saints, Saints, Saints’ in an attempt to make something happen for their side. Just before the whistle was blown for half-time, I eavesdropped one lad (it wasn’t difficult, we’re all packed in here!), who was hatching a plan with his mate to wave at the players as they leave the field; where best to stand, etc. As the players were walking to the tunnel situated next to us, a few of these kids screamed MARRRRRY at Mary Earps – if you’ve seen the scene in I’m Alan Partridge with Alan shouting DAN (something I’ve personally become used to over the years on account of that being my name), it was just like that. I didn’t know whether to feel amused or frightened at the dedication to fandom these youngsters were displaying. However, it does give me the idea to brand this collective of Mary Earps fans as ‘The Earpsforce’ – partly inspired by the aeroplane association going on here at Eastleigh, but mostly because I’m a sad pun addict.

There aren’t many places for me to go at half-time – the queue for the burger stall is snaking up the front of the stand and with a decent spot to protect, I elect to stay where I am. Funnily enough, the record crowd here at Ten Acres/Silverlake was set last month, as Eastleigh hosted Newport County in the FA Cup. Today’s crowd, which would be announced as 4,554, is the fourth-largest ever attendance here, which is impressive. It did leave me wondering how many more they could have got into St Mary’s if the game was hosted there? Attendances for league games there have ranged between 1,800-3,000 and if they’re able to pack in an extra thousand here in Eastleigh for this big cup game, you’d imagine they would have at least trebled that increase at St Mary’s with the right incentives.

Then again, would it have been worth it? The extra numbers won’t make much of a difference to the club’s coffers; more ticket incentives will inevitably mean taking more hits on profit margins – then there’s the atmosphere to think about. It’s all well and good having a winning team but going to the football is about more than that – it’s a day out for people. Feeling involved in the action is very much the attraction for many supporters to keep attending matches and as silly as it might sound, there’s something about being packed in tightly together that makes for a better experience. You don’t have the ‘comfort’ of being able to lounge across multiple seats or feel able to turn and chat with your pals, you’re almost forced to watch the game and get involved in what’s happening on the pitch. Hence, the noise levels go up and the atmosphere becomes more supportive of the home team and (potentially) intimidating for the opposition. All this can do is heighten the enjoyment of the match. So, I can see it being a difficult decision for the club when choosing to host this in a big stadium or not – despite my situation, hunched up against a wall and bullied for space by children screaming MARY, I think they did make the right choice in hosting it here, judging by the atmosphere.

When the game resumes, United create two chances in quick succession through Parris – and in truth, they both should be goals. After making a good save while one-on-one with the 70-cap England forward, Rendell is grateful that Parris’ next shot is hit straight at her; cutting in from the right, with a deft touch creating the space beyond a defender, Parris can only find glove with a tame shot. United are moving Southampton around at will though, so it can only be a matter of time before they extend their lead, surely? Then something happened – something that so often happens in cup ties in the men’s game that I’m sure we’re all familiar with; the supposed ‘lesser’ team equalise and actually get on top of the play.

Moving up the right after breaking up a United attack, Southampton shift the ball out to Lexi Lloyd-Smith; she cuts inside, dummies and crosses the ball in – somehow, it avoids everyone, even the gloves of Earps to nestle into the far corner. The place goes up – man, woman and child on their feet, even the ones who were screaming for MARY earlier, now seemingly a fallen hero in their eyes. One woman standing next to me is bouncing up and down like Tigger – and I’m not being facetious here, it’s the most excited I’ve seen anyone during this FA Cup so far. It was the exact thing that this game needed – a goal for the home side to give everyone a lift. The supporters scream their side forward and they respond – a cross from the right again is headed towards goal but there’s no real power behind it and Earps collects. She’s called into action again not long later when Saints’ Katie Wilkinson does well to skip past a defender 25 yards out, shoots – and despite the ball taking a deflection off a defender, Earps is positioned well to collect again. United look shaken – they’ve been looking really comfortable until now, but one mistake and they’re fighting a rearguard action all of a sudden. Can Southampton continue forward and complete an upset?

Just as it looks like a shock is about to unfold in Eastleigh, United wrestle the game away from our plucky hosts. First, Leah Galton goes on a mazy run down the right, clips in a high ball and Rachel Williams climbs highest to head the ball down and in. The Saints supporters rally – their side have been on top for a good ten minutes and have come close to a goal on a couple of occasions, they’re still in this. Then, Katie Zelem whacks in a corner into the six-yard box and Williams gets in between two defenders to head the ball in. Or does she? Angry shouts resonate around me as everyone is convinced the ball didn’t cross the line – and so are the Southampton players, who surround the ref. She’s having none of it though and shoes everyone away.

Although it feels slightly harsh on Southampton – who have dominated the last twenty minutes – it just underlines the extra touch of quality that United have when they can be under pressure, yet still find two slightly scrappy goals (I think that’s fair to say? Sorry Rachel, if you’re reading!) to win the game. There were a couple of moments when the score was tied when Southampton could have nosed ahead – and then who knows if they could have held on? They even have a couple of chances towards the end of the game; left-back, Jemma Purfield, hits a fierce shot that Earps does brilliantly to tip away (if any blame was attached to her for letting the cross slip in earlier, she made up for it here). Then, Lucia Kendall latches onto a ball into the area from Megan Wynne, slips it under the onrushing Earps but it comes back off the post and agonisingly trickles past a Southampton player sliding in.

It ends 3-1 to United, but it’s been by far the most competitive game I’ve seen so far – which was always likely to be the case as we get to the latter rounds of this competition. Obviously, it’s hard to give an assessment based on a single match, but I would not be surprised if there wasn’t much of a quality gap between the first and second tiers of English women’s football. In recent history, sides promoted from the second tier have struggled – United being a relatively recent exception. But as more men’s clubs invest in women’s teams, pushing them towards professionalism, that gap is going to close – and as a professional side with a huge catchment area to draw upon, I don’t think it’ll be too long before we see Southampton and Manchester United competing in the Super League as equals.

I’ve really enjoyed my experience here – even it being standing room only and all – and it’s left me feeling even more optimistic about the growth of women’s football. I take my leave from the crowd of Saints’ supporters who push their way to the barrier by the side of the pitch to greet the players, and I’m left pondering my next trip on this run – who will United get next? Whoever they draw, I’ve got a 50/50 chance of them being at home again, which will be a welcome relief to my wallet, I must admit.

From Eastleigh to Leigh? Let’s go!

Southampton 1
(Lloyd-Smith, 65)

Manchester United 3
(Toone, 8. Williams, 74, 82)

Attendance: 4,554

Next round: Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Manchester United

Read More