Bradford City Women’s Football Club
vs Thackley LFC West Riding FA Cup R2 Sunday 18th November
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THECLUB
THEPROGRAMME 5
Chair Chatter: Chairwoman Sally Thackray gives her thoughts ahead of this afternoon’s game
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Match Preview: Everything you need to know about today’s fixture
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Reserves: The Bantams’ second string welcome Durham this afternoon
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Juniors: Qasim Akhtar takes a look at how our younger teams are doing so far this season
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Today’s Opposition: Looking at today’s opponents, Thackley LFC
THE HONOURS Yorkshire and Humberside League Champions: 1988/89 1995/96 Yorkshire Plate Runners-up: 1989 Yorkshire Cup Winners: 1996 Northern Division Champions: 1996/97 FA Cup Quarter Finals: 1998 Premier League Cup Semi Finalists: 1998 North East Premier League Champions: 2006/07 County Cup Champions: 2006, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
THE DETAILS First Team Home Venue: Eccleshill United, Kingsway, Bradford. BD2 1PN Training Venue/Reserves Home Venue: Rawdon Meadows, BD10 0NN Email: info@bradfordcitywomensfc.co.uk Website: www.bradfordcitywomensfc.co.uk Twitter: @bcwfc
Facebook: /bcwfc Instagram: @bcwfc
13-15The Origins of Womens’ Football in Bradford: The first part of John Dewhirst’s serialised article 16
20ish Questions: We get to know midfielder Maisie Norde
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Last time out: Read up on the Bantams’ last outing as they travelled to Doncaster Rovers Belles
THE ISSUE
Editor: Matthew Kermode
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We ari ng
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Chair Chatter: Sally Thackray ahead of today’s game Good afternoon to everyone for this afternoon’s West Riding Women's County Cup fixture against Thackley Ladies FC. A warm welcome to all players, club officials and spectators who have made the very short journey from Thackley for today’s match. This week brings a rest from the rigours of the League, and allows us to focus on the County Cup. This is a competition that we have been very successful with in the past, and it will be an interesting fixture today against our local opponents from Thackley. I know all our players will be doing their best to come out on top today. Elsewhere today our Reserve Team are due to meet Durham Reserves at Rawdon Meadows, we wish them luck as they strive for a good performance today. Off the field I am happy to report that Bingley Bantams have agreed to help towards the cost of sponsoring a player this season, and last week several of the Committee attended a meeting of the newly formed North Bradford Bantams Association, who are also interested in helping to support us. Also I have been meeting with Mick Shackleton from Bradford City FC , and we are continuing to look at ways we can work together to our mutual benefit. Get behind the girls today, they need your support. Sally
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Match Preview: Bradford City vs Thackley LFC Bradford City WFC will be hoping that this weekend’s West Riding County Cup game against neighbours Thackley will give them a much-needed upturn in fortune and a break from their disappointing league season.
Sunday’s game will be a chance to switch off from the league, and concentrate on regaining the trophy that they lost to Guiseley in last season’s final.
City ran out 4-1 winners at Farsley Celtic in The Bantams sit bottom of the FAWNL the previous round, thanks to a 30 minute Northern Premier Division, six points below hat-trick from Murphy and a second half Doncaster Rovers Belles, who they crashed bullet from long-range specialist Jess Dunlop. to a 5-1 defeat to last weekend. They’ll be hoping for more of the same against a Thackley side who currently sit City saw themselves a goal down after 15 second in the West Riding County WFL minutes, but pulled back an equaliser Division One and enjoyed a 7-0 win against through Shirley Murphy. The Belles netted a bottom side Skipton Town last Sunday. second just before half time, but a disastrous 15 second half minutes saw the hosts rattle The two teams met in the same competition in three goals as City switched off to put the last season, with the Bantams winning 15-0. game beyond any doubt. However, this season’s squad looks very different, with only Bryony Hanson and Zoe Roberts still at the club from the starting line-up that day. City captain Harriet Jakeman is aware that this weekend’s game is an opportunity for her young players to turn their attention away from the troubles of their league form. She said “Sunday is a game for us to focus on building some confidence in the team again, and try some new tactics. It’s time to start having fun playing again”.
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Reserves: Coach Jamie Grand reviews the season so far
Despite a stop-start campaign so far for the Bantams Development Squad, there is still reason to be positive. “We have a number of talented young players who are eager to develop their experience in senior football,” remarks manager Jamie Grand “They have conducted themselves brilliantly against high quality opposition and show tremendous spirit in the face of challenges.”
This Sunday sees the Development Squad entertain the youngsters from Championship Club Durham Women FC. The game takes place at Rawdon Meadows, Apperley Bridge and kicks off at 2pm.
Reflecting on the season so far: “We’ve had significant challenges across our playing staff this season, with injuries and illness leading to real selection problems. We finally appear to be over the worst of this now and are completely focussed on working towards our goals on the pitch.”
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Juniors: Qasim Akhtar looks as the season so far Our junior set up is continuously improving and it is no surprise that all our teams recently progressed through into the next round of the West Riding Girls Cup. Our brand new U10’s is going from strength to strength every week under the fantastic guidance and coaching of Anthony and Kayley. Going into their third season of competitive football, our excellent U11’s are competing in the local Craven mixed league; where they play against some of the most talented boys and girls from the North/West Yorkshire area. Our final team to make up the foundation phase of our club is the U12’s- being led by one of our new coaches, Marcus- are enjoying their second season in the West Riding Girls league. Making up our Youth Development Phase are our ever improving U13’s to U16’s. The clear club philosophy is ever present with the players from these age groups, with many players stepping up an age group or two to compete. Improving the individual player and preparing them for first team football is the priority at Bradford City Girls, which is why we place so much value on the individual development of players. Our Under 18’s have enjoyed a positive start to their season in the West Riding Girls League. However, more impressively, we have had an impressive 10 U18’s stepping up to
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senior football this season; both for the Reserves and the First Team. The clear pathway from U10’s to the First Team is one we are very proud of as a club and we aim to provide as many girls with the opportunity of creating a career at Bradford City Girls as possible! Finally, we would like to say a massive thank you to our sponsors for the 2018/19 season. The financial support they provide us goes a long way in ensuring the sustainability of our club!
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Today’s opposition: Thackley LFC Thackley Ladies FC were formed in 2017 as part of the already established Thackley FC. The Dennygirls, as they are known, are managed by Michelle Woollias, who was the driving force behind forming the team. She wanted to give players from the Thackley Junior sides a route to progress to open age football within their current club. They currently sit second in the West Riding County WFL First Division, and enjoyed a 7-0 win against bottom side Skipton Town last weekend.
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Feature: The Origins of Womens’ Football in Bradford John Dewhirst is the author of a number of books about Bradford City. In this recent piece he has kindly given us permission to reproduce, explores the history of womens’ football in Bradford. This feature examines the origins of women’s football in Bradford and considers the impact of the Football Association’s ban on women’s football in 1921 on the subsequent development of the game in the district. Case studies of the early Bradford experience provide an illustration of the prejudices about women’s football. The ban on women’s football
The advances of women’s football in the last few years and the growth in its profile make it seem all the more incredible that between 1921-71 the Football Association enforced a ban on women’s football being staged on any of the grounds of its member clubs, whether Football League stadia or amateur pitches.
having been the second largest ever recorded for any association game in England. The Dick, Kerr team, comprising employees of the Dick, Kerr munitions factory in Preston had been formed in 1917 and during World War One had played games to raise money for soldiers’ charities. It was not unique and other teams were formed by female munitions workers. In 1917, fourteen women’s teams entered the new Munitionettes Cup competition which was probably the first to cater solely for women’s football.
After the war Dick, Kerr Ladies had continued to participate in exhibition games across the north of England, including Bradford, with the matches promoted to raise funds for charity – for example, for the benefit of injured exservicemen or hospital funds. The emergence The ban in December, 1921 came just at the in 1921 of the Manningham Mills Ladies team, time when certain women’s sides – most followed shortly after by Hey’s Ladies, suggest notably Dick, Kerr Ladies had demonstrated a that Dick, Kerr Ladies inspired the formation capability to attract huge crowds. The best of other works-based teams. Of itself it was example of this had been on Boxing Day, 1920 unique within British football that a works when a reported crowd of 53,000 had side should achieve such prominence. attended Goodison Park (and a further 14,000 were locked out) for a game involving the (It should be highlighted that Dick, Kerr also Dick, Kerr team against St Helens Ladies that organised a women’s hockey team around this raised £3,115 for charities. The scale of the time and the encouragement of sport in this crowd is all the more remarkable for then way needs to be considered in the context of Cont’d over WR FA CUP R2 | BRADFORD CITY VS THACKLEY LFC | 13
Feature: The Origins of Womens’ Football in Bradford employer paternalism. Similarly, Manningham my belief is that what prompted the ban on Mills and Hey’s Brewery fostered women’s the women’s game was concern that the cricket teams.) integrity of the (men’s) game might be undermined if football became known equally The Dick, Kerr Ladies team was also relatively for showground spectacle (by women) rather unique in so far as its games were exhibition than just competitive contest (by men). The matches – rather than league or cup games – fact that outside commercial interests stood against other women’s sides and in this regard to benefit was another factor in this. The it had more in common with such as the Football Association considered itself Corinthians who arranged ad hoc fixtures with responsible for upholding the self-respect and men’s teams (both professional and amateur). standards of the game and it was a legitimate At the time there was no national league or worry that the sport could be de-valued in cup competition for women’s football and some way. Take for example the popular thus Dick, Kerr Ladies organised games by opposition that has arisen in the modern era invitation. Presumably Dick, Kerr Ladies were when American promoters have suggested similarly no different to the Corinthians in changes to the ‘rules of soccer’ for the avoiding fixtures where costs could not be principal purpose of making it more of a recovered. spectacle. That is not to condone the FA’s ban Dick, Kerr's Ladies as opposed to try and understand how it could have come about. Yet why could the Football Association have been so bothered about the rise of women’s football? Casting aside any aspersions about members of the FA’s leadership committees,
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The ostensible reason for the Football Association ban was that although games were advertised as charity fund-raising, it was claimed (following specific incidents in Plymouth and Dundee) that not all the proceeds were applied for that purpose. The inference was that individuals could be making private gain and the FA was known to be sensitive to the spectre of financial irregularity in the game,
Feature: The Origins of Womens’ Football in Bradford irrespective of male or female participants. Discomfort may have also been caused by the fact that the Dick, Kerr side was openly linked to the Preston firm of the same name (later known as English Electric) which would have derived commercial benefit from the publicity. The Dick, Kerr Ladies side can be further credited with pioneering floodlit football and in December, 1920 staged a game under floodlights at Deepdale, Preston in front of a 10,000 crowd. (The fact that the Dick, Kerr Ladies enjoyed the advantage of the parent firm possessing core skills in electrical engineering was yet another illustration of the benefit accruing from linkage with a sponsor.) The Football Association thus faced a potential threat that the game might become hijacked by outside commercial interests who were not financially accountable. It seems likely that the Football Association perceived the phenomenon of women’s football as a material threat. There is a strong case that the ban arose because the FA was concerned that curiosity for, and the distraction of, women’s football might undermine the men’s game. A headline theme was the scale of public interest with attendances at games involving Dick, Kerr Ladies being typically in excess of those of third division clubs in the Football League. During the calendar year of 1921 the side played as many as 67 games with aggregate attendances of around 900,000 – an average of just over 13,000 which was impressive by second division standards.
However, that the Football Association justified its ban by claiming football was not suited to the physiology of women makes it difficult to avoid the accusation of misogyny. The fact that it came so soon after women had been given the vote in 1918 and the passing of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act of 1919 (which had ended legal discrimination against women) implies a revanchist agenda on the part of the Football Association. From today’s standards the decision is difficult to believe as well as indefensible. Although a number of prominent male players expressed disapproval about the ban, the Football Association action in 1921 did not prompt political uproar or widespread opposition in the country at large. In other words, at the time it was not considered particularly controversial. How then can the action of the FA be explained? Examples of the early experience of women’s football in Bradford may offer some clues about the social and cultural perspectives that existed a hundred years ago.
Part 2 will be in our next home programme WR FA CUP R2 | BRADFORD CITY VS THACKLEY LFC| 15
20ish Questions: With Maisie Norde About you… Name Maisie Norde Age 17 Position Centre midfield Team supported Bradford City Favourite player growing up Steven Gerrard First ever football match Liverpool vs Dortmund
Your game… Most anticipated game of the season vs Doncaster Belles Pre-match routine Get up and go!! Shirt number Number 4 Best goal Van Persie, the Flying Dutchman Favourite game you played in Pre-season vs Manchester Utd WFC XI Most embarrassing football memory Skying a penalty in a cup final One rule you’d like to see changed No offsides for BCWFC!! Your club… Best & worst trainers Best is Aimee, worst is definitely Rhianna Toughest player Rosie Gill
Most skillful player Smurf Biggest joker Harriet Who’s in charge of the team playlist and who shouldn’t be? Harriet definitely shouldn’t be! Questions from the fans… Who’s the best player you’ve ever played alongside? (From Amy Louise Dubber) Either Demrae Wisher or Harriet Jakeman, both clinical and massively talented Do you have a pair of lucky boots? (From Bethany Kermode) No, if I did they’d stink, I play so often Who would you like to share a lift with? (From Paul Rogers) Kate, her car is so nice, hope her songs are ok too. And finally… Who should we speak to next? Jen Clark
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Last time out: Doncaster Rovers Belles vs BCWFC
Bradford City’s hopes of avoiding relegation were dealt a massive hammer blow on Sunday as they crashed to a 5-1 defeat away at Doncaster Rovers Belles. Going into the weekends’ games, Belles sat one place and three points above the Bantams, who were looking for a strong performance to close down their nearest rivals. City started strongly but were pegged back by a 15th minute goal from the hosts. Shirley Murphy equalised for City a couple of minutes later and the game remained in the balance until Belles regained the lead in the 36th minute. The Bantams came out for the second half looking for an immediate response, but instead the hosts ran away with the game with three further unanswered goals. 18 | WR FA CUP R2 | BRADFORD CITY VS THACKLEY LFC
Coach Toni Butcher admitted her side switched off and were caught cold. She said: “Our first half performance finally started to match how we have been wanting to play; however a lapse in concentration in the second half saw us concede three in 15 minutes. Onwards and upwards for city after yesterday’s defeat to Doncaster belles, we have another week on the training field to work hard and try and put it right for this weekend’s cup tie.”
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NEXT FIXTURE FA WOMEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE Fylde LFC vs Bradford City WFC Sunday 25 November 2018 Mill Farm Stadium, Kick-off 2pm WR FA CUP R2 | BRADFORD CITY VS THACKLEY LFC | 19
TODAY’S SQUAD Vs. Thackley LFC Sunday 18 November 2018 Kick-off 2pm
Jade Brindle
Maisie Norde
Jenny Clark
Lucy Preston
Mollie Cliffe
Demi Pringle
Jess Dunlop
Zoe Roberts
Rosie Gill
Aimee Routledge
Bryony Hanson
Charlotte Sales
Robyn Harris
Hannah Shuttleworth
Kayley Hird
Falone Sumaili
Harriet Jakeman
Olivia Taylor
Keegan Lambert
Rachel Terry
Emily McNulty
Phoebe Tomlin
Sophie Moulden
Sian Wilson
Shirley Murphy
Rhianna Wright
MANAGERS Meg Lawson & Toni Butcher