Doing anything next Wednesday (12 February)? I’ll be doing a free talk on the Manchester Corinthians at Tameside Local Studies and Archive Centre, Cotton Street East, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 7BY at 2pm. Anyone can attend but, the Tameside archive centre encourage attendees to book in advance by either emailing archives@tameside.gov.uk or calling 0161 342 4242. If people decide to attend on the day, that is absolutely fine of course.
Here’s the blurb about the event:
The pioneering Manchester Corinthians women’s football team was established during 1948-49. They toured the globe promoting the sport, Manchester and female endeavour at a time when women’s football was banned by the Football Association. Many Corinthians were from Tameside and several still live in the borough today.
Experiencing tours to Portugal, Germany, South America, North Africa, Italy, France and Spain during the 1950s to 1970s, the Corinthians also played a significant role in overturning the FA ban, establishing the Women’s FA and creating regular competition domestically and internationally.
Gary James will be discussing their history, talking of the challenges they faced and the club’s achievements during a 40+ year existence. In 2019 Gary established a campaign to erect permanent tributes to the players and his authorised history of the club was published in January 2025. He has been attending and researching women’s football since the 1980s.
Gary has captured the stories of women who played for the Corinthians throughout its history, including three women in their 90s who were there at the start in 1948-49. A couple of the Corinthians are anticipated to be present at the talk.
Copies of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History will be available on the day at a discounted price of £20 (RRP £25).
You can find out more on the Corinthians’ book here:
Gary James' Football Archive 