It’s been a tough week or so if you’re a fan of Manchester City, but on Friday I visited a 90+ year old woman who reminded me of the joy and the positives football can bring. She was one of the legendary Manchester Corinthians who I’ve been keeping in regular contact with since the Blue Plaque campaign. As always she talked so positively and enthusiastically about football; about the day she opened the door to Bert Trautmann; about her team mates playing when women were ‘banned’ from playing football; and how excited and pleased she was with the Corinthians’ reunion we organised two years ago and the other activities. It was a hugely positive experience.
I think the thing that struck me was how she still saw the passion and fun the game could bring, even though women’s football had been banned on FA grounds (almost every football pitch you can think of) and those involved with FA affiliated clubs were banned from assisting women’s teams too (though some, like Trautmann, felt happy to make a stand for a while). Imagine the ban existing throughout your career. It seems ridiculous and yet that’s what happened with the Corinthian I was with on Friday. She played for the club for over a decade and the ban was in place for ALL of her playing career.
It was also a nice reminder that football’s authorities get things wrong and the media can support that idea too! Many in the media certainly backed the FA’s ban at key moments when pressure may have helped change the situation and allowed women to play on an equal basis to men.
The Corinthian I caught up with on Friday was quoted in the first edition of my Corinthians’ book of course, and those views remain in the second. Friday’s visit was a social call. It was wonderful and I hope all feel that positive about football if I’m lucky enough to reach a similar age.
You can find out more about the Corinthians book here:
You can see film from the Corinthians’ reunion here:
