Category Archives: Women’s Football

Manchester City Women: The 1st Home WSL Win

A crowd of 947 attended the Mini-Com (as the regional athletics stadium next to the City Of Manchester Stadium was dubbed by City at the time), watching Manchester City win for the first time at home in the Women’s Super League on this day (21 May) in 2014. The game ended in a 2-0 win over Everton with the first goal being an own goal (25 minutes) and then Jill Scott added a second in the 46th minute. Photo is of Jill Scott kicking off at the club’s first home WSL game the previous month.

If you’re interested in the history of women’s football then you may be interested in my Authorised History of the Manchester Corinthians. You can get your name in the second edition if you subscribe to it here. All subscribers will get a copy of the second edition book (posted out before it appears in the shops) and your name will be included in a special roll of honour published within the book if ordered before publication:

UK ONLY – Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History (second edition)

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This is UK only at £19.95 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs. This revised and updated second edition will be a paperback edition and contain more pages than the first edition.

£19.95

Opportunities to buy multiple copies, sponsor the book or donate to ensure it’s published to the size and standard the women who played deserve exist. Please email Gary@GJFootballArchive.com for more information on those opportunities.

This book is a must for anyone interested in Manchester or women’s football and will consist of over 360 pages. It will be fully illustrated throughout and subscribers can order it now for £19.95 (including UK postage and packaging). All orders received before publication will have the purchaser’s name included within the special roll of honour at the back of the book. You can order the book for someone else – all details will be checked and confirmed before publication.

The book will be published this October (2026).

If you live outside the UK then please contact for details of additional postage costs.

You do not need to have a PayPal account to order – use the ‘Pay with PayPal’ button above and it will give you the option to pay by credit/debit card without creating a PayPal account.

Radio Interview re Manchester Corinthians

I meant to post this the other day. I was on Tameside Radio on Friday (15 May 2026) talking about the Manchester Corinthians and urging other Corinthians to come forward. You can listen here (select 15 May episode): https://www.notreallyheremedia.com/on-air/lewis-connell/ Thanks to Lewis and all at Tameside Radio for the ongoing support for the Corinthians and this 11 year long project.

Manchester City Women: The 1st WSL Goal and Win

A crowd of 829 attended Manchester City Women’s WSL game away against Arsenal on this day (18 May) in 2014. This was a historic day as City not only scored their first goal in the WSL but they also defeated Arsenal. The historic goal was scored by Toni Duggan in the 11th minute and the match ended 1-0. The photo is of Duggan (far right) with Neil Mather (the original manager of Manchester City’s women’s team when founded in 1988) and Debbie Darbyshire (who played in the club’s historic first game back in 1988).

If you’re interested in the history of women’s football then you may be interested in my Authorised History of the Manchester Corinthians. You can get your name in the second edition if you subscribe to it here. All subscribers will get a copy of the second edition book (posted out before it appears in the shops) and your name will be included in a special roll of honour published within the book if ordered before publication:

UK ONLY – Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History (second edition)

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This is UK only at £19.95 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs. This revised and updated second edition will be a paperback edition and contain more pages than the first edition.

£19.95

Opportunities to buy multiple copies, sponsor the book or donate to ensure it’s published to the size and standard the women who played deserve exist. Please email Gary@GJFootballArchive.com for more information on those opportunities.

This book is a must for anyone interested in Manchester or women’s football and will consist of over 360 pages. It will be fully illustrated throughout and subscribers can order it now for £19.95 (including UK postage and packaging). All orders received before publication will have the purchaser’s name included within the special roll of honour at the back of the book. You can order the book for someone else – all details will be checked and confirmed before publication.

The book will be published this October (2026).

If you live outside the UK then please contact for details of additional postage costs.

You do not need to have a PayPal account to order – use the ‘Pay with PayPal’ button above and it will give you the option to pay by credit/debit card without creating a PayPal account.

66 Years Ago Today The Manchester Corinthians Start Their South American Tour

On this day (11 May) in 1960 the Manchester Corinthians women’s team landed in New York at the start of their three month tour of South America (they started in New York and then flew south). As part of the decade+ long project into the club I’ve managed to identify all 29 women who participated for the tour (see below). The stories of many of these appear in Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History and I’ve been privileged to into so many Corinthians from this era. Only yesterday I was with one of them (she’s almost 92) as we chatted again about her life.

The players who went to South America are (with the ones I interviewed for the first edition of the book in bold). If you went on the tour or a member of your family did then please let me know. I’m still keen to capture more stories and don’t want to miss anybody out:

Alice Sharples
Andrea Allen
Anne Grimes
Anne Keane
Barbara Bottoms
Brenda Ward
Doris Ashley
Freda Ashton
Gillian Holland
Jean Turner
Josephine Hilldrup
Josephine Hankinson
Lesley Howard
Margaret ‘Bunty’ Hilton
Margaret Whitworth
Margaret Griffiths
Margaret Turner
Margaret Wilde
Marion Matley
Marlene Goddard
Mary Bee
Mavis Cooke
Molly Edwards
Norma Dobson
Pauline Fairweather
Pauline Hulme
Sheila Isherwood
Sheila Smith
Susan Whittaker
Teresa Comer

The trip was wonderful for the Corinthians with lots of new experiences. A chapter in the book covers the stories of many of the women who attended. I’m currently revising/updating it and the second edition of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History will be published this year.

As with the first edition this book will be non-profit. Also, anyone ordering a copy now will get their name published in the book as a supporter of the project. Copies can be ordered now (see below). This promises to build further on the original book, viewed as a landmark publication. Income from the book will continue to be used to promote these remarkable women; stage events for them and capture their stories for posterity. Over fifty Corinthians were interviewed for the first edition and others have been found and interviewed for this updated version. This includes additional Corinthians from the 1940s, adding to the three founding Corinthians interviewed for the first edition. Their voices are so important to the story of this remarkable club.

I’m determined to ensure all Corinthians are remembered so please also get in touch if you’re a Corinthian who may have slipped through the net somehow.

Order before 1 July 2026 and you will get your name published within a special roll of honour within the book and it will be sent out to all subscribers on publication at the start of October 2026. This will be before it appears in any shop. Sadly, due to postage costs the book can only be posted to UK addresses. You do not need to have a PayPal account to order – use the ‘Pay with PayPal’ button below and it will give you the option to pay by credit/debit card without creating a PayPal account.

UK ONLY – one copy of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History 2nd edition (paperback)

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This is for one paperback book at £19.95 ()incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£19.95

Opportunities to buy multiple copies, sponsor the book or donate exist too. Please email Gary@GJFootballArchive.com for more information on those opportunities. For those wishing to order ten copies then a special panel will be included within the book thanking you for supporting the Corinthians’ project & book, plus you’ll get ten copies for the discounted total of £150 (including UK deliver).

UK ONLY – Ten copies of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History 2nd edition (paperback)

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This is for ten paperback books at £150 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£150.00

Note: the cover is currently being redesigned and is likely to be different to the ones shown here.

For more on the Corinthians see:

One Year On: The Manchester Corinthians Reunion

Congratulations Manchester City on Winning the WSL Tonight

Congratulations City on winning the WSL for the second time. Arsenal’s draw away to Brighton was enough to guarantee City the title without playing tonight. Great work this season Blues.

Manchester Corinthians, Droylsden Ladies & Benfica Ladies

I had an enjoyable afternoon today talking to a Ladies Guild meeting in Audenshaw about women’s football history. I focused on the Corinthians but spent quite a bit of time explaining about a couple of Tameside clubs (Droylsden & Benfica) from the 1950s. Like the Corinthians one of these toured overseas in the 1950s and I have interviews from women who played for that club too (in addition to the 50+ Corinthians I’ve interviewed and the dozens of others who have played for clubs across Greater Manchester). It was wonderful to share these stories with a group of women who were keen to hear all about them. The talk had been set up some time ago after a similar event in Droylsden almost two years ago.

Thanks to all the women who attended and asked such wonderful questions too. Obviously, we discussed the recognition the Corinthians have received from Manchester and the footballing authorities (the Blue Plaque for example). I was also asked about the book and was delighted to highlight that a revised and updated edition of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History will be published this year.

As with the first edition this book will be non-profit. Also, anyone ordering a copy now will get their name published in the book as a supporter of the project. Copies can be ordered now (see below). This promises to build further on the original book, viewed as a landmark publication. Income from the book will continue to be used to promote these remarkable women; stage events for them and capture their stories for posterity. Over fifty Corinthians were interviewed for the first edition and others have been found and interviewed for this updated version. This includes additional Corinthians from the 1940s, adding to the three founding Corinthians interviewed for the first edition. Their voices are so important to the story of this remarkable club.

I’m determined to ensure all Corinthians are remembered so please also get in touch if you’re a Corinthian who may have slipped through the net somehow.

Order before 1 July 2026 and you will get your name published within a special roll of honour within the book and it will be sent out to all subscribers on publication at the start of October 2026. This will be before it appears in any shop. Sadly, due to postage costs the book can only be posted to UK addresses. You do not need to have a PayPal account to order – use the ‘Pay with PayPal’ button below and it will give you the option to pay by credit/debit card without creating a PayPal account.

UK ONLY – one copy of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History 2nd edition (paperback)

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This is for one paperback book at £19.95 ()incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£19.95

Opportunities to buy multiple copies, sponsor the book or donate exist too. Please email Gary@GJFootballArchive.com for more information on those opportunities. For those wishing to order ten copies then a special panel will be included within the book thanking you for supporting the Corinthians’ project & book, plus you’ll get ten copies for the discounted total of £150 (including UK deliver).

UK ONLY – Ten copies of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History 2nd edition (paperback)

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This is for ten paperback books at £150 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£150.00

Note: the cover is currently being redesigned and is likely to be different to the ones shown here.

For more on the Corinthians see:

One Year On: The Manchester Corinthians Reunion

Talksport Interview Tonight

If all goes to plan I’ll be on Talksport Radio with broadcaster Paul Ross tonight around 2am (5 May) chatting about the legendary Manchester City ‘keeper Bert Trautmann. We’ve recorded it now and I really enjoyed it. I met and chatted with Trautmann quite a few times over the years and it was great discussing him on national radio. I even managed to get mentions in there of the Corinthians.

If you subscribe to my site and want to know more about Trautmann then read on. This is a small article about him that looks back to a day when I visited his birth place and first football club. It also talks of his involvement with the Manchester Corinthians women’s football team.

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The Corinthians at United-City

A year ago today (4 May 2025) we managed to take a small group of Manchester Corinthians to the WSL Manchester Derby at Old Trafford as guests of United. They were taken pitchside and also had seats in the Directors Box. Players from the 50s to 90s were there, such as Linda Hallam, who scored the only goal against Juventus when the team won a major tournament in 1970. Margaret Whitworth, who participated in the tour of South America was also one of our party. Others, like Wendy Crossland, had been significant players during the club’s first league successes – back when the Corinthians became champions of the highest league available to them. Here are a few photos from the day, plus images of the match programme article I wrote for United. It talks about the full history of the club of course and mentions Maureen Charlton, one of three original players in 1948 (yes, 1948 not 1949 as is often claimed), who I interviewed for the book:

You can discover more on the Corinthians’ history (the facts not the fiction!) in my new book. Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History. It is a must for anyone interested in Manchester or women’s football and consists of over 350 pages. It is illustrated throughout and you can find out more here:

Manchester Corinthians The Authorised History Revised and Updated: Subscribe Now

Manchester Corinthian Ladies FC Recognition @ The Women’s Football Awards 2026

I’m absolutely delighted to say the the incredible Manchester Corinthians will be honoured with recognition at the Women’s Football Awards on Thursday 7 May 2026. This is wonderful news and follows a special recognition award at the Manchester Sports Awards 2025, a lifetime achievement award at the North West Football Awards 2024 and even the Blue Plaque appeal was shortlisted at the This Is Manchester Awards 2024.

All of these awards help to ensure the Corinthians’ legacy will never be forgotten. The Women’s Football Award is special as it’s really important to remember the women who were there at the start of the club (including three special women who helped establish the club), those who played and those Corinthian women who played their part in the establishment of the Women’s FA, regional competition and also the establishment of the England Women international team. There are still Corinthians today contributing to coaching women and girls and also playing walking football. All deserve remembering and celebrating.

Former Manchester City and England footballer Toni Duggan (photographed below with Debbie Darbyshire and Kate Themen, two players with Manchester City at that club’s formation in 1988) recognises the significance of these women: ‘As an England women national football team player, you know you’re part of something bigger. But this wouldn’t have been possible for me or any of my former teammates without the likes of Manchester Corinthians. They are the reason that we are here today. Their courage and love for the beautiful game has paved the way for generations of players like me – it is an honour to see their story celebrated.’

A year ago this week several Corinthians were guests of Liverpool FC for a wonderful day (see images below) when they met the Liverpool women’s team and watched training. The former Liverpool FC men’s team player Jamie Carragher has commented this week: ‘The Women’s Football Awards will be celebrating a group of fearless pioneers who refused to accept the limits placed upon them. The Manchester Corinthians didn’t just play football – they changed it forever. Their legacy is present in every girl and woman who plays football today.

The Corinthians are wonderful people who toured the globe promoting Manchester, football and female endeavour over a forty year period.

In 2024 around ninety former players/families of former players were brought together for a reunion at the Etihad Stadium. You can find out more about the Corinthians and watch moments from their reunion, when they sang their club song, here:

A Wonderful Celebration

Congratulations to all the Corinthians and thanks to the Women’s Football Awards for this latest recognition.

If you want to find out more about these remarkable women then there are lots of articles on this website mentioning the Corinthians. Here’s a link to everything tagged Manchester Corinthians:

https://gjfootballarchive.com/category/manchester-corinthians/

The Corinthians at Liverpool

A year ago today (29 April 2025) Liverpool FC welcomed myself & several Manchester Corinthians to their women’s training facility at Melwood. The women who played for the Corinthians during the 50s-80s met the then current first team WSL squad of Liverpool; had a tour of the facilities; signed autographs (LFC wanted the Corinthians’ autographs and vice versa); and were given a wonderful lunch. I cannot stress highly enough how incredible the welcome was from LFC – all at LFC, not simply one or two people but everybody from security though to every area of the club.

The oldest Corinthian able to attend was 90 year old Centre-forward Mary Bee. Mary, along with Margaret Whitworth and Gill Holland who were also there, participated in a major international tournament in Venezuela in 1960 which the Corinthians won. She also played in the 1957 European Cup victory over Germany in Berlin (the Corinthians played as an unofficial England team). Others present today included players who had defeated Juventus in a major final in France in 1970.

Thank you Liverpool! It really was appreciated. Some photographs from the visit appear at the end of this article.

You can discover more on the Corinthians’ history (the facts not the fiction!) in my new book. Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History. The updated second edition will be available in October this year but if you order it before publication you can get your name published in a special roll of honour at the back of the book. This book is a must for anyone interested in Manchester or women’s football and consists of over 360 pages.

The book will be sent out to all subscribers on publication at the start of October 2026. This will be before it appears in any shop. Sadly, due to postage costs the book can only be posted to UK addresses. You do not need to have a PayPal account to order – use the ‘Pay with PayPal’ button below and it will give you the option to pay by credit/debit card without creating a PayPal account.

UK ONLY – one copy of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History 2nd edition (paperback)

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This is for one paperback book at £19.95 ()incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£19.95

Opportunities to buy multiple copies, sponsor the book or donate exist too. Please email Gary@GJFootballArchive.com for more information on those opportunities. For those wishing to order ten copies then a special panel will be included within the book thanking you for supporting the Corinthians’ project & book, plus you’ll get ten copies for the discounted total of £150 (including UK deliver).

UK ONLY – Ten copies of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History 2nd edition (paperback)

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This is for ten paperback books at £150 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£150.00

Note: the cover is currently being redesigned and is likely to be different to the ones shown here.

If you’re wondering why the Corinthians are so important to football’s history you can also watch this free 18 minute film (including interviews with some of those at LFC today) now. You won’t be disappointed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=AWsGr3G_izE

Some photos from last year’s visit: