My research into women’s football in Manchester continues to try and find teams, clubs and women who played football at some point in the region’s history. People often narrow down Manchester’s women’s football history into one or two clubs and that’s unfair on the thousands of women who played football in the conurbation from the 1800s through to today. Obviously, I’ve published books on the Manchester Corinthians and Manchester City and a booklet on the borough of Trafford, but these are really just representative of the depth of football being played and organised by women. In the fifties for example I’ve presented at conferences on multiple clubs that played regularly in the city. Elsewhere on this site you’ll also find Steve Bolton’s wonderful research into Manchester Ladies – a team that predated the Corinthians.
The Corinthians are remarkable and I’d urge everybody to read their story (get it from a library if you don’t fancy buying it) but so are all the others. At least one other Manchester women’s team toured Europe in the 1950s for example.
Which brings me on to this photo. It shows a team from Newton Heath around the First World War but notice who is also on the photograph… The great Billy Meredith (far right) who, at this time, was back with City coaching and playing. He was officially still a United player but had fallen out with them about payments he believed he was still owed from his benefit match. After the war he had to return to United as they held his contract but during the war he chose to play for City and also took time out to coach at least one women’s team.
I’d love to know more about this team from Newton Heath (and others in the region of course). I believe a Manchester City director was also the founder of the team but I don’t yet have absolute proof.
If you’re aware of women’s teams from the region prior to 1980 or know of women who played in the 1940s-1960s or for the Manchester Corinthians then please let me know. For the Corinthians I’m keen to develop my database of players with the aim of ensuring as many as I can identify are recorded. Thanks.
Gary James' Football Archive 