This video clip is well worth watching. It’s 92 year old Flo, who was one of over fifty Manchester Corinthians I interviewed for the Authorised History. I absolutely loved seeing this and I’m sure you will too. She’s a true star and pioneer of women’s football, working hard to promote the stories of the Corinthians herself. She’s now living in the States and made the news over there for her dedication to football and for being one of the original Manchester Corinthians. My wife & I have kept in touch with Flo for the last few years since we first chatted. I interviewed her about her time at the club a couple of years ago. She’s one of three originals interviewed for the first edition of the book. Others claimed that no one before about 1953 was around, but there are quite a few sprightly 90+ year olds interviewed for the book who can talk about playing football in the 1940s and early 1950s. Anyway, you can see for yourselves that Flo’s passion for football remains (as does her Manchester accent). She’s an inspiration. Here’s the video:
Flo’s story is one of over fifty included within the book and this October an updated second edition will be available. If you order before the end of August you can get your name printed in it. For details see:
I’m delighted to say that a revised and updated edition of Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History will be published this year with those ordering before the end of August getting the chance to have their name published in the book. 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 31 August 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.
I”m absolutely delighted that my book ‘Manchester Corinthians The Authorised History’ has been long listed for the Lord Aberdare Prize at the British Society of Sports History, alongside several prominent historians of sport and serious researchers/writers. It’s an incredible field and I’m particularly pleased with these words from the judges (see image).
Thanks to everyone involved in the process and thanks to all those Corinthians who, over the last 11 years or so, have allowed me to research, write and promote their story. Over 50 were interviewed for the book. An updated version will be out in October but it can be ordered now AND anyone who orders it before the end of August will get their name printed in the book. Details here:
I had a nice reminder this morning that a year ago (Saturday 2 August 2025) we managed to stage another wonderful free event celebrating the pioneering Manchester Corinthians women’s team. This included a film show, talk and (most importantly) interviews with 6 Corinthians covering every era of the club’s existence. There were other Corinthians in the audience plus Wayne Murray (representing his mum and auntie – Elaine & Shirley Orange), Issy Pollard (Doncaster Belles & England) and Dennis Tueart (Manchester City, Sunderland and England).
Keeping to the best traditions of the Corinthians this free event also raised funds for the Hebden Bridge Women’s walking football team – several players were in attendance wearing their football shirts too.
Hebden Bridge was important to some of the promotion of the Corinthians’ stories. It was here in 2021 that I first publicly announced the idea of erecting a blue plaque. That was at an earlier free event and the 2025 free event at the Hebden Bridge Picture House completed the journey to some extent. Thanks to the cinema for all their support too.
The film shown was by Imprint and one of the people behind it, John Tueart, was also present. Imprint have made their film free to download too so please watch the following and share the link widely ( let’s get everybody talking about the Corinthians). Here’s the link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AWsGr3G_izE
Thanks again to all who attended, especially those who donated money for the local walking football team and those who bought the book (£5 from every book sold also went to the local team). Please keep spreading the word. Here are a few photos from the event:
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.
If you’re interested in women’s football or in football in Trafford or Manchester here are some video interviews we did as part of the work on the #WEuro2022 Heritage Lottery funded project for Trafford. These interviews are with women who played for Manchester Corinthians, Manchester City, Manchester United, FC Redstar, & Macclesfield:
Also, here’s my talk explaining about the history of women’s football:
This talk on the history of women’s football was staged at the National Football Museum on 1st July as part of my work on a consultancy basis with Trafford local archives. The talk lasts about 47 mins. Enjoy!
The Trafford Archive website I mention during my talk is available here:
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.
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.
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.
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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