Category Archives: Manchester Corinthians

Plaque Unveiling Now!

PIONEERING WOMEN’S FOOTBALL TEAM TO BE RECOGNISED WITH A BLUE PLAQUE

  • Manchester Corinthian Ladies Football Club to be recognised with a blue plaque
  • Unveiling will take place at Fog Lane Park, Didsbury, their home for over 20 years from formation in 1949
  • The plaque, two murals of the team and other tributes will be unveiled at the park on Friday 6 October at noon
  • The plaque and murals were funded by an appeal which included significant donations from the Football Association and Manchester City Council, alongside dozens of individual donations
  • Over 20 players, including a 92 year old who joined the team at formation, will be in attendance

A Blue plaque and other tributes to the pioneering women’s football team Manchester Corinthians will be unveiled on Friday 6 October at noon at the site of their formation, Fog Lane Park, Didsbury, Manchester. In attendance will be over 20 women who played for the club between 1949 and 1983 and representatives from the Football Association, Manchester Football Association, Manchester City Council, football fans, members of the public and former England international Kerry Davis.

One of the former players in attendance will be 92 year old, Dorothy Alcock, who first joined the team at formation in 1949. Others present on the day participated in trophy winning tours across Europe and South America during the fifties, sixties and seventies.

Dorothy Alcock, Manchester Corinthian from formation in 1949

The Corinthians raised significant amounts of money for charity during their existence while also promoting football and female endeavour at a time when participation in the sport was often frowned upon.

During the 1950s, playing as an unofficial England side, the Corinthians won a major European tournament in Germany and were supported on their travels by legendary Manchester City men’s goalkeeper Bert Trautmann.

In 1960 they found success in an unofficial ‘World Cup’ (officially the first ‘Torneo Internacional De Futbol Femenino’) in Venezuela as part of a significant tour of the West Indies and South America. Former player (outside right) Margaret Whitworth recalls: ‘We were treated like film stars. There were crowds everywhere we went. Playing in front of 56,000 was thrilling and the way women’s football was treated was so different to how it was back in England at the time. Here we had to play on park pitches or at other sports grounds, but there we played in major football stadiums.’

During the late 1960s the club’s management played a leading role in the creation of the Women’s Football Association. Both the Corinthians and their sister club the Nomads were founder members but their manager Gladys Aikin became a member of the governing body’s committee. By this time their determination was to see the growth of the game and lifting of all barriers.

The Corinthians continued to play and by the end of the 1970s they were frequently coached by the Manchester City 1956 FA Cup winner Dave Ewing at City’s Platt Lane training complex.

During the 1980s a ground move led to the club being renamed Woodley Ladies, and that club ceased to exist by the end of the decade. Many of the Corinthians from the late 1970s and 1980s became players with Manchester City’s women’s team during its inaugural season of 1988-89.

Today at least one former Corinthian, Lesley Wright, plays walking football at the highest level possible and continues to coach women’s football, continuing the Corinthian influence through to the modern day development of the sport.

The plaque and murals were funded by an appeal which included significant donations from the Football Association and Manchester City Council, alongside dozens of individual donations. The community group, the Friends of Fog Lane Park, have been instrumental in ensuring the Corinthians are remembered and that this aspect of the park’s life is properly recorded and acknowledged. The murals were designed and painted by artist Gavin Renshaw.

Manchester Corinthians mural by artist Gavin Renshaw
Washing in the duck pond, Manchester Corinthians by Artist Gavin Renshaw

About Manchester Corinthian Ladies Football Club

Manchester Corinthian Ladies FC was an English football club founded in 1949 by Percy Ashley. He established the club because his daughter Doris wanted to play football but couldn’t find a team. At this time The FA ban on women’s football using FA affiliated grounds was in place (from 1921; lifted in 1970). During the inaugural seasons the Corinthians played friendlies and in small scale competitions in the UK, but during the mid to late 1950s they embarked on a series of European tours.

Their fame grew and they received invites to play across Europe, in Africa and in South America. Occasionally playing as an unofficial England side in tournaments (these were the days before there was an official England team), they found success often, becoming the most successful women’s team by some distance.

Under the management of Percy Ashley, followed by Gladys Aikin and then George Aikin, the Corinthians were important representatives of women’s football, both internationally and domestically, always contributing to the game’s growth and development.

Plaque Unveiling at 12

A Blue plaque and other tributes to the pioneering women’s football team Manchester Corinthians will be unveiled at noon today (6 October 2023) at the site of their formation, Fog Lane Park, Didsbury, Manchester. In attendance will be over 20 women who played for the club between 1949 and 1983 and representatives from the Football Association, Manchester Football Association, Manchester City Council, football fans, members of the public and former England international Kerry Davis.

I’ve talked about the women often and what they achieved but here are several interviews with a few of the women who played for Corinthians. This link includes filmed interviews we did with Gail Robertson, Jan Lyons and Lesley Wright (all Corinthians) plus there’s an interview with Jane Morley who played for United Ladies and went on to coach City Ladies too:

https://www.thefa.com/competitions/uefa-womens-euro-2022/heritage/trafford-heritage

And the last film on the following web page is of an interview with Margaret Shepherd and Margaret Whitworth. Enjoy:

https://www.thefa.com/competitions/uefa-womens-euro-2022/heritage/wigan-and-leigh-heritage

About Manchester Corinthian Ladies Football Club

Manchester Corinthian Ladies FC was an English football club founded in 1949 by Percy Ashley. He established the club because his daughter Doris wanted to play football but couldn’t find a team. At this time The FA ban on women’s football using FA affiliated grounds was in place (from 1921; lifted in 1970). During the inaugural seasons the Corinthians played friendlies and in small scale competitions in the UK, but during the mid to late 1950s they embarked on a series of European tours.

Manchester Corinthians mural by artist Gavin Renshaw

Their fame grew and they received invites to play across Europe, in Africa and in South America. Occasionally playing as an unofficial England side in tournaments (these were the days before there was an official England team), they found success often, becoming the most successful women’s team by some distance.

Under the management of Percy Ashley, followed by Gladys Aikin and then George Aikin, the Corinthians were important representatives of women’s football, both internationally and domestically, always contributing to the game’s growth and development.

Washing in the duck pond, Manchester Corinthians by Artist Gavin Renshaw

Corinthians Interview & Franny Lee Tribute

Part two of the interview with Mike Sweeney on Radio Manchester has aired today and at the end of it I say a few words about Francis Lee too. The interview was to discuss the Manchester Corinthians and can be heard here (it starts with Margaret Whitworth and Margaret Shepherd at 2 hours 30 minutes):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0gd2w4m

Plaque Unveiling Tomorrow!

PIONEERING WOMEN’S FOOTBALL TEAM TO BE RECOGNISED WITH A BLUE PLAQUE TOMORROW!

  • Manchester Corinthian Ladies Football Club to be recognised with a blue plaque
  • Unveiling will take place at Fog Lane Park, Didsbury, their home for over 20 years from formation in 1949
  • The plaque, two murals of the team and other tributes will be unveiled at the park tomorrow (Friday 6 October) at noon
  • The plaque and murals were funded by an appeal which included significant donations from the Football Association and Manchester City Council, alongside dozens of individual donations including one from the Dick, Kerr Ladies Foundation, demonstrating the great community of women’s football that existed in North West England
  • Over 20 players, including a 92 year old who joined the team at formation, will be in attendance

A Blue plaque and other tributes to the pioneering women’s football team Manchester Corinthians will be unveiled on Friday 6 October at noon at the site of their formation, Fog Lane Park, Didsbury, Manchester. In attendance will be over 20 women who played for the club between 1949 and 1983 and representatives from the Football Association, Manchester Football Association, Manchester City Council, football fans, members of the public and former England international Kerry Davis.

One of the former players in attendance will be 92 year old, Dorothy Alcock, who first joined the team at formation in 1949. Others present on the day participated in trophy winning tours across Europe and South America during the fifties, sixties and seventies.

The Corinthians raised significant amounts of money for charity during their existence while also promoting football and female endeavour at a time when participation in the sport was often frowned upon.

During the 1950s, playing as an unofficial England side, the Corinthians won a major European tournament in Germany and were supported on their travels by legendary Manchester City men’s goalkeeper Bert Trautmann.

In 1960 they found success in an unofficial ‘World Cup’ (officially the first ‘Torneo Internacional De Futbol Femenino’) in Venezuela as part of a significant tour of the West Indies and South America. Former player (outside right) Margaret Whitworth recalls: ‘We were treated like film stars. There were crowds everywhere we went. Playing in front of 56,000 was thrilling and the way women’s football was treated was so different to how it was back in England at the time. Here we had to play on park pitches or at other sports grounds, but there we played in major football stadiums.’

During the late 1960s the club’s management played a leading role in the creation of the Women’s Football Association. Both the Corinthians and their sister club the Nomads were founder members but their manager Gladys Aikin became a member of the governing body’s committee. By this time their determination was to see the growth of the game and lifting of all barriers.

The Corinthians continued to play and by the end of the 1970s they were frequently coached by the Manchester City 1956 FA Cup winner Dave Ewing at City’s Platt Lane training complex.

During the 1980s a ground move led to the club being renamed Woodley Ladies, and that club ceased to exist by the end of the decade. Many of the Corinthians from the late 1970s and 1980s became players with Manchester City’s women’s team during its inaugural season of 1988-89.

Today at least one former Corinthian, Lesley Wright, plays walking football at the highest level possible and continues to coach women’s football, continuing the Corinthian influence through to the modern day development of the sport.

The plaque and murals were funded by an appeal which included significant donations from the Football Association and Manchester City Council, alongside dozens of individual donations. The community group, the Friends of Fog Lane Park, have been instrumental in ensuring the Corinthians are remembered and that this aspect of the park’s life is properly recorded and acknowledged. The murals were designed and painted by artist Gavin Renshaw.

Manchester Corinthians mural by artist Gavin Renshaw
Washing in the duck pond, Manchester Corinthians by Artist Gavin Renshaw

About Manchester Corinthian Ladies Football Club

Manchester Corinthian Ladies FC was an English football club founded in 1949 by Percy Ashley. He established the club because his daughter Doris wanted to play football but couldn’t find a team. At this time The FA ban on women’s football using FA affiliated grounds was in place (from 1921; lifted in 1970). During the inaugural seasons the Corinthians played friendlies and in small scale competitions in the UK, but during the mid to late 1950s they embarked on a series of European tours.

Their fame grew and they received invites to play across Europe, in Africa and in South America. Occasionally playing as an unofficial England side in tournaments (these were the days before there was an official England team), they found success often, becoming the most successful women’s team by some distance.

Under the management of Percy Ashley, followed by Gladys Aikin and then George Aikin, the Corinthians were important representatives of women’s football, both internationally and domestically, always contributing to the game’s growth and development.

Radio Manchester Feature

Earlier today both BBC Radio Four’s Today programme and BBC Radio Manchester’s Mike Sweeney show featured interviews about the Manchester Corinthians and the blue plaque unveiling which will be happening this Friday at Fog Lane Park, Didsbury.

The Radio Four interview was with Margaret Whitworth (Whit) and Margaret Shepherd (Tiny) at 7.40 this morning and the Radio Manchester interview has been split into two parts. Part one was played today and begins with Whit & Tiny talking, which was recorded as part of that Radio 4 interview, then Mike Sweeney & I discuss the Corinthians and the club’s history.

The Radio Manchester feature starts at about 2 hours 34 in on this programme:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0gd2vdx

Part two is tomorrow but I’m not certain what time.

Good work Whit & Tiny and thanks to Mike Sweeney, who has a genuine love of football and was good at putting it into context/introducing it too. I think Mike first interviewed me at Piccadilly Radio back in the 1990s.

Corinthians’ Plaque Radio To Listen Out For

Tomorrow morning at about 7.40am Margaret Whitworth & Margaret Shepherd, two Manchester Corinthians, should be on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme talking about their experiences and the plaque unveiling. It would be great to hear them talk about their footballing experiences.

Earlier today I recorded a piece with Mike Sweeney for his BBC Radio Manchester show. That will either be played tomorrow morning or on Thursday, so again please listen out for it. Understandably, I was also asked about Francis Lee which may also make it on to the show.

Also, here’s a Manchester Evening News story on the Corinthians and the tributes to them. Thanks to Neal Keeling for your efforts.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/they-toured-globe-great-pride-27798317

Here’s another Neal Keeling article. This one on Francis Lee and I’m quoted a little bit too:

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/francis-lee-tenacious-skilful-brave-27828769

Recognising the Manchester Corinthian Ladies Football Team

There has been some good publicity for the Manchester Corinthians blue plaque unveiling which will take place on 6 October. The latest is an article in She Kicks. Follow the link for the story and images:

Pioneering women’s team Manchester Corinthians to get blue plaque

For wider background on the club….

The club toured the globe representing England and promoting female endeavour, football and Manchester and now, over 70 years after they were established, their achievements have helped generate significant improvements to a park and helped foster a great community spirit. Through the dedicated work of a group of volunteers, especially the Friends of Fog Lane Park, a blue plaque, two murals and other tributes telling the Corinthians story will be erected and revealed on Friday 6 October at noon.

We all know how our public parks, particularly in cities, often suffer vandalism and other anti social activity and through the Corinthians’ story he Friends of Fog Lane Park have changed the look of a vandalised building and have built on the good work they had already performed to make Fog Lane Park, Didsbury a safe, well used and popular park.

There’s so much to say but both the Friends of Fog Lane Park and the Corinthians deserve significant praise. In total over £6000 was raised for these tributes and this came from a large number of individuals as well as the FA, Manchester Council and the Corinthians’ old friends (and on the pitch rivals) Dick, Kerr Ladies (see below for names of those who made donations).

The Corinthians won major tournaments in Germany, Venezuela, France and elsewhere. They were the link team between the world renowned Dick, Kerr Ladies and the modern era, playing a significant role in football’s development. Often they played as England in these tournaments too, adding a bit of international significance in the days when formal England teams did not exist.

Another major achievement was that at formation of the Women’s Football Association not only was Gladys Aikin, the Corinthians’ manager, playing a key role but the club joined the WFA as two clubs – Corinthians and Nomads. This demonstrated their commitment to the long term development of the sport.

A year or so ago Will McTaggart, who hosted a number of football film shows with me in the years before Covid, alerted me to a clip that’s been found by the BBC of the Manchester Corinthians women’s team of the 1960s. This clip is from March 1965. You can watch it here:

As a reminder here’s more on the story to erect the plaque:

In 2019 I wrote an article for the Manchester Evening News on the women’s achievements and hoping for FA recognition and had meetings with a variety of local organisations about promoting the Corinthians further. Covid slowed everything down but then in 2021 I publicly announced for the first time the desire to have a plaque erected to the pioneering Manchester Corinthians. This was at a celebration evening at Hebden Bridge organised with Geoff Matthews. Our guests included several former Corinthians players and the mood of the audience was encouraging and supporting, which then led on to rekindling discussions with Manchester based bodies.

Support came from Manchester City Council and we discussed erecting a plaque at Fog Lane Park, the initial home of the Corinthians. In fact the women were based there for over twenty years. Via the council the Friends of Fog Lane Park came on board and we set up an appeal under their name, as custodians of the park. I wrote to contacts at the FA and elsewhere and within next to no time donations came flooding in from a variety of former players, family, friends, journalists and the Dick, Kerr Ladies Foundation via Gail Newsham. It was gratifying to see so much support (a full list of those who donated appears below – thanks to you all!).

My discussions with the FA eventually resulted in them agreeing to fund the plaque, the unveiling and to support other tributes. This meant we’d reached our goal. The plaque is a reality and will be unveiled soon.

The Friends of Fog Lane Park managed to get matching funds from Manchester City Council too and so now, as well as the plaque and a lectern providing a Corinthians’ timeline, there will be two impressive murals painted by artist Gavin Renshaw.

On October 6 at noon the blue plaque will be unveiled with over twenty of the Manchester Corinthians present.

The club’s entire history, including its final years over 40 years after it was founded, will be documented in a book that will be published in 2024. You can find out about that here:

Order: Manchester Corinthians Book

If you appear on the following photos then please get in touch or if you played for the Corinthians at any point between 1949 and 1982 we’d love to hear from you. I’m also keen to track down more photographs and items of memorabilia associated with the team. Please email me at gary@GJFootballArchive.com or contact via this page: https://gjfootballarchive.com/contact/

Over the next few weeks I’ll be posting further stories about the Corinthians. Recently I was fortunate to interview a 90+ year old who played for the Corinthians from formation in 1949.

Those who have donated to the appeal to erect permanent tributes to the Corinthians include:

Pam Barnes, Dan Mooney, Adam Turgoose, ‘Ben’, ‘Jean J’, Jonathan Kaye, Megan Riley, Helena Byrne, Dawn Burrows, Clare Wilkins, Linda Foley, Debbie Enever, John Carrier, Jacqui McAssey, Michael Cottam, Karen Ohanco, David Hoyle, Daniel Rubin, Heidi James, Gary James and the Dick, Kerr Ladies Foundation. There were also a small number of anonymous donations – thanks to all of you too. Everyone has contributed to this appeal. Please come along to the unveiling if you can.

Tameside Radio Interview Re Manchester Corinthians

I was interviewed last week about my research and writing and managed to chat a bit about the Manchester Corinthians. The interview was with Lewis Connell on Tameside Radio and can be heard below. The interview starts after about 40 minutes:

https://www.questmedianetwork.co.uk/on-air/lewis-connell/

1955 Manchester City Photo

I like this colour team photo of Manchester City which was taken as part of the build-up to the 1955 FA Cup final between the Blues and Newcastle United. City lost that final – and at the time of writing it remains the last major domestic trophy won by the Geordies.

At least two of the men here later had involvement in women’s football with the Manchester Corinthians. Bert Trautmann acted as an ambassador for the pioneering women’s team later in the 1950s while Dave Ewing coached the team when it used City’s Platt Lane facilities in the late 1970s/early 1980s. You can find out more about the Corinthians here:

Manchester Corinthians Plaque Unveiling

A Great Example of Community Initiatives: Recognising the Manchester Corinthian Ladies Football Team

We will be unveiling a blue plaque to the Manchester Corinthians on 6 October. The club toured the globe representing England and promoting female endeavour, football and Manchester and now, over 70 years after they were established, their achievements have helped generate significant improvements to a park and helped foster a great community spirit. Through the dedicated work of a group of volunteers, especially the Friends of Fog Lane Park, a blue plaque, two murals and other tributes telling the Corinthians story will be erected and revealed on Friday 6 October at noon.

We all know how our public parks, particularly in cities, often suffer vandalism and other anti social activity and through the Corinthians’ story he Friends of Fog Lane Park have changed the look of a vandalised building and have built on the good work they had already performed to make Fog Lane Park, Didsbury a safe, well used and popular park.

There’s so much to say but both the Friends of Fog Lane Park and the Corinthians deserve significant praise. In total over £6000 was raised for these tributes and this came from a large number of individuals as well as the FA, Manchester Council and the Corinthians’ old friends (and on the pitch rivals) Dick, Kerr Ladies (see below for names of those who made donations).

The Corinthians won major tournaments in Germany, Venezuela, France and elsewhere. They were the link team between the world renowned Dick, Kerr Ladies and the modern era, playing a significant role in football’s development. Often they played as England in these tournaments too, adding a bit of international significance in the days when formal England teams did not exist.

Another major achievement was that at formation of the Women’s Football Association not only was Gladys Aikin, the Corinthians’ manager, playing a key role but the club joined the WFA as two clubs – Corinthians and Nomads. This demonstrated their commitment to the long term development of the sport.

A year or so ago Will McTaggart, who hosted a number of football film shows with me in the years before Covid, alerted me to a clip that’s been found by the BBC of the Manchester Corinthians women’s team of the 1960s. This clip is from March 1965. You can watch it here:

As a reminder here’s more on the story to erect the plaque:

In 2019 I wrote an article for the Manchester Evening News on the women’s achievements and hoping for FA recognition and had meetings with a variety of local organisations about promoting the Corinthians further. Covid slowed everything down but then in 2021 I publicly announced for the first time the desire to have a plaque erected to the pioneering Manchester Corinthians. This was at a celebration evening at Hebden Bridge organised with Geoff Matthews. Our guests included several former Corinthians players and the mood of the audience was encouraging and supporting, which then led on to rekindling discussions with Manchester based bodies.

Support came from Manchester City Council and we discussed erecting a plaque at Fog Lane Park, the initial home of the Corinthians. In fact the women were based there for over twenty years. Via the council the Friends of Fog Lane Park came on board and we set up an appeal under their name, as custodians of the park. I wrote to contacts at the FA and elsewhere and within next to no time donations came flooding in from a variety of former players, family, friends, journalists and the Dick, Kerr Ladies Foundation via Gail Newsham. It was gratifying to see so much support (a full list of those who donated appears below – thanks to you all!).

My discussions with the FA eventually resulted in them agreeing to fund the plaque, the unveiling and to support other tributes. This meant we’d reached our goal. The plaque is a reality and will be unveiled soon.

The Friends of Fog Lane Park managed to get matching funds from Manchester City Council too and so now, as well as the plaque and a lectern providing a Corinthians’ timeline, there will be two impressive murals painted by artist Gavin Renshaw.

On October 6 at noon the blue plaque will be unveiled with over twenty of the Manchester Corinthians present.

The club became Woodley Ladies in the 1980s before it ceased operation around 1989. A later club, founded by a former Corinthian, used the Corinthians name from formation, playing in Tameside.

If you appear on the following photos then please get in touch or if you played for the Corinthians at any point between 1949 and 1982 we’d love to hear from you. I’m also keen to track down more photographs and items of memorabilia associated with the team. Please email me at gary@GJFootballArchive.com or contact via this page: https://gjfootballarchive.com/contact/

Over the next few weeks I’ll be posting further stories about the Corinthians. Recently I was fortunate to interview a 90+ year old who played for the Corinthians from formation in 1949.

Those who have donated to the appeal to erect permanent tributes to the Corinthians include:

Pam Barnes, Dan Mooney, Adam Turgoose, ‘Ben’, ‘Jean J’, Jonathan Kaye, Megan Riley, Helena Byrne, Dawn Burrows, Clare Wilkins, Linda Foley, Debbie Enever, John Carrier, Jacqui McAssey, Michael Cottam, Karen Ohanco, David Hoyle, Daniel Rubin, Heidi James, Gary James and the Dick, Kerr Ladies Foundation. There were also a small number of anonymous donations – thanks to all of you too. Everyone has contributed to this appeal. Please come along to the unveiling if you can.