Category Archives: Women’s Football

Manchester City Women: The Audio Interview

Earlier this month I was interviewd for the Counter Pressed podcast by Flo Lloyd-Hughes and also Becky Taylor-Gill about the history of Manchester City’s women’s team. It was a really enjoyable hour chatting about the birth of the club, its successes and developments and a few key moments along the way. I’m sure those interested in football (men’s or women’s), Manchester or my research will enjoy listening. Here’s the recording:

I mention both the City Women book I researched and the Manchester Corinthians book too. A second edition of the Corinthians book will be out later this year and anyone ordering before publication can get their name printed inside the book as a subscriber, supporting this non-profit making venture (no publisher or author royalties are taken and every penny profit goes towards organising events for the Corinthians or preserving the collections of the Corinthians). You can find out more here:

Manchester Corinthians

A Corinthians Original on TV in the States

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:

https://gjfootballarchive.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/att.bqldzbzvmopsxtyylezhef3acn6nlqqkubgfl982ykw.mp4

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:

Manchester Corinthians

Manchester Corinthians The Authorised History Updated: Subscribe Before End of August

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.

For more on the Corinthians see:

One Year On: The Manchester Corinthians Reunion

Recognition for Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History

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:

https://gjfootballarchive.com/order-manchester-corinthians-book/

Thanks again

The John Tueart Manchester Corinthians’ Film Show

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:

Screenshot
Screenshot

Newton Heath Victoria Ladies and Billy Meredith

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.

Women’s Football Interviews and Videos

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:

We start with Jan Lyons:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHkt5rGOJ5E

Now Gail Robertson:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TO4nnHtp-U&feature=emb_logo

Next Lesley Wright:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPgjj84gHfw&feature=emb_imp_woyt

Finally, Jane Morley:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tbzsOIpO7I&feature=emb_imp_woyt

Here’s an interesting clip of the Corinthians playing in 1960:

https://bbcrewind.co.uk/asset/60bf2dbfc69ade0020ef3021?q=ladies%20football%20international%201972&size=30

Margaret Shepherd and Margaret Whitworth were also filmed as part of the wider project (they were interviewed by Wigan & Leigh). Here they are:

Margaret Whitworth actually appears on this BBC clip from 1960 playing:

https://bbcrewind.co.uk/asset/60bf2dbfc69ade0020ef3021?q=ladies%20football%20international%201972&size=30

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:

https://exploringtraffordsheritage.omeka.net/exhibits/show/traffordwomensfootball

Book Award

I’ve not had chance to talk about this yet but a book I co-edited with Fiona Skillen and Helena Byrne on the history of women’s football in Britain and Ireland has been recognised at an international awards. To gain international recognition at a major sports history conference in North America is some achievement. Thanks to all those who contributed chapters to the book and thanks to NASSH and the awards committee for this recognition. It truly is remarkable. Thanks.

We’ve had a couple of launch events for the book in London and Dublin which were attended by female footballers from the UK and Ireland who played in the 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond. The book is an academic book and is not the cheapest so if you’re interested in reading it then maybe seek out a copy at your local library. For any library, university or other organisation interested in the book then details are here:

https://www.peterlang.com/document/1311869

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.