Category Archives: Women’s Football

Football Pioneer Percy Ashley’s Birth

On this day (1 April) in 1892 at Bolton the pioneering football manager Percy Ashley was born. Ashley was the founding manager for the Manchester Corinthians pioneering women’s football team. My research for Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History has documented, for the first time, Percy’s life, achievements and corrected many myths that are out there about him and the team. You can now find out the facts (not the fiction!) about this incredible man and the team in my new book. Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History is a must for anyone interested in Manchester or women’s football and consists of 356 pages.

It is illustrated throughout and you can order it now for £25 (including UK postage and packaging). I’ll sign all copies ordered direct from me below.

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.

UK ONLY – Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This will be published in late December 2024. This is UK only at £25 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£25.00

Manchester Corinthians Win A Tournament

On this day (28 March) in 1971 the Manchester Corinthians won a multi club tournament at Macclesfield Town. You can find out more about this tournament and the state of women’s football in the North West (and in England) in my new book. Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History is a must for anyone interested in Manchester or women’s football and consists of 356 pages (hardback).

It is illustrated throughout and you can order it now for £25 (including UK postage and packaging). I’ll sign all copies ordered direct from me below.

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.

UK ONLY – Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This will be published in late December 2024. This is UK only at £25 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£25.00

Manchester Corinthians News

There’s been a lot of promotion of the Manchester Corinthians recently with talks at libraries, bookshops and football supporters clubs; articles at Manchester City; in United We Stand and interviews on various stations including this one on BBC Radio Manchester (after 30 mins): https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0kw7hxd

Tonight I’ll be talking at Urmston books. See:

https://www.urmstonbooks.co.uk/manchester-corinthians

Of course, the best way to find out more about the Corinthians is to read my new book. Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History is a must for anyone interested in Manchester or women’s football and consists of 356 pages (hardback).

It is illustrated throughout and you can order it now for £25 (including UK postage and packaging). I’ll sign all copies ordered direct from me below.

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.

UK ONLY – Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This will be published in late December 2024. This is UK only at £25 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£25.00

Women’s Football Grows

Women’s football grew at a phenomenal rate in the 1940s and early 1950s in Manchester and on this day (22 March) in 1949 it was reported that the Manchester Corinthians had gained 18 new players in a month. In addition it was claimed that: ‘one of the biggest crowds seen around there for a long time’ had gathered at Fog Lane Park, Didsbury to watch a game between two full women’s teams. It was anticipated that the final Sunday in March would see the Corinthians have three complete teams ready for action at 2pm. The sport was growing and you can now find out the facts (not the fiction!) about this incredible team in my new book. Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History is a must for anyone interested in Manchester or women’s football and consists of 356 pages.

It is illustrated throughout and you can order it now for £25 (including UK postage and packaging). I’ll sign all copies ordered direct from me below.

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.

UK ONLY – Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This will be published in late December 2024. This is UK only at £25 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£25.00

21st Anniversary of the Manchester Corinthians

On this day (20 March) in 1970 the 21st anniversary celebration of the Manchester Corinthians was held at the Southern Hotel, Mauldeth Road. Gladys Aikin organised the event and she had originally hoped to find a room for the celebration on the date (5 January) founding manager Percy Ashley used most as the formation date. Percy actually frequently got the date wrong (don’t believe any 1949 date you may read elsewhere!). My research for Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History suggests the club had been training earlier than January 1949. Regardless
of the actual date, celebrating 21 years of this pioneering women’s team was important. 1970 (for reasons I go into detail about in the book) saw the club and women’s football come of age in a way that Percy and the others involved at the start had always hoped.

I was delighted when, in December last year, I was able to get around 90 people (the majority former players) together for a 75th anniversary reunion at the Etihad Stadium.

You can now find out the facts (not the fiction!) about this incredible team in my new book. Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History is a must for anyone interested in Manchester or women’s football and consists of 356 pages.

It is illustrated throughout and you can order it now for £25 (including UK postage and packaging). I’ll sign all copies ordered direct from me below.

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.

UK ONLY – Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This will be published in late December 2024. This is UK only at £25 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£25.00

BBC Radio Manchester Tonight

I’ll be on BBC Radio Manchester tonight at 630pm talking about the pioneering Manchester Corinthians. I’m sure you’ve all heard me explain about the Corinthians book I’ve written. It is illustrated throughout and you can order it now for £25 (including UK postage and packaging). I’ll sign all copies ordered direct from me below.

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.

UK ONLY – Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This will be published in late December 2024. This is UK only at £25 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£25.00

Chelsea v Manchester City Today

Good luck to Manchester City in today’s Women’s League Cup Final at Derby’s Pride Park. The game kicks off at 12.15 and sees Blues boss Nick Cushing look to capture the first major silverware of the season.

The final is live on BBC One from 11:45, with live radio commentary from 12:00 on BBC 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds, and text commentary on BBC Sport website.

Of course City and Chelsea have met before in the League Cup final. You can read this article I did a few years ago on that and on City’s first League Cup success here:

The League Cup: City Women

Manchester Corinthians Talks and Events

Thanks to all those who came to the Manchester Corinthians event last Wednesday (5 March) at Manchester Central Library. It was great to hear so many interested in the story and I’m sure the addition of Corinthians in the audience added to the event. They truly are remarkable women and there are so many angles to this wonderful football team that toured the globe between 1948 and 1992. There’s another talk tonight in Irlam and others arranged for the coming weeks too. On Wednesday, I promised to post some links in the aftermath of the event for those who want to find out more…

Firstly, Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History. This book is a must for anyone interested in Manchester or women’s football and consists of 356 pages. It is illustrated throughout and you can order it now for £25 (including UK postage and packaging).

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.

UK ONLY – Manchester Corinthians: The Authorised History

The story of a pioneering women’s club as told to Gary James by those who were there. This will be published in late December 2024. This is UK only at £25 (incl UK postage and packaging). Outside UK contact for additional postage costs.

£25.00

Next, here’s the wonderful 18 minute film put together by Imprint Films on the Corinthians. It includes brief interviews with a small group of the women I interviewed, plus I help to explain why they are so significant.

https://www.imprintfilms.co.uk/oh-what-a-team

IYou can also find out more about the book here:

Manchester Corinthians

Happy International Women’s Day #IWD2025

Another wonderful video and feature from @mancity on the Manchester Corinthians from our visit the other week. A few of the Corinthians were guests of the club and this video on them is well worth watching:

https://www.mancity.com/features/manchester-corinthians/