A Women's Place Is On The Pitch (Part 2/2)

 A History Of Women's Football

Read Part 1

More History

The ban was maintained by the FA for fifty years until 1971. The same year, UEFA recommended that the national associations in each country should manage the women's game. 

It was not until 2008 (87 years later), that the FA issued an apology for banning women from the game of football.

 Six years prior in 2002, Lily Parr of Dick Kerr's Ladies FC, was the first woman to be inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame. 

Lily Parr was later honoured with a statue in front of the museum

The attitudes towards women's football still poor even in the late 90's and early 00's, with even mainstream pundits and presenters (such as the now disgraced Richard Keys & Andy Gray) openly mocking.

Into the 21st Century 

At the beginning of the 21st century, women's football, like men's football, began to grow in both popularity and participation, as well as more professional leagues worldwide. 

From the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup tournament held in 1991 to the 1,194,221 tickets sold for the 1999 Women's World Cup visibility and support of women's professional football has increased around the globe.

The professional women's game is now watched by millions of fans across the world with some of the players now being idolised like some of the men's players.

It has also attracted a much more professional approach from a broadcasting perspective.

Many of Manchester United's matches now attract over 150,000 views on YouTube.

United's rivals, Manchester City, have been at the forefront of the games improvements.

Watch this video on Manchester City Women from 2015.