Lionesses icon Fara Williams admits she never thought the women’s game would get the attention it has received as the Women’s Super League prepares to roar back into action.
Crowds are expected to swell this season after Sarina Wiegman’s side ended their wait for a major trophy under the Wembley arch last month. It is certainly a landmark moment for the women’s game having never been in a better position to capitalise on the growing interest.
Despite having only retired from the game last after a spell with Reading, Williams has admitted that she could only ever "dream" of the current interest and "never" thought it would come to fruition.
Speaking to Mirror Sport on behalf of M&S Food’s Eat Well, Play Well campaign, the 172-time England international said: “Did I ever envision that would happen and that our game would have sell-out crowds and winning Euros at Wembley? We always dreamt about it and never thought it was going to come true, never. Even I was thinking I would never be alive to witness it even though I knew we had talent.”
Reflecting on the Lionesses’ success, Williams has hailed the current group representing the nation but also holds the small role that she has played in the growth of the game across the nation close to her heart.
“I’m just proud of where the game’s at and grateful for everybody that went before me and I’m also honoured to have played my part in what I did for the game in helping it get where it is,” she continued.
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“I think our game’s slowly starting to understand and that goes from coaches to players to admin. We were all on a journey and the journey’s looking good at the minute. I think the Euro’s success shows that and we’ve still got a long way to go.”
It of course remains to be seen whether the impact will be felt this coming WSL season, with the season not yet underway. Many have already called for matches to be played at bigger stadiums - a number of top-flight clubs already announcing that they are set to take to the pitch and the grounds of some of their male counterparts.
Williams - who is backing her former side Chelsea to win the title this season - has recognised those kinds of measures will only benefit further growth of the game but has called for caution regarding sides who may not be as-well backed and has suggested that a rise in ticket prices might actually prove to be a smarter move.
She said: “The level of skill now in the game says that it’s worth more than the cost of games now. I think they should up the prices if I’m honest but I understand where we’re at and you could have a nice family day out for cheaper than you go to the zoo.
“I know that even though Chelsea have their opening game at Stamford Bridge against West Ham but I know that Emma Hayes, until she knows she can fill these stadiums would much prefer to play at Kingsmeadow where she can have a 4,500-5,000 packed stadium with fans that actually sound a lot louder than a 20,000 capacity at Stamford Bridge where you can’t really hear it.”
Whilst Williams is expecting the summer glory to have a fantastic impact on the elite game across the nation, there could also be a lot of benefits for the grassroots game. The former Chelsea star is predicting a number of aspiring young girls to take up football once they’re back at school.
“I’d like to think when girls go back to schools in September and they’re in the playground and they want to have a kickabout with the boys, the boys aren’t going to be able to say ‘girls can’t play football’ because they’ve seen that they can and they’ve won a Euros in doing that. It think that might change when they go back to school in September.”
Fara Williams is working with M&S Food’s Eat Well, Play Well campaign, offering kids the chance to win a training masterclass with the England teams. Go to marksandspencer.com/football to find out more.
