Former Everton and Liverpool goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis has become the first woman to join the Football Pools Panel in its 60-year history, after being unveiled as a new member alongside Reds legend Michael Owen.
The new line-up was announced at a VIP event held at the National Football Museum last month to celebrate 60 years of the Pools Panel, with the duo joining fellow Liverpool legend and World Cup winner Ian Callaghan and former Rangers hero Derek Johnstone.
With the likes of Billy Liddell, Roger Hunt and Alan Hansen working for the Football Pools, which is based in Liverpool since being launched as the Littlewoods Football Pool in 1923, in the past, Brown-Finnis and Owen, along with Callaghan continue the Pools’ proud, long-running connection with the city and its clubs.
And Brown-Finnis was honoured to become the Panel’s first female member.
“If you look at all the panel members who have gone before me, and who are here today alongside us, it’s a huge honour for anyone,” she exclusively told the ECHO. “But even more for me to be here as the first woman to be brought onto the panel into the 99-year history of the Football Pools.
READ MORE: What Alisher Usmanov sanctions mean for Everton and USM as new statement made
READ MORE: Full Liverpool squad available to face Norwich City in FA Cup as two players absent
“I know it’s important I do a good job for a start, but it’s also a brilliant representation of where women’s football is in our psyche in this country.
“World Cup winners, World Cup goalscorers - the calibre of people we have had on the panel, and do have now, hopefully will set your average Pools player up to have some success at least.”
She continued: “The Football Pools has been around forever, so to now be part of something that’s stood the test of time feels like a real honour.
“Women footballers have historically been under-appreciated; being banned for half a century among many other imbalances over the years. Nowadays it’s more commonplace to see women ex-footballers in all aspects of football coverage and the Football Pools has reflected this.
“Football is football. It’s only tough for women to have their opinions listened to if the listener has a closed mind as to who can and can’t provide valid expertise.
“I hope I can bring a goalkeeper’s perspective and I’ll have an opportunity to learn from experienced Pools Panel members. I’m comfortable and confident in voicing my opinion - goalkeepers are rarely kept quiet!”
Owen was also honoured to have been asked to join the panel, with the former England international holding a close, personal history with one of Britain’s longest-running football institutions.
“I never expected a moment like this when I was growing up,” he exclusively told the ECHO. “But when I first got asked to come on the panel, it immediately made me remember the good, old days when I was a kid, at a weekend watching the football results coming in and my dad picking his pools during the week.
“A little later on when I started to understand a bit about football, he would let me pick a couple of score draws myself and then spot the ball. It was always a staple diet in my house.
“It’s been ingrained and the pools and football have gone hand in hand for many years. It’s a real nice honour.
“You’ve got people who have been part of it for a long, long time, like Cally. Some of the great names who have been in the past, it’s really amazing and humbling to be part of it. I look forward to the future and hopefully many years of good fun doing it.”
He continued: “Now I can no longer affect results as a player, I'm delighted to have been asked to sit on the panel to hopefully put my knowledge of the game to use to help others.
“As a pundit I watch and cover more football nowadays so I am more aware. As a player, you only really look ahead to the next game and your role.
“I will probably have to do a bit more homework on teams outside of the Premier League for form and trends, but when I do have a strong opinion about something I’ll definitely be happy to speak up!”
As a long-serving Panels member, having been deliberating on fixtures and Spot the Ball since the 1980s, Callaghan was delighted to welcome Brown-Finnis and Owen, alongside Johnstone, to the team.
“It’s absolutely fantastic to be part of, especially when you think of the people who have been on the panel,” he exclusively told the ECHO. “It’s been a huge part of my life since I finished playing.
“It’s great to have these new inductees. I’ve met Michael before and admired him as a player. I’m looking forward to working alongside him, Rachel and Derek.”
John Stevens, Managing Director of the Football Pools, was delighted to welcome Brown-Finnis and Owen on board as he unveiled the new-look panel.
And with the Football Pools celebrating its centenary year in 2023, he teased they had big plans in store to celebrate.
“I’m delighted, we haven’t made new signings or appointments to the panel for some time now,” he told the ECHO. “With our centenary year coming up next year, this has been a great opportunity to refresh things and introduce some very familiar faces.
“Our new four members represent football from different generations, from both sides of the Border and we’re very proud to have our first ever woman panellist with Rachel. We are confident that we’ve created a winning team in what is such a landmark year for us.
“Rachel, the amount she’s doing to change the face of the Women’s game. Football is a game for everybody with such a big global audience. Disability football, walking football, women’s football, Premier League football, amateur football. It’s a game accessible to everyone and Rachel is an important ambassador for that.
“The Pools Panel launched in 1963, before the Women’s FA even existed. So much has changed in the decades since then and now we have much greater equality and representation of women in the game.
“We felt it was right that the Pools Panel acknowledged that and, as we are in our 60th year, this seemed like the perfect time. Rachel has been so influential throughout her career and we are very proud to have her bringing that expertise to us and to the many thousands of Football Pools players who depend on it.”
He continued: “I worked with Michael’s mother years ago, he has so much passion for the game. He remembers things as if it was yesterday and still has the same boyish enthusiasm he had as a kid. It’s fantastic to have him on board, he is a genuine legend.
“The Football Pools has been a major employer in Liverpool for many, many years. That’s where the business is based, it’s where it started and it’s where it lives and breathes even today.
“Ian Callaghan is an absolute legend. 857 games for Liverpool. People always mention the one yellow card - it was mistaken identity, or at least that’s his story anyway.
“We had Roger Hunt and had a list including Alan Hansen, Rachel of course, I could go on. And of course, we can’t forget Derek from north of the border.
“60 years of the panel is a lovely milestone to achieve. We were the original football pundits, we just kept it back of house I guess.
“Next year is the centenary year and we have lots of big plans. I probably can’t say too much at this stage. Ahead of that, we’re just delighted to have two very familiar faces join the established group.”
