They arrived by minibus without fuss or fanfare.
But they had all the flair, silky skills and audacious tricks typical of the Lionesses who tore opponents apart at this summer’s Euros.
So as England lifted the trophy on Sunday at a sold-out Wembley, sending the nation delirious, my mind raced back 15 years to how it used to be for top female footballers.
As I joined almost 90,000 fans going wild at the national stadium, I wept tears of happiness at our heady victory and tears of regret over how incredibly thorny the path has been for the legends that carved the route for today’s heroines.
It was August 2007 and The Mirror had dared to offer England Ladies – no talk of Lionesses back then – a World Cup warm-up match ahead of their trip to China.
And on a rain-lashed pitch similar to the “cage” that shaped England’s winning goal-scorer Chloe Kelly, then national stars Alex Scott, Rachel Yankey, Eniola Aluko, Siobhan Chamberlain, Lianne Sanderson and Katie Chapman took up the challenge of a six-a-side game in Poplar, East London.
From Yankey’s outrageous backheel goal to Scott and Sanderson’s dazzling footwork, these players were the finished article – all that was missing was financial backing.
That they came to play a team of journalists and didn’t need to get out of first gear to run rings around us in a 15-0 victory, spoke volumes about their passion to highlight the sport they adored and get more girls playing. Their 2007 World Cup bid went fairly unnoticed despite making the quarter finals.
It goes to show how far the women’s game has come in 15 years.
Those stars who turned out that bleak night, like Scott and Yankey, have been tireless ambassadors for their sport without bitterness over how they were the beautiful game’s poor relation.
Scott had to top up her £50 match fee for Arsenal by working in the club laundry washing the men’s kit.
There were was little media coverage – just them showcasing their skills week in, week out, trying to inspire kids. They knew one day the grey suits at the FA would have to sit up and pay attention to the tsunami of female talent building, and sweep aside the prejudices that had held the women’s game back.
That day arrived on Sunday as the victory over Germany made household names of the Lionesses.
But it’s still not job done. While we celebrate the new champions of Europe and how they have kicked open the door for girls across the UK, let’s not lose that momentum.
Let’s invest in grassroots football for girls, offer it in schools and build on the foundations laid down by the unsung heroines robbed of opportunity during decades in a football wilderness.
Sunday was more than ending 56 years of hurt – it was about bringing a trophy home for the women who helped forge their path to glory.
