Following England’s perfect start to the tournament at Old Trafford with a 1-0 win over Austria, the National Lottery have released a photo series of recreations from the first known images of a women’s football team to celebrate the remarkable progression of the female game.
With consultation from sports historian and leading academic author on women’s football Professor Jean Williams, the recreation is inspired by a first team photo of The British Ladies’ FC from 1895, formed by captain Nettie Honeyball. Playing the role of Honeyball in the modern-day version is footballer and singer-songwriter Chelcee Grimes, joined by grassroots community footballers from across the UK in a tribute to the trailblazers of the women’s game that have enabled such a progression.
The British Ladies FC’s first game was played in Crouch End, North London, in front of a crowd of 10,000 people – impressive numbers for its time but not close to the near 70,000 packed into Old Trafford comfortably breaking a Women’s Euros record. In the original 1895 match, the players were still required to wear heeled boots so not to break Victorian standards of decency – and were frequently met with hostility as they sought to pave a way for other women to play.
