When the Lionesses began their delayed Euro 2021 campaign this summer, they set out with two goals in mind - to lift the trophy and to make more people fall in love with women's football.
After a sensational 2-1 win over Germany in extra time in front of a record-breaking Wembley crowd, the England team cemented their place in the history books - securing the country's first major football tournament win since 1966. From Chloe Kelly's shirt whirling celebration after scoring the winning goal, to Ella Toone's hilarious Harry Kane quip, this united team of girls have brought joy and hope to a nation at a time when it was most needed.
And if inspiring a generation of young girls was the aspiration of this historic England team - need only watch the video of eight-year-old football fanatic Evie Jackson from Leigh, seen asking her dad why the stadium is so big - with a massive grin on her face.
In the words of Ella Toone, the Wigan-born midfielder who plays for Manchester United: "We can't forget everyone who came before us, but we've left the shirt in a better place for all the little girls growing up and we're so proud."
There can be no doubt that this team have changed the landscape of women's football and sport, but campaigners and experts have warned more needs to happen going forward to carry on the momentum from this summer. From PE teachers incorporating more football into the girl's curriculum, to promoting more awareness of the Women's Super League, this is what teachers, players, and local leaders in Greater Manchester say MUST happen next to create a long-term legacy here.
'Let girls play football in P.E'
In an open letter penned by the winning England squad to Conservative premiership hopefuls Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, the team called for the next Prime Minister to ensure all girl's have the option to play football at school. Currently, only 63 per cent of girls can play football in P.E lessons in England, with many women sharing their own experiences of being banned - or actively discouraged from playing.
Ian Gregory is head of Physical Education at Fred Longworth High School in Tyldesley, where Ella Toone studied. He admits that until Ella joined the school in the early 2010's, 'very little' was offered for girl's wanting to play football - something he says has changed drastically over the last ten years.
Speaking to the M.E.N, he said: "We are so delighted and proud that Ella has done so well. She really shaped the programme we have in place for girls' football at the school as we used to offer very little. When Ella came along she was very sporty and wanted to do everything and when we realised how good she was at football we created some girls teams. We entered the English Schools football competition and did really well in that.
"But that was really the only opportunity to play girls football back then. We had a very busy boys football programme and Ella played for both the boys as well as the girls. We had a rule in place that no girls could play with the boys after year nine but with Ella it was completely different. She stood out a country mile and was probably the best."
Ian says Ella's legacy at the school sparked a huge interest in football amongst female students and prompted teachers to incorporate a six-week football programme into the girl's curriculum. The school have also started a new initiative to form girl's tournaments across the borough in the same way that is offered to the boys - something he is encouraging other schools across the region to do.
"There is this talk of a golden legacy with this team and I really hope that's the case because anything that promotes physical activity is excellent and I see the benefits first hand," Ian said. "The women's euros have been so inspiring for both girls and boys in the area and I hope that momentum will allow schools to kick on and get more people involved in football."
'Promote the Women's Super League'
Greater Manchester is home to two of the biggest Premier League clubs in the world, but attendance for Manchester United and Manchester City's women's teams has been woefully low in the past. And whilst demand for tickets in the WSL has shot up since Sunday's final, with searches for Manchester City tickets rising by over 3,000pc, there is worry that this could be short lived.
Beth Barnes is the co-founder of the Alternative Football League in Manchester and plays for Manchester Laces. She only became involved in women's football in her early twenties - as there was no opportunity for her to play in school.
"I never played football as a kid as it wasn't really an option," she said. "I feel like PE lessons used to be very sexist in that the girls would play netball and hockey and the boys would play football and rugby. If you grow up not knowing it's an option you never do. I know it's improving but we need to introduce more girls football in school."
Beth says she wants the legacy of the Lionesses Euro win to change the traditionally sexist stigma that has previously overshadowed the women's game, and to create more excitement for the WSL.
"I was in the gym this week and it was the first time I'd ever heard men talk about women's football in a positive way," she said. "I think there is still a stigma that women's football is not as good and that it's just a bunch of girls kicking about on a pitch. Sometimes when we play football the male referees can be quite condescending and say things like 'oh it's okay love' and 'never mind.' I think we really need to champion what women do instead of bringing them down.
"I love the WSL games and the tickets are really cheap. You can actually afford to take the whole family as it's nowhere near as expensive as the men's game. During the Euros some people were able to step foot in Old Trafford for the first time as the tickets were only £15. I don't think there is enough advertising for the women's game and people don't know it's a nice environment to bring your kids to. Hopefully after the Euros people will get more excited about women's football."
TV and Radio presenter, Steve Hooper says everyone who enjoyed watching the tournament now has a responsibility to attend WSL games or encourage their daughters to get involved with football. He has spent the last three years travelling with this team of Lionesses and fears many of the fans and brands that have "jumped" on the women's success might not stick around in the long-term.
"I was out in North Macedonia about three months ago where there were no travelling fans. It was a World Cup qualifier and there was no real talk of it back home," he said. "Fast forward 12 weeks and you see what you saw on Sunday. It's a big big change. It's always the way with big successes as people like to jump on the bandwagon and people will of course jump on this.
"It's all well and good in the moment but will they be there tomorrow? That's the big question. We know the brands won't necessarily. "We know there is also going to be a massive drop off in fans. There are going to be a lot of people who feel great about it but then tomorrow will drop off. It's the same for men's football when there is a major tournament."
Amy Clement, who is co-founder of the Her Game Too movement, which was launched in 2021 in response sexism in football believes it's the job of football clubs to highlight the work of their women's teams - just as much as the men's.
"The visibility of the women’s game has got higher and I think the Euros is a massive turning point," she said. Arsenal women’s season tickets have sold out and a lot of that is because of the Euros. I know FA Wales try and do a 50/50 split on their socials which means people who don't normally look to the women's stuff are still being shown that to keep awareness."
'Everyone has a responsibility'
Steve says the biggest change needs to come in opportunities for girls to play football outside of mixed leagues which can be intimidating and off-putting for young girls or women. "I think a lot of girls will drop off because they don't feel comfortable," he said. "Girls will go try it out and play with the boys teams and then feel it's not really for them. There needs to be an opportunity for girls as they will want to get involved now more than ever.
"I know it will still exist where dad's say they don't feel comfortable with their daughters playing football. There will be a change now but there's a real responsibility for dad's to take their daughters to play. The Lionesses have won the trophy this year and they are going to get so much off the back of that but aside from that it's down to people recognising their own responsibility. That comes down to fans, PE teachers and parents."
Shortly before this year's Euro tournament kicked off, conversations were starting behind the scenes between local leaders and key sporting figures about how to change the women's game. The Greater Manchester Women's Football Board was launched in June and is made up of the FA, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, local councils and is chaired by former Man City star and England international Karen Bardsley.
Speaking to the M.E.N, Andy Burnham said the purpose of the board is to create a long-term legacy for women's football in the wake of the Lionesses success. He admits that his own nieces who are "excellent" footballers, have had to endure derogatory stereotypes and attitudes for years - something the board is seeking to address.
"Our main aim is to improve the girl's introduction and the right to play in school," he said. "One of the things the board will monitor is the opportunities across our schools and working with schools where currently there isn't enough opportunity and making sure all girls have the right to play.
"We are also looking at the question of facilities not just in terms of building new facilities but also access to existing ones. You can get issues sometimes where men's and lad's teams have block bookings that take a facility out and bow women's teams out."
Greater Manchester is the first area in the country to sign an agreement of this type with the FA, with the first meeting of the board having taken place in June to explore how the city-region can improve girl's and women's engagement with the game on every level. "This involves schools, grassroots and clubs, the more elite end of the game - and it's also about supporting the game and young kids having access to see the women's game live," Mr Burnham said.
"It’s about supporting the big premier league clubs. We've got Manchester United against Manchester City at the Etihad in December and that's going to be a big moment for women's football here. I hope that will be a full house. Why shouldn't it be? We also need to find a way to celebrate their success here as well as we've already seen in London.
"This Euro victory was made in Manchester. I will now be telling people to get on board, get your tickets, let's feel the Etihad and let's properly show the Lionesses their achievements have already had a legacy."
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