Women in football

Given the name of my blog, this is a very apt feature to be appearing and I hope that putting together this piece will give credit to all my fellow female football ladies and bring to light the fantastic work they're doing as we start to see more and more women in football. I started my blog Girl On A Terrace with an aim of giving female fans in the lower leagues a voice and I truly hope I'm on my way to achieving that.


I think I realised the female football community a lot more when I joined Twitter for my football blog with plenty of female fans, bloggers, journalists, coaches and even agents making their opinions heard on there, and what's great is that it's also a little bit of a community too, well hey, us girls to stick together!

Another thing that I've also been impressed by is the response by the rest of the football community on Twitter, I don't think I've yet to come across someone who looks down on me as a female or doesn't think my opinion on a football matter counts as much as male's, in fact, I seem to have become somewhat of a go to person for particular football news and opinions on players which has come as a surprise to me and I'm very flattered by.


Although the whole women in football issue has been done to death over the times, the recent Andy Gray and Richard Keys saga over comments made about female official Sian Massey brought it into the spotlight. From my research it's seems that she's just one of two female officials in the Football League, although it appears to be on the rise with what is believed to be approximately 853 female officials from grass root level and women like Karren Brady can only be doing good for the game.


As a female football fan in the lower leagues I'm used to the comments or surprised looks when people find out not only that I'm a football fan but who I also support and I can't tell you the amount of times that people have asked if I'm a WAG and that's why I like football! Luckily for me, Rochdale fans aren't too fussed whether you're male or female and despite the odd cheeky comments and banter I've never felt dismissed or undermined, in fact, Rochdale fans are really welcoming. Over the past few season I've also started to see an awful lot more females at Spotland and at away games which is great to see and I have no doubt that we'll start to see more female fans in the lower leagues.


So that's enough of me chattering on, now I bring you the women in football...

The sports journalist - @emiliasport

Website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/england/london
"Football is a male dominated sport. Fact. The statistics speak for themselves. If you look at the male to female ratio when it comes to players, officials, owners, media and fans, the overwhelming majority are men, yes. There is a popular notion that women merely co-exist in this mad world of transfer windows and yellow cards. But rest assured things are changing. This doesnt mean that more women will become interested in the sport or even become involved with it, but for those who do want to, its not an impossibility. 


The 21st century has opened gigantic doors and windows that make it perfectly acceptable to be a woman, work in sport and be darn good at it. There are more female sports presenters, columnists and commentators than ever before and well respected ones at that. There are also more women being chosen as referees and I'm pretty sure they know the offside rule. From the Champions League to League Two, I've been to my fair share of matches and with just one quick glance into the stands, let me tell you - I can see plenty of women. Breaking into the industry is hard enough, and perhaps even more so when you are female. I work in sport and unsurprisingly most of my colleagues are male. To be honest, I've never felt a significant gender divide where someone has implied I could or could not do something because I am a woman. Maybe I'm lucky, but the men I work with have always treated me as a member of the team. Sure, I've come across people in the industry who do make unfounded assumptions (and make no effort to hide their feelings) but you get those sorts of people in all walks of life. 


If the Sian Massey saga has taught us anything, its that sexism is on its way out. However the reality is, they will always be present even in a mild form. As will misconceptions associated with many professions. For example, fashion is often thought of as a woman's 'department' - but a lot of the most talented womenswear designers are in fact men, (and a lot of straight men too.) Now I'm not claiming to be the Oscar De La Renta of the beautiful game, but all I ask is to be judged on the job I do and the stories I tell, rather than which gender box I tick. I can appreciate the beauty in a Wayne Rooney wonder-strike just as much as I admire the hours of hand-crafting that have gone into a Dior couture gown. But hey, what do I know, I'm just a woman!"


The aspiring journalist - @Lucy_bfc

Website: http://lookblacknamber.blogspot.com
"In the long-term my dream is to be a Sports Journalist working with a nationally recognised institute. In the meantime, I’ve got experience working locally and within the football team I support. I believe what I have learnt thus far (as well as through a Journalism degree) should set me in good stead – although it’s not all about qualifications, but networking and getting within the right circuits – something I believe I need to improve on.

The football (and journalist) industry/ies are very much male orientated, which I think can only be seen as a positive from a female’s point of view – obviously it’s all friendly competition and not conforming to the stereotype or mainstream could in fact work in our favour. However, in comparison to preceding decades, the female is becoming more commonplace and this can only be good for the industries involved."


The non-league football fan - @NicSFC

Website: http://nonleaguechannel.co.uk/nicolahudsonstorys.php
"I don't really see myself as a 'female' football fan. When it all boils down to it, my sex has nothing

really to do with my passion for football. The recent public cries of sexism only serve to the

detriment of the women who want to be involved in the game, with the long term repercussions

potentially bring about a bigger division between the sexes than before. We are living in an over politically correct world, where we are taught what we can say in the expectation that how we think will follow. But though it may not be said out-loud, resentment will build within the industry, making it harder for a true, achievement-based equality to be reached. Fear of what can and cannot be said around women will soon overshadow the work that they do. 


My heart will always lie with Southport FC regardless of what level they play at. Supporting my local club has always been, and will always be, important to me. Every Saturday I leave the glamour of the Football League far behind and watch football where money does not infringe on the players' attitudes on the pitch and a game which remains populated by local players showcasing their talents and not dominated by foreign imports."


The league football fan - @footychick25

"I think the football industry has certainly become a lot more inclusive to females in the sport recently, but ultimately it's still a minority, there are still very few female football agents in the game for example and there are still very few females involved in the highest positions i.e. a handful of female lineswomen and still no women managing a football league club. The sexism storm last season just showed that the women who are in the game are STILL prejudiced against or treated in a derogatory way firmly and solely because of their sex.


One of football's highest profile females Karren Brady has often spoke out how she has been treated differently or with less respect just because she was a woman. It's encouraging to see more female figures in the industry, undoubtedly but there is still a lot of work to be done. As for female football fans, I think we are definitely on the rise and I think it's great to see so many passionate female football fans like your good self, going on Twitter has certainly been eye opening to see how many girls passionately love their teams, these aren't girls who take a passing interest in the game, these are girls who are massive fans, who list it amongst their interests or who have their club name as part of their Twitter name, they are season ticket holders, who love and breathe their club as much as many male fan and I think this is fantastic!


The FA themselves are actively encouraging females to the game, and there are stats that show a massive rise in the numbers of female season ticket holders at Premier League and Championship clubs especially. I think so long as the female fans at games show a keen interest in the game, I don't think anyone really notices what sex you are as you're all there for the same thing. The only thing I do find where people can still have a sexist attitude towards female fans is on offering opinions, I still sometimes feel on club forums that if you reveal you're a female fan you're suddenly not taken too seriously, attitudes have improved massively as numbers of female fans have risen and away from the stereotypical 'women don't know the offside rule' but I still find occasions where I feel marginalised as a female football fan."


The Premier League fan - @vivsinnott

"The good news these days is that now (and about time too) it's becoming more acceptable for women not only to be fans of football but also to be involved in the reporting and presenting of the great game. There are some great women pioners in the game (although I have yet to see a Plain Jane amongst them!!). However, as an LFC fan I still find myself, on occasions, up against a barrage of 'friendly banter' from the male population! I am often to be found in the local pub (coffee or beer depending on time of day!) with three friends discussing the latest game/transfers etc. and with two being LFC fans and two Everton, the banter can often get a little heated - lightheartedly I may add!


Whilst in mid flow you can guarantee that the blokes on the next table feel they have to join in and 'correct' us with the bloke-eyed take on the conversation! We are used to this and have some very reliable 'come backs' which usually do the trick. On a more positive note, I love the banter, excitement and pure joy that watching my team brings. I don't get to Anfield very much, following a Premier League club can be a very expensive business indeed, but am proud to be a fan and a female fan at that! There are a lot of us out there!"


The footballer - @Cazza7

"I've always played football from when I could walk and I've been involved in playing for teams since I was 11 years old. I have played for quite a few different teams in the North East, including Whitley Bay and Durham City. I also played for the University of Sunderland whilst studying for a degree in Sport Science.


It's incredible to see how much women's football has grown in the past few years with more and more women taking part. The standard has increased a lot. Personally I enjoy playing to improve and become a better player whilst being part of a team. I am also a football coach and very passionate about the girls game as well."


The agent - @GeorgieLillis

Website: http://www.star-signings.com
"I think women are becoming more well known within the sport and for all the right reasons. We have very successful women doing a great job who we can all look up to. Women like Karen Brady, Rachel Anderson, Sian Massey, Hope Powell, all the sky sports reporters, commentators and presenters, and some very good female journalists out there too. It isnt about being a woman or a man, it is about being able to do the job and being good at it. There are so many female fans aswell, like yourself, who all love football and actually know all you can about it, and your blog and many others are helping to show we do actually know what we are talking about and are true fans.


There are major developments taking place like the creation of the semi professional womens league, which are all positive steps forward and encourage girls to get involved. It isnt an easy industry to come into, I am not trying to make changes like mixed teams or change the history of football, I think we just want to be less judged and more accepted. A lot of people are realising that women can be great additions to football and can play a major part in it, just as well as men can. You do sometimes get treated differently and the odd remark said to you, but I think you probably get sarcasm in many walks of life, it is about how you react and becoming a stronger person."


The referee - @popeyxx

Website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tseAR9Tn5E
"I have also now been a qualified female referee for around 3 years and currently officiate both male and female matches from under 8’s all the way through to open age. As a female referee the chances of progression are increasing as incidents such as Sian Massey pop up in the news it is a good way to build knowledge about the small minority of females who give up their weekends to officiate something that they love. I am going to continue to referee when I move over to the States and hopefully progress up the ladder from my current Level 7 to around Level 3 or maybe even higher.


If my playing career does not take off then this is something that I would seriously look into and hopefully will be able to be earning some decent money from it. The football industry especially around women and refereeing is one where some people still have very old fashioned views. The men believe that women should not be involved in football and this was shown when high profile figures such as Andy Gray and Richard Keys showed their narrow minded opinions. I believe that over the next few years women’s football with grow in the UK, however there is never going to be the chance of it becoming as big as the men’s game because they are never going to be able to get the funding to support it.


If more people paid attention to the women’s game and watched women’s football then they would appreciate the game more and therefore spread the word. During the future I hope that as myself I will be able to reach a high level in women’s football as a player, referee and a coach and would like to become as highly qualified as possible as I begin my career in the football game."


I would like to thank each and every one of the lovely ladies who contributed to this blog post and took their time to talk to me about their opinions on women in football.