‘Unsuitable for Females’: The Rise of the Lionesses and Women’s Football in England
£9.50
Shortlisted for the 2023 Sports Book Awards for Best Football Writing of the Year
Discover the origins of the Lionesses that brought football home.
England’s Lionesses are on the front and back pages; their stars feature on prime-time television; they are named in the national honours lists for their contribution to their sport and to society. The names of Lucy Bronze, Steph Houghton and Ellen White are emblazoned across the backs of children’s replica jerseys. These women are top athletes – and top celebrities. But in 1921, the Football Association introduced a ban on women’s football, pronouncing the sport ‘quite unsuitable for females’.
That ban would last for half a century – but despite official prohibition the women’s game went underground. From the Dick, Kerr Ladies touring the world to the Lost Lionesses who played at the unsanctioned Women’s World Cup in Mexico in 1971, generations of women defied the restrictions and laid the foundations for today’s Lionesses – so much so that in 2018 England’s Women’s Super League became the first fully professional league in Europe…when just a few decades previously women were forbidden to play the sport in England at all.
This book tells the story of women’s football in England since its 19th-century inception through pen portraits of its trailblazers. The game might have once been banned because of its popularity – find out about the subversive women who kept organising their teams and matches despite the prohibition, who broke barriers and set records – the legends of the game who built the foundations of the stage upon which today’s stars flourish.
‘At what feels like a pivotal moment, Carrie’s forensic research and depth of knowledge make her the perfect person to guide us through the constantly changing landscape of women’s football’ – Kelly Cates, TV presenter
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Additional information
| Publisher | Arena Sport, Revised Edition (1 Jun. 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Mass Market Paperback | 256 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1913759091 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1913759094 |
| Dimensions | 12.7 x 2.54 x 19.05 cm |
by Amazon Customer
At a time when women’s football is booming, Carrie Dunn’s latest book goes deep into the path the game has taken to get to this moment and the many obstacles it has had to come. With forensic research and intricate detail, she looks into some of the key figures who have laid the foundations for today’s success. It’s a fascinating and informative read and well worth your time.
by Charlotte Patterson
A fascinating insight into the world of women’s football, with history predating the late 1800’s. The book evolves in time through the chapters, depicting how football was in the early years and inception, before building up to the modern day era. I developed a great understanding of pioneers and figureheads that I did not know previously, but also developed a sense of pride and gratitude to the women who did not back down. Continuing to play for the love of the game. The research and detail that Dunn has put into this, is clear to see. With various quotes from players and coaches alike giving their views, opinions and thoughts on the game at the time and reflecting on it now
by Steveb
Women’s football in England and around the world is on an unstoppable rise. The Lionesses are household names and young girls and boys eulogise the names of the star players such as Ellen White and Steph Houghton. The battle for equality of opportunity is far from over and in many ways these amazing elite sports women are pioneers. However, they are not the first pioneers.
Women’s sporting history and football in particular as an academic discipline is in its infancy. As a result of this and its emerging popularity a lot of bunk has appeared in popular media about historical women footballers, or even not appeared at all. Carrie Dunn has used her forensic academic, journalistic and networking skills to examine and debunk a number of the myths surrounding key women in footballing history. Starting with Nettie Honeyball in 1895 and working her way to the present day via Emma Clarke, Lily Parr, etc she looks at the best available evidence currently available and presents this in a concise and readable format.
This is a book which has been waiting to be written and it has been written. If you want to have an informed opinion on women’s football history in England then you need to read this book.
by Rhonda Cahill
It’s a FABULAS READ & Is Suitable For Every Body Who’s InteresteD in the Game.Gr8 Value For Money.
by tina.ashman
I brought this book for my granddaughter as she asked for
by T. P. Cross
This is an excellent guide to the history of women’s football in England. From the late-19th century and the women who first started to play, build teams and then a fledging Women’s leagues. Then we get to the FA’s infamous 1921 ban on women’s football, a game they said was…”quite unsuitable for females.” But which might have been more based on the worrying popularity of teams like Dick, Kerr Ladies during World War One.
But women didn’t stop playing football after 1921. They played in works teams and local teams ignoring the FA’s rules that meant they couldn’t use the facilities of men’s teams. Gradually, despite the continuing sexism and – frankly – pettiness of the FA an amateur women’s game began to form, including fledgling international teams. Each decade saw further steps forward until the FA was forced, by UEFA and FIFA, to accept Women’s football as official. The story then takes us through the 80s, 90s and into the new millennia and up to the present day and beyond.
Dunn has taken one person or one incident or team as the hook for each chapter that then expands to tell the story of an era more generally. Sometimes information is scarce. Women’s sport, like a lot of women’s history, suffers from the lack of sources. The invisibility of women in social history in general is even more obvious in the history of women’s sports. But Dunn does a good job of explaining those gaps and telling the stories that can be told without that information. Women’s football has a more precarious existence than the men’s game, certainly at the upper levels.
The increasing popularity of the women’s game is also part of this story, although I found it interesting that some of the older players weren’t quite as enamoured of this new popularity as you’d expect and it isn’t jealousy about money like it often is in the men’s game, it seems to be a genuine fondness – nostalgia? – for a more amateur ethos. Money spoils sport. Professionalism comes with a pressures that perhaps weren’t there before. You hear it a lot when people talk about sport.
So, I recommend this as an excellent overview of the changing nature of the women’s football. There are lots of great stories in here and there is a chance for people – mainly women, obviously – to have their stories told.
by Danielle Moschini
Great book filled with interesting stories and facts! A MUST for any Women’s Football fan!!
by Natalie Jackson
So much of the history of women’s football is not known well or at all. This book takes you right back into the action and covers over 100 years of Women’s football history, including the infamous 50 year ban. An excellent way to learn about the history of the game and the characters that paved the way for the Euro 2022 winners to do their thing. This book educates, preserves, empowers and inspires. As always, Carrie Dunn nails it.