its administration of the game. In 1921 its members elected to ban
women from playing football; they didn't say women were not capable
of playing football, just that they wouldn't be allowed to play on proper
fields with qualified officials in any organised way. And once in force,
that rule was rigidly applied for 49 years.
What broke down the resistance of the F.A. to women's football
was the 1966 World Cup. Female teams began to appear everywhere
and within three years established teams were playing football in
structured leagues. The Women's Football Association (W.F.A.) was
formed in 1969 with 51 clubs as members, and the F.A. revoked its
infamous ban in 1970 in the face of strong W.F.A. representation.
Other countries followed Britain's example and in 1971 international
football bodies F.I.F.A. and U.E.F.A. decided that their members must
not only recognise the women's game but take steps to see that it be
properly controlled. The first England international women's team was
picked in 1972 and won its first game (against Scotland) 3-2. The
W.F.A. has now got a domestic membership of 200 clubs playing in 23
leagues.
Managers of men's clubs often complain about foreign clubs buying
their best players. Well, the same thing happens in women's football.
In Italy they play women's football professionally and have bought
many of the star players. Sallie Jackson of Fulham and Millwall's
Shauna Williams are two of the best players who have gone to play in
Italy. 'When a woman has no prospect of getting a job, and is offered
the chance to do something she loves- and get paid for it - who can
blame her?' commented league official Flo Bilton.
Nowadays, in some schools boys and girls can play football together
in their school team. You may have seen recent stories about girls who
are star players in their boys' school team, but they cannot play in
important official games because the F.A. won't allow them to play.
F.A. Secretary Ted Croker is coming under increasing pressure from
girl players who are angry at being dropped.
At senior level women's football differs from the men's game in that
the emphasis is on skill rather than strength, on stylish play instead of
aggression. Apart from that it is remarkably similar - with the same
complaints about fouls, foul language on the field and foul fields.
