Hebden Bridge's role in helping to tell the story of pioneering female footballers

Gary James, Geoff Matthews (who funded the event) and the footballers who were the guests at the event in Hebden Bridge. Back (L to R) Gary James, Lesley Wright (Corinthians), Jane Morley (Manchester Utd), Gail Redston (Manchester City), Geoff Matthews, Front (L to R) Margaret Whitworth (Corinthians), Margaret Shepherd (Corinthians), Issy Pollard (Hebden Bridge Saints and England international)

The event, held to mark the centenary of the Football Association’s ban on women’s football, highlighted the idea of recognising the Manchester Corinthians by erecting permanent tributes to this pioneering women’s team.

The talk was by Hebden Bridge based football historian Dr Gary James and included several members of the Corinthians’ team. The support, interest and encouragement from all there that night helped Gary push forward with ideas to commemorate the women.

The Manchester Corinthians team was established 75 years ago and they toured the globe promoting female endeavour and football. Challenging the FA ban they won major tournaments in Europe and in South America.

The event in Hebden Bridge which played such a key role in telling the story of the pioneering female footballers

In fact a tournament they won in Venezuela in 1960 was perceived as a major international competition with the Corinthians representing England.

They played in front of crowds approaching 60,000 at a tihttps://gjfootballarchive.com/2024/02/10/help-the-authorised-history-of-the-manchester-corinthians-get-published/me when women’s football was still officially banned in England.

Over the last few years, Corinthians’ historian Gary has held discussions with key figures and successfully led a campaign that installed a plaque, murals and other tributes at the Corinthians’ old training ground in Manchester.

But it was the encouragement from Hebden Bridge and the support of local people that had helped confirm in Gary’s mind the need to erect permanent tributes.

This year, to mark the 75th anniversary, Gary is publishing the authorised history of the team.

The story will highlight the full history of the club, told via the voices of the women who played, and will end with the story of the blue plaque appeal – featuring the role people in Hebden Bridge played in helping to highlight the story.

The book will be published this summer but the opportunity to support its publication is available now. Anyone ordering the book before publication will have their own name published within a special section of the book.

“It’s great to see that the people of Hebden Bridge who attended the December 2021 event, which was sponsored by Geoff Matthews and Cansquared, have helped highlight these remarkable women and that night will be featured in the book,” Gary said.

For more on the book and the details of how to order, click here.