A truly remarkable evening of Women’s Football nostalgia took place at Bamber Bridge FC on Friday 25th April 2014, which included live coverage on BBC 1’s North West Local News.
By Rod and Josie Prescott
The event in question was the re-launch of the brilliant 283 page book “In a League of Their Own”… The Dick Kerr Ladies story, 1917-1965 , written and fully researched by Gail Newsham, who was on hand to sign copies of her book throughout the evening.
With over 150 people attending, the Function Room resembled a who’s who of so many past legends in the game of Women’s Football!
Along with six of the few remaining Dick Kerr’s Ladies, was Sheila Parker (first Captain of the England Women’s Team with 33 Caps, who last year was inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame), Sylvia Gore (F.A. Women’s Committee Member, scorer of the England Women’s Teams very first goal and soon to be inducted in the Football Museum Hall of Fame in 2014), Gillian Coultard (England Women’s second most capped player with 119 Caps, Clare Taylor (The first women to have played in a World Cup Team for England Football and Cricket), Yvonne Gagen (Former Captain of Wales), Becky Easton (over 40 England Caps during the 1990s) , Maria Harper ( former England Player from the 1990s and F.A. Cup Winners Medal holder from 1989) … the list was endless!
Representing the present 2014 England squad was Natasha Dowie, who played for England at U-17, U-19, U-20 and U-23 before breaking into the Senior England squad in November 2009.
England Goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Fnnis had donated a signed England shirt to raffle off, to raise money for Sir Tom Finney’s Alzheimers Society Fund (Tom’s daughter was present), to be shared equally with Gillian Prescott’s Good Causes Fund, culminating with £300 being shared by both parties.
This was a fantastic evening organised and presented by Gail, the likes of which will probably never be seen again.
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