The Trouble Club is a new venue in London W1 for women to socialise and air their views. A lively discussion about football kicked off recently on a Friday evening.
By Ade Adeniji
Joy Lo Dico (journalist and London Evening Standard Feature writer) hosted an informal talk about ‘the beautiful game’ with Nancy Dell’Olio (lawyer and TV personality), Bryony Gordon (feature writer and columnist with The Daily Telegraph) and Eniola Aluko (Chelsea Ladies striker and England player). This armchair panel chatted with an intimate group of 20 guests, four males included. The focus was on three women sports pioneers: Heather Rabbatts, sole female director and Inclusion Board chair at the Football Association; Jacqui Oatley, first female commentator in 2007 on Match of the Day (MotD), the flagship football programme of the BBC; and Helen Grant, Minister for Sport, Tourism & Equalities. Joy then showed footage of two recent games, European Championship and Premier League, to outline the vagaries and vicissitudes of top-flight play.
Informed debate elicited strong comments as Bryony drew attention to recent media controversy about a footballer’s rape conviction and whether he should continue to ply his trade, a misogynistic and sexism-blighted sport, and the unwelcoming atmosphere at some stadia.
Nancy reflected upon “… the obsession with money and sex…” in England, coupled with a fixation about players’ behaviour that is fed through the back, and increasingly the front, pages of publications. “Everyone has an opinion about football…” no more virulently expressed than through social media.
But it’s not all about tabloids and the ‘misbehaviour’ of highly paid and talented young athletes. Praiseworthy is ongoing footballers’ charity work, support for grass roots sport, positive impact of football clubs in their local communities and promotion of Kick it Out anti-discriminatory campaigns that point the way to an enlightened future.
Further cultural and structural changes are needed to make greater strides for equality. Eniola said: “Football is football…” but the authorities need to work smarter if more women are going to attend games and “…engage in the fan experience.” She appeared on MotD-formatted Match of the Day 2 Extra, last September, the first female pundit in 50 years of broadcast history.
Nancy’s tales of World Cup and European Championship shenanigans provided lighter moments at The Trouble Club. Her past relationship with former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, and as “the first lady of football”, ensured constant floodlight glare. This scrutiny afforded her a unique perspective, since to the country his was the “… third most important job after the Prime Minister and The Queen.” Arsenal fan Bryony gave a comic rendition of fans’ chants about former players Emmanuel Petit and Patrick Vieira.
The panel and guests agreed that football mirrors societal problems but culturally and structurally there have been improvements. Attitudes will only continue to get better, and raise the bar of equality to meet the needs of women, when all involved, at whatever level of the sport, change their outlook, along with raising their game.
SHE KICKS – the online community for women’s football
