pink bibs

Given Manchester’s long association with both football and visionary women, it is unsurprising that the woman’s football hype gripping the UK has been warmly embraced in the North West.

Over the past 7 years, the number of women and girl’s football teams in the UK has more than doubled (The FA). In Manchester, over the past two years, the number of teams has grown by 60%.

Often this tremendous growth is focussed on young girls and the opportunities available to them. Undoubtedly, this is incredibly important and will assure an even higher-quality national team and domestic league in years to come. But perhaps the greatest success that has come with the growth of the game, is the amount of adult women of all ages, who have finally been offered the chance to try something that they were told for so long wasn’t for them. 

We know the mental and physical health benefits of sport. And yet, according to the latest NHS findings, over a fifth of UK women (16+) are entirely physically inactive. It can be daunting to try a new challenge as an adult but adult beginner teams and leagues are encouraging all women to find the fun and community in football.

Sublime Athletic epitomise this exciting opportunity. A true mix of all ages and ability levels, their sessions are open to everyone. I attended their fixture in the Lucy Bronze division of Manchester FA’s Flexi-League, they were recently promoted from the Keira Walsh division, (although personally once I’d been categorised as in the “Keira Walsh division” I’m not sure I’d want to move anywhere).

Started by Sherree Fearon with husband, Tony, Sublime are going into their fourth season and offer teams for boys, girls, men and women. The club’s aim is that all teams feel like family and everyone feels welcome. In their words:

“You’re never too old to learn a new skill. We don’t want you to be feeling like you don’t fit in because you’re not in your 20s”

There is a true sense of community around the team and everybody I speak to is equally invested in creating an environment that allows fun and development.

As Sherree explains, “It’s not about winning, it’s about getting people to enjoy something that’s good for them”.

Star striker, Becky, played football in primary school and subsequently is considered one of the seasoned pros of the side. It’s clear she’s an excellent player who could have had her pick of 11-a-side teams but Sublime was the only choice for her – summing it up as “there’s a lot of heart, a lot of banter and a lot of hype”.

I grew up with two older brothers and I started out playing football in the garden with them – my route into football is quite self-explanatory. But I am interested in what got the women, who unlike Becky and I, had not played when they were younger, down to their very first Sublime Athletic training session, and what made them stay. 

Many credit Sherree’s persistency and persuasive Facebook posts. One player tells me she has a habit of taking up the hobbies that her partners do. Luckily, her most recent boyfriend is into football – in the past, she has had to endure golf lessons and splash out on scuba-diving. 

Tonight’s fixture is going Sublime’s way. They open the scoring within five minutes, a brilliant free kick from Becky – who else? Donna, a seasoned hockey player who tried football for the first time in her 60s because of Sublime, has come down to support. She cheers loudly before telling me more about her own unique experience of the growth of women’s sport.

She grew up around the corner from Britain’s first licensed female boxer, Jane Couch. She tells me about watching Couch struggle, despite her talent, to be accepted by professional bodies as a legitimate boxer – because she was a woman. 

“Lots of women are competitive and you should be allowed to express that in whichever way you’d like”, she tells me.  Whilst she acknowledges that there are still strides to be made, she has seen first-hand how the perception of women athletes and women’s sport has changed over the decades and football is no exception. 

Speaking to the women at Sublime cements my own certainty that women’s football can only continue to grow and that it is something which is truly good for everyone. Whether you want to meet a wonderful group of women who are sure to make you feel at ease immediately – they tell me that Sophie usually heads up the welcome committee and she isn’t even there tonight, so I can’t even begin to imagine how welcome you feel when she is – or improve your mental and physical health, it’s time to give women’s football a try. 

In Donna’s words, “It’s big now and it’s fabulous, isn’t it, because it’s so big?”

Sublime Athletic Facebook Page