One Two Magazine Edition 1 December 2015 One Two Magazine Edition 1 December 2015 | Page 4

England Women’s Team

England women’s team
inspire a generation
While politicians pick
over the carcass of
the supposed London
Olympic legacy,
plans are in motion to
ensure that football
in Bedfordshire can
'break new barriers
by delivering
substantial social
change to local
communities'.

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That is one part of a bold new mission
statement from the shire's Football
Association, which not only claims the
organisation is 'poised to become the
country's leading County FA', but sits
atop a brand new strategy, aimed at
boosting participation, particularly in
the female game.

Coincidentally, its unveiling on July 1
came on the eve of the biggest game
in English women's football history.
Even when the Lionesses' World Cup
dream was shattered, less than 24
hours later – by Laura Bassett's last
minute semi-final own goal against Japan –
it did little to deflect from a wave of
optimism and enthusiasm that had
propelled a senior England team to their
highest placed tournament finish of third
since Bobby Moore and the class of 1966.
With more attention on it than ever, the
hope is that it will prove the next major

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milestone in the evolution of the women's
game.
Inevitably, the knuckle draggers on Twitter
trotted out tired old stereotypes, but there's
compelling evidence to the contrary that
attitudes are starting to shift.
Buoyed by the popularity of the Women's
World Cup, the Beeb moved England games
from BBC Three to BBC One and saw
audience figures peak at a previously
unheard of 2.4 million, despite the time
difference in Canada, which saw games
played in the post-midnight graveyard slot.
Even before the tournament, FA Women's
Super League (WSL) games boasted record
attendances (up 22 per cent), even with TV
coverage from BT Sport, while the FA
Women's Cup Final was played at Wembley
Stadium for the first time ever on Sunday
with Chelsea the winners.