Lionesses' Beatlemania-like homecoming shows women footballers are FINALLY getting the honour and respect they deserve

The Sun

3 days ago

WITH Chloe Kelly inevitably at the front of the bus, the Royal Marines band struck up Sweet Caroline and the parade was off.
Inching down the Mall — British royalty's ceremonial thoroughfare — the Lionesses were accorded all the trappings of a state occasion.
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Banned by the FA for half a century, ridiculed and written off by others, women footballers were now receiving the honour and respect they have long been due.
And much of the admiration was coming from mums, who had brought their daughters along to soak in the inspirational Lioness magic.
Among them was Kerry Randall, from Gloucester, who made a last-minute decision to bring her brood — Kaydee, six, Hadley, seven, Lennox, ten, Macey, 12 and Cole, 14.
The 37-year-old early-years educator told me: 'It's nice for the girls to see we're equal to the men — if not better sometimes.'
Daughter Macey added: 'It shows that women can succeed in life.'
Holding a giant poster of Beth Mead, student and football coach Tillie Sykes, from Bromley, South London, said: 'The win meant everything to me. It's a giant step forward for women's football and for women in general.'
Proper recognition for the Lionesses' achievements has taken a long time — but now it's unmistakably here.
Standing ten deep around me as the bus passed, the Beatlemania-like roar from tens of thousands of female voices was deafening.
There were plenty of blokes in attendance, but with so many women cramming along the railings lining St James's Park, the testosterone was drowned out.
Michelle Agyemang, the tournament's 19-year-old breakout star, seemed a little overawed by the ecstatic scenes that were unfurling as the bus passed a sea of phones.
There were plenty of blokes in attendance, but with so many women cramming along the railings lining St James's Park, the testosterone was drowned out.
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No one was swilling tinnies, let alone chopping out lines of coke in the Portaloos.
And nobody felt the need to shove a lit flare up their bottom, as a smashed fan had before the English men's Euro 2020 final defeat at Wembley.
Passing alternate Union flags and St George Crosses on the Mall, the procession soon reached Buckingham Palace.
I'd half expected the wrought iron gates to swing open and a flunky to beckon inspirational coach Sarina Wiegman inside to collect an honorary damehood then and there.
It's no more than the likeable 55-year-old Dutch former PE teacher deserves.
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Her squad shuffled on to a makeshift stage in front of the Victoria Memorial.
Beneath the gilded monument to one English Queen, there now gathered more than two dozen others.
Seated on a throne above the Lionesses was the marble figure of Queen Victoria, her memorial topped with the glinting bronze statue of winged victory.
'They didn't want us on their pitches'
When the King's great, great, great grandmother died in 1901 women didn't even have the vote.
It took another 27 years before all women over 21 were finally enfranchised, giving them the same voting rights as men.
Women's football had a similar struggle to win acceptance in a male-dominated world.
Amid the scenes of hysteria, I thought back to the day in 2010 when I met Edna Broughton, then 80, who was the Chloe Kelly of her day.
Edna, who sadly didn't live to see the Lionesses' two Euro triumphs, was star striker for the world-famous Dick, Kerr Ladies football team, which was founded in 1917.
In its heyday they played in front of 53,000 fans at Everton's Goodison Park, and beat a French side in the first ever women's international.
The team were treated like superstars — but in the stuffy Football Association corridors of power, it caused deep consternation.
Minutes from a 1921 meeting read: 'Complaints have been made as to football being played by women and the Council feel impelled to express their strong opinion that the game is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged.'
So women footballers were banned from all FA-affiliated grounds — and incredibly, it lasted for 50 years.
I love the fact that they're so proud to be English and that it doesn't matter what colour or race you are. That brings people together.
Pat MacFarlane, 64, fan at the parade
Edna, who played for Dick Kerr from 1945 until 1959, told me: 'They were chauvinists — they didn't want us on their pitches.
'I think the men were worried because we were becoming as popular as they were.'
So yesterday's celebrations were also for those who came before the Lionesses, and for the young girls who will follow after — not just as footballers, but as leaders in industry and politics who will have fed off the Lionesses' guts, drive and will to succeed.
As student Katie Baird, 18, from Guildford, Surrey, put it: 'The women's teams had massive crowds before they were banned — but now we're back.'
Her friend Lauren Mutch, 19, added: 'The Lionesses' victory was nothing short of inspirational. They showed the men how it's done.'
In their St George plastic bowler hats, Joyce Allison, 79, Elizabeth Elrick, 73, and Pat MacFarlane, 64, had travelled from London's East End to witness the joyous scenes on the Mall.
Teacher Pat told me: 'When I was a kid, only boys were allowed to play football. We were told you weren't allowed to play.'
Of the Lionesses, she said: 'I love the fact that they're so proud to be English and that it doesn't matter what colour or race you are. That brings people together.'
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