England pioneer Pat Davies remembers career of remarkable firsts

Yahoo

10-07-2025

By Laura Howard, Sportsbeat
White Stuff shares an optimistic tribute to the foremothers of English football, featuring members of the first England women's team from 1972. While women's football has made huge strides in recent years, this campaign acknowledges those who came before.
Pat Davies' football career is full of remarkable firsts.
Advertisement
The Netley-born striker was part of the first-ever England women's team in 1972 and scored a hat-trick in the first-ever FA Cup Final.
Davies scored eight goals in eight appearances for England during a remarkable career during which she won six FA Cup titles.
But despite such success, Davies still faced challenges along with moments to savour.
'My debut for Southampton at 12 was very special because it was played in my local village at Royal Victoria Hospital in front of friends and family,' she recalled.
'Scoring a hat-trick in the first-ever FA Cup final at Crystal Palace [was another key memory].
Advertisement
'But I remember very poor pitches, no facilities and just a cold water tap. There were no toilets, we were getting cleaned in duck ponds and whatever we could to just get by.'
Despite the conditions, however, Davies' talent was clear after impressing for Southampton Women F.C., she was soon trialling for the England women's squad.
'After the trials we got a letter in the post. I remember standing in the window waiting for the postman everyday before it dropped on the mat,' she said.
'The four of us from Southampton all got in so it was even more special. We were all part of the first team which was absolutely fantastic. So special.'
Advertisement
With women's football rapidly growing in visibility, the pioneering side they received their England caps in front of a sold-out Wembley in 2022.
This summer, White Stuff are refocusing the limelight on the foremothers of women's football in their latest heartfelt campaign as they celebrate the women who paved the way.
For Davies, it is those memories of wearing the Three Lions on her shirt that remain some of the best.
In fact, 50 years on, the prolific striker can still think of no better feeling than scoring for England.
'It was absolutely fantastic [to play for England]. It was always so special to pull the shirt on and the national anthems always brought a tear to my eye,' she said.
Advertisement
'To actually score a goal was just the best feeling in the world. It couldn't get any better than that. I was over the moon, you just feel like you're on a different planet.'
Members of the first England women's squad
(White Stuff)
Davies' contribution in scoring those goals and washing in duck ponds just to play has paved the way for the legends of today to follow in their footsteps.
The importance of her legacy and that of her teammates is abundantly clear, and with the recognition White Stuff and others are giving, the players are beginning to believe that themselves.
'It's nice to receive the recognition of what we did achieve. It makes us feel like what we did, did actually mean something,' she said.
Advertisement
'It makes you feel happy and proud and think, 'yeah, we started it, we were the first.''