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Along with many aspects of home life, World War One affected sport. Rugby and hockey were suspended leagues as soon as war was declared, but the Football League made the decision to continue with the 1914/15 season. The decision led to the sport putting money before patriotism and was disastrous for the image of football, so the league was disbanded and football became much more localised.

With some women taking on men鈥檚 roles in the factories as part of the war effort, it wasn鈥檛 long before they started to appear on the pitch as well. It was the female workers, the munitionettes that established women鈥檚 football in Coventry.

Women鈥檚 football was instantly popular both with the paying public and the press. Highfield Road played a pivotal role and the standard of football that was played impressed quite a few people. One lady in particular stands out; Violet Clarke played eight games and scored 29 goals.

Women鈥檚 football was becoming increasingly popular. But soon the war was won and the women who worked in the factories were asked to stand down from their jobs. This didn鈥檛 cease the popularity of women鈥檚 football in the city.

One of the most famous teams, the Dick Kerr Ladies from Preston, came and played at Highfield Road to a crowd of 27,000. Only a couple of months after the Dick Kerr鈥檚 ladies came to the city, Coventry City Ladies were formed. However, women鈥檚 football continued to rise across the country, and the Football League was not happy. They wanted to protect whatever revenues there were to protect the league. And with that the final whistle was blown for women鈥檚 football.

The ban was eventually lifted in 1969, and England didn鈥檛 have a women鈥檚 football team until 1972.

Location: Highfield Road, Coventry, West Midlands CV2 4NZ
Image: Rudge Whitworth Ladies, courtesy of Coventry City Archives and Sky Blues Supporters Trust
Presented by Lorna Bailey

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