Women's Wednesday Football Focus Series

The 1972 Women’s Scotland v. England Game

For our second Women’s Wednesday Football Focus Series Post, we will be looking at the 1972 Women’s Scotland v. England game, which was the first official international women’s match to be played in Great Britain. This game took place on the 18th of November at Ravenscraig Stadium, Greenock. This is a Daily Record poster for “The First Ever Ladies International, Scotland v. England.”

GLASF2019.0502, Daily Record poster for “The First Ever Ladies International, Scotland v. England.”

This match was played at Ravenscraig Stadium because the Scottish Football Association (S.F.A.) banned women from playing at Scottish F.A.-affiliated grounds or using Scottish F.A. registered referees. Since 1921, the Scottish F.A. had withdrawn support from women’s football and banned the game in 1949, and it was not until 1974 that the ban was lifted, and the Scottish F.A. only assumed responsibility in 1998. The Scottish F.A. justified their decision based on two arguments; one is they believed some of the money from these matches was being misappropriated (there was no evidence to substantiate these claims), and second, they thought that football was unsuitable for women. In 1971, European member associations voted 39-1 in favour of UEFA’s motion to take control of women’s football. However, Scotland voted against this motion.

Unphased by the Scottish F.A., the women’s six teams: Aberdeen Prima Donnas, Cambuslang Hooverettes, Dundee Strikers, Edinburgh Dynamos, Westthorton United, and Stewarton Thistle, formed their own organisation in 1972; the Scottish Women’s Football Association (S.W.F.A.). This booklet is the “Scottish Women’s Football Association Constitution and Rules, Established 1972 as Amended 1981.”

GLASF2018.0177, “Scottish Women’s Football Association Constitution and Rules, Established 1972 as Amended 1981,”, On Display “History Makers” Exhibition, Scottish Football Museum.

This object is available to view when you visit the “History Makers” exhibition at the Scottish Football Museum. The Scottish Women’s Football Association (S.W.F.A.) secretary, Elsie Cook, and the Women’s Football Association (W.F.A.) English secretary Pat Gregory worked together to arrange travel, stadium hire, and other logistics. As there were only six women’s clubs in Scotland, Cook relied on a loan and charity to pay for the strips as Rangers Football Club loaned shorts, and she had to buy the badges and numbers and sew them on herself. Cook recalls that they weren’t taken seriously as the S.F.A. and the population believed football wasn’t for women, but this prejudice they faced only made them more determined to keep going. The English side was recognised as the favourites as they had over 200 teams in the (W.F.A.).

The Scottish side was managed by Robert Stewart, and his team consisted of; Janie Houghton (Goalkeeper), Jean Hunter, June Hunter, Linda Kidd, Marian Mount, Sandra Walker, Rose Reilly, Edna Neillis, Mary Anderson, Margaret McAulay (Captain), Mary Carr with substitutes; Angela Creamer, Mary Davenport, Linda Cooper, Diane McClaren, and Irene Morrison. This is a programme from the “First Ever Ladies International Football Match.”

GLASF2019.0527, Programme from the “First Ever Ladies International Football Match.”

The English side was managed by Eric Worthington, and in his team was: Sue Buckett (G.K.), Morag Kirkland, Sandra Graham, Janet Bagguley, Sheila Parker (Captain), Paddy M’Groarty, Lynda Hale, Sylvia Gore, Pat Davies, Jeannie Allot, Jean Wilson and substitutes; Wendy Owen, Julia Manning, Eileen Foreman, and Susan Whyatt.

The conditions during this match were far from ideal, as the pitch was frozen, and in the second half of the game, it snowed heavily. This game attracted 400 spectators. Scotland took the lead with Mary Corr and Rose Reilly scoring 2-0. However, during the second half, England managed to fight back, with Sylvia Gore scoring twice and Pat Davies once.

Before a send-off game for France 2019 against Jamaica, several members of the Scottish 1972 team, including, Reilly and Hunter, were presented with a cap by Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Scotland Women’s National coach Shelly Kerr. Hunter recalled that it would have been great to play at a stadium like Hampden and that Kerr told the women that if it weren’t for them, the current women’s team wouldn’t be where they are now. These are photographs from the 1972 Scottish Women’s Team being given their caps.