Monday 1 August 2022 03:21 PM Alex Scott and Ian Wright demand more cash for grassroots girls and women's ... trends now
Female fans have shared emotional tales of being banned from playing football - as Alex Scott and Ian Wright today demanded more cash be injected into the sport at grassroots to kickstart change following England's Euro 2022 win.
Hope and optimism is growing that the Lionesses' historic victory act as a catalyst for the women's game to 'explode' in England and inspire generations to come.
But just 44 per cent of secondary schools offer girls the same access to football as boys in PE lessons, according to figures published this month.
Little more than a third of secondary schools also offer girls equal access to coaching via local clubs outside of school hours.
The research from England Football, part of the FA, reveals that 91 per cent of girls without access to football in PE at school want to play it, with participation falling significant from primary into secondary education.
It comes as Wright, who worked as a BBC pundit throughout the competition, has suggested England's policy makers will throw away the legacy of the win if girls don't get the same chances as boys.
He has warned of MPs and businesses 'jumping on' the Euro 2022 victory, adding that they must be forced to invest in the game.
The former England striker said: 'For me, someone like the Premier League takes over, markets the WSL.
'We need to put more money into women’s football in order to have more quality teams and start to really explode women’s football.'
Former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis, who co-commentated on the final, added that the foundations for the win had been set by those who had come before them, saying during extra time: 'It's for those girls, those Lionesses who are here, who worked as police officers, firefighters, teachers, TAs, in factories... having had a not so sparkling career as a Lioness compared to the platform these girls have today.
'Carole Thomas, the first ever captain in 1984, Jill Coulthard who was my first captain I played under... for so many Lionesses whose names won't be sung around Wembley but are never ever forgotten as for why they are here today.'
England's striker Ellen White (centre left) and England's midfielder Jill Scott (centre right) lift the trophy as England's players celebrate after their win
Chloe Kelly celebrates scoring England's second and winning goal in extra time to seal their major tournament win
Alessia Russo, who shot to stardom following her audacious backheeled goal in the semi-final, celebrates as the final whistle is blown yesterday
England's players celebrate during a victory party in Trafalgar Square in central London this afternoon
Alex Scott speaks during the celebration at Trafalgar Square today. She has said the win must be a game changer in terms of raising the profile of women's football
Wright also highlighted the clear appetite for women's football in the UK, but warned that the success must not stop at the Euro win.
He continued: 'It will be [going around the world] because what they’ve shown is that there’s an appetite here for it, an appetite here for the women’s game.
'We see politicians rushing, we see brands rushing, munching on what they’ve done because of this tournament.
'But what you want to see, because you have a World Cup coming up next year, you want to see them continue to invest in the WSL, invest in women’s football so they can continue to bring us success. .There are too many people going to eat on top of that.'
His sentiments were echoes by former Lioness and pundit Alex Scott today, who said England's victory would be a game changer in terms of raising the profile of women's football.
She told BBC Breakfast: 'These Lionesses have raised the bar. They have changed the way women's football is viewed in this country. The train has left the station and it is gathering pace.
'It will be tragic to take any steps back after what we have witnessed yesterday and through the whole tournament.
'There must be an opportunity for every single girl to play football if they want to.'
More than 87,000 people packed out Wembley yesterday, while a record peak audience of 17.4 million people also tuned in to watch on television. Thousands draped in England flags also packed Trafalgar Square to watch on a big screen.
And football fans have today shared emotional stories and pictures highlighting the significance of yesterday's heroic performance has had on their lives.
Nicole Lampert said: 'My boys asked why I was crying and I told them that when I was little girls weren’t allowed to play football (other outside than in the garden or park).
'There’s been such a fight to get here before they even entered the stadium glorious.'
Posting a picture of his daughter watching, Kevin Windsor tweeted: 'This is why it matters. Representation. My daughter doesn’t have to have an interest in football.
'She just has to know that it’s an option. That she can become anything she sets her little heart on. From a princess to a lioness. And everything in between.'
Astrophysicist Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith said: 'As a child, I played several hours of football every day. I was obsessed - and good at it.
'But my Primary school team was banned from playing because we picked the best team, on merit, and that team included me and one other girl.
'As I grew up, I saw my brother play competitively and watched from the sidelines as I was unable to access the game, since there was no team for girls anywhere near us.
'So this morning, when the camera panned around a packed Wembley Stadium with 87,192 fans cheering England to an historic win (an England football team has never won a trophy in my lifetime) I had tears in my eyes. LET GIRLS PLAY!'
Some also posted pictures of relatives who had been
