56000

[scawsby steve]

At the North London derby between Arsenal women and Spurs women.

I never thought I'd see an attendance like that in WSL. What a long way women's football has come in the last decade.

Well done to everyone involved. Tremendous achievement.

[drfchound]

It can’t be a coincidence that the top division of womens football is almost a copy of the mens equivalent.

[VivaRovers]

It can’t be a coincidence that the top division of womens football is almost a copy of the mens equivalent.

It isn't, it's been engineered as such by the FA, who massively weighted all their criteria for places in the Women's Super League in favour of the big name men's teams.

It's great that such huge crowds are going to Arsenal games, but I wouldn't call the current broader structure of women's football a success at all as competitiveness at the top level is still wholly dependent on big investment by men's clubs. And whilst that's the case there's always the very real risk of women's teams being hung out to dry or closed down completely when the men's teams face difficulty/bad ownership – Reading are the latest example, but it's happened lots of times before, at Charlton, Notts County and Fulham.

The crowd and the interest in women's football at the top level is brilliant; but there's still a vast amount to be done for the game to thrive outside that.

[LincsRover]

It can’t be a coincidence that the top division of womens football is almost a copy of the mens equivalent.

It isn't, it's been engineered as such by the FA, who massively weighted all their criteria for places in the Women's Super League in favour of the big name men's teams.

It's great that such huge crowds are going to Arsenal games, but I wouldn't call the current broader structure of women's football a success at all as competitiveness at the top level is still wholly dependent on big investment by men's clubs. And whilst that's the case there's always the very real risk of women's teams being hung out to dry or closed down completely when the men's teams face difficulty/bad ownership – Reading are the latest example, but it's happened lots of times before, at Charlton, Notts County and Fulham.

The crowd and the interest in women's football at the top level is brilliant; but there's still a vast amount to be done for the game to thrive outside that.

That last paragraph could equally apply to the men's game!   

[arkseyrover]

Sorry but WSL leaves me completely cold. Mind you - so does the mens equivalent.Can't for the life of me understand how 56000 can turn up to watch WSL.

[graingrover]

arksey ..did you not know that that women go to women’s football just like you go to watch the boys or do you live on your own patch of this world only .

[VivaRovers]

arksey ..did you not know that that women go to women’s football just like you go to watch the boys or do you live on your own patch of this world only .

I think you're missing arkseyrover's point... and I'm the same as them when it comes to the WSL. I don't really tune into it either – nothing to do with the fact it's women playing football – but because I can't get over how the way it was implemented did for the Belles to be able to be in a position to get invested in it.

[scawsby steve]

arksey ..did you not know that that women go to women’s football just like you go to watch the boys or do you live on your own patch of this world only .

I think you're missing arkseyrover's point... and I'm the same as them when it comes to the WSL. I don't really tune into it either – nothing to do with the fact it's women playing football – but because I can't get over how the way it was implemented did for the Belles to be able to be in a position to get invested in it.

Sorry, Glen, but I don't think Arksey's point has anything to do with the valid points you quite rightly make.

I think Arksey just finds women's football boring, which of course is his prerogative.

[oggycompton]

It is jammed down our throats too much. On skysports news whenthey mention teams I have to double check, find it really annoying.

[Drover]

At the North London derby between Arsenal women and

At the North London derby between Arsenal women and Spurs women.

I never thought I'd see an attendance like that in WSL. What a long way women's football has come in the last decade.

Well done to everyone involved. Tremendous achievement.

The women's game started to get attendances as big as the men's before,the powers that be of the time felt threatened and put a stop to it,disgusting,just another injustice by powerful knobs within football , there is an excellent documentary about it all , if some smarter than me can find it and put a link up , very interesting.

[KingKendrick]

arksey ..did you not know that that women go to women’s football just like you go to watch the boys or do you live on your own patch of this world only .

The crowd resembles more what you would hear at a sports day. High pitched screaming. The clubs don’t make themselves distinguishable from the men’s for obvious reasons but will always been in their shadow as a result. Rebrand as the Chelsea Chicks/ Arsenal Angels etc

[drfchound]

arksey ..did you not know that that women go to women’s football just like you go to watch the boys or do you live on your own patch of this world only .

The crowd resembles more what you would hear at a sports day. High pitched screaming. The clubs don’t make themselves distinguishable from the men’s for obvious reasons but will always been in their shadow as a result. Rebrand as the Chelsea Chicks/ Arsenal Angels etc

I shudder to think of what they might re-brand Man City or Man United as.

[PDX_Rover]

Well, me and my son have followed San Diego Wave in the NWSL since they started in 2022 at a 6000 capacity stadium, moving to the new 35000 Snapdragon Stadium in September that year. Very well supported team. The football is good quality too.

[DrewSouthStand]

2,400 at the home match the week before. Reality

[Jimmydee]

I’ve never been interested in watching the women’s games on the tv. However, I walked past an under 14s girls game the other day and watched for around 10 minutes and I was pleasantly impressed by the skill of the finding passes and running into space to be available for a pass.
Obviously it must be down to the coaches and the girls interest to play the game.
Also there wasn’t any rolling around and screaming when they were fouled.

[i_ateallthepies]

'Also there wasn’t any rolling around and screaming when they were fouled'

That is a very welcome difference between the two codes of football presently JD but I am certain that, sadly, given time it will inevitably become part of the professional Women's game

[BobG]

I used to regularly watch the Belles. Kaz Walker at centre forward, the bravest of the brave and a bloody good player too; Gillian Coultard, supremely cultured midfielder and still more caps as England captain than anybody else; Debbie Bampton, England stalwart; Joanne Broadhurst, simply a beautiful footballer. They were a stupendously good side. And they didn't cheat, they didn't waste time, and, they were great to watch.

If you want a flavour of the Belles at that time read 'I Lost My Heart to the Belles' by Pete Davies. A bloody good read.

ISBN: 0 434 00143 0

Probably out of print now but Abebooks.co.uk will find it.

BobG

[Bristol Red Rover]

arksey ..did you not know that that women go to women’s football just like you go to watch the boys or do you live on your own patch of this world only .

I think you're missing arkseyrover's point... and I'm the same as them when it comes to the WSL. I don't really tune into it either – nothing to do with the fact it's women playing football – but because I can't get over how the way it was implemented did for the Belles to be able to be in a position to get invested in it.

Sorry, Glen, but I don't think Arksey's point has anything to do with the valid points you quite rightly make.

I think Arksey just finds women's football boring, which of course is his prerogative.

Arksey said:
"Sorry but WSL leaves me completely cold. Mind you - so does the mens equivalent..."

Seems clear to me he's talking about big bucks showcasing just as in the Prem. I wholeheartedly agree with that. Yes, the game runs on money, always has, but there is a point where the soul of it dies which for some is at the level of the Prem and WSL.

[DrewSouthStand]

3102 at R Madrid v Arsenal. 4094 at Chelsea v City. 7,798 at Rotherham Wycombe. Never thought I'd see the day that many at Rotherham. But let's make the headlines about the pitch shall we. I thought all non league pitches were bad?