Never stopped us dreaming: the rise of women’s football

Reasons to be Cheerful with Ed Miliband & Geoff Lloyd

Hello! This week the ninth Women’s World Cup is kicking off down under and there's hopes it could be the most popular ever. But it’s been far from a smooth ride for the women’s game in England, contending with deep-seated misogyny, a 50 year ban and a school system that has long excluded girls from playing football in PE lessons. We speak to ‘sports royalty’ Baroness Sue Campbell about her life-long mission to change the lives of women and girls through sport and to journalist Suzy Wrack about the history of the game. Finally, we go to Ceylon Hickman, who tells us about the incredible power of football to address social, educational and gender inequality and about the potential legacy of the Lionesses. Will they bring it home this summer?

Plus: in a RTBC first, Ed troubles Geoff with some bawdy riddles…

Guests

Baroness Sue Campbell, Director of Women’s Football, the FA (@theFA)

Suzanne Wrack, Football writer for The Guardian and author of A Woman’s Game (@SuzyWrack)

Ceylon Hickman, Head of Brand, Football Beyond Borders (@ceylonandi / @FBeyondBorders)

More information

Karen Carney's review into the future of women's football (published last week)

Read the FA's Women and Girls Football Strategy 2020-24

Read more of Suzy's work at the Guardian and listen to Women's Football Weekly

Buy a copy of her book A Woman's Game: The Rise, Fall, and Rise Again of Women’s Football

Other great podcasts include the Athletic Women's Football podcast

Find out more about Football Beyond Borders' work in schools

Donate to their crowdfunder to ensure a generation of teenage girls aren't left behind

Get a copy of the 'Inspiring a Generation' report by FBB

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