At the start of July 2022, members of the Football Supporters’ Association’s Women’s Game Network met in person for the first time since the pandemic started, to discuss the future of the women’s game and how that fan activism can be supported.
Fan representatives from 18 groups affiliated & associated groups came together in Birmingham to consider how the FSA can support the growth of fan activism in the women’s game. Representing the Bristol City Supporters Club & Trust was board member Shahan Miah.
Training and development for members is clearly part of that but the event also provided many members with an opportunity to meet each other in person for the first time.
“The group was set up in 2019, but then COVID hit, so despite being formally established at our 2020 AGM, this was our first meeting in person. It was great to get in the same room,” said Deborah Dilworth, the FSA’s Women’s Game Network manager.
“There was a real range of groups too – everything from new groups like Villa Bellas, through to supporter-owned clubs like Clapton Community FC, trusts like Bristol City Supporters Club & Trust, as well as supporters’ clubs representing [the likes of] Liverpool & Manchester City.”
Despite it being the first time everyone had got together, there’s still been a great deal of work done during the past couple of seasons, with countless Zoom meetings and a range of activities – including the launch of the FSA’s Women’s Game Strategy.
Supporters present considered the potential impact of the upcoming review of women’s football and explored the different challenges that can exist in the women’s game. The Vision Day received support in that from various experts and the FSA would like to thank:
- Anika Leslie-Walker (Nottingham Trent University)
- Jean Williams (Consultant)
- Jen O’Neill (Editor – She Kicks)
- Katie Cross (Pledgeball)
- Kehinde Adeogun (Lawyer)
- Kieran Maguire (University of Liverpool)
- Stacey Pope (Durham University)
This article is taken from the Football Supporters’ Association website, which can be read here