“A Woman’s Place . . . is at the Match”

Fan-owned, community football club FC United of Manchester is recognising and celebrating the role that women play in football with a special event on Saturday 7 April 2012 called “A Woman’s Place . . . is at the Match”.

The event, focusing on the club’s female fans, volunteers and staff by highlighting the roles that they play, is taking place at FC United’s home game against Buxton and will also offer free admission to women via a special voucher.

“A Woman’s Place . . . is at the Match” is FC United’s first event focussed on women and girls in football and the role played by women at FC United in particular. The event includes a photo exhibition on the history of women’s football, a short video documentary about what FC United means to some of its female supporters, volunteer biographies showcasing the role of women in running FC United, a radio documentary, a special themed match-day programme and much more.

FC United volunteer Lucy Pendlebury said: “Women’s football is the fastest growing sport in the UK, with more than a million women and girls playing the game regularly. One of the main reasons for this event is to highlight and celebrate the important role that women play in the game and especially at FC United. A high proportion of our volunteers are female, so it goes without saying that the club would not function as efficiently without them.”

Another volunteer, FC United’s club welfare officer, Chris Boulderstone, said: “Women are involved in every aspect of our club. There are so many female volunteers at FC United that it is quite staggering. The club embraces us and there is no discrimination. We are an equal part of everything.”

FC United club nutritionist Helen Walker said: “This is still a male-dominated sport, even though women’s football is on the rise, and there is a very traditional attitude in some places, particularly at away grounds, but at FC United I have been very accepted. It is great to see so many women involved with FC and we are welcomed without any question. We have women involved at every level of this club – at the top, on the board, physios, programme sellers and turnstile operators, which shows our importance."

The “A Woman’s Place . . . is at the Match” event underlines FC United’s commitment to bringing communities back to the heart of football and the way the game is run. A special souvenir programme for the day includes interviews with several volunteers at the club and members of staff about what it means to be involved with FC United and their thoughts about being a woman in football.