Girls With Balls: A Secret History Of Women's Football - Review
Prior to Euro 2013 I wrote an article concerning the growth of women's football in England during the last 20 years. Whilst highlighting the obvious talents of Kelly Smith, Rachel Yankey and Steph Houghton, it was briefly mentioned of the talent of one former player which had in particular given reason to delve into the history of the women's game deeper than before. The player was Lily Parr, albeit from a lot further back than 1993! The recent release of "Girls With Balls: The Secret History Of Women's Football" by author Tim Tate has provided an accurate insight in to the former height of the sport, perhaps even greater than the days of the United States' Mia Hamm and Kristine Lilly. The period Tate is referring to sets its scene in interwar Britain, a time which saw, as well as the then rapid growth of the men's game, the rising popularity of their female counterpart's footballing traditions. Until recently any female football prior to 1980 has be