Members of the Manchester Corinthians Ladies were celebrated this week for their pioneering work to develop women's football.
Over 80 guests were at the Etihad on Monday for a reunion that included more than 40 players from the club that was established in the 1948-49 season before becoming City's women's team 40 years later. The event came a week after they were honoured with the Special Recognition award at the North West Football Awards for their contribution to the game.
Women's football was banned by the FA in 1921 when it was classed as "quite unsuitable for females and ought not be encouraged", so the Corinthians took their talents around the world to showcase the sport. They won a tournament in Germany playing as an unofficial England side in the 1950s and in 1960 took part in an unofficial World Cup in Venezuela as part of a our of South America and the West Indies.
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‘We were treated like film stars. There were crowds everywhere we went," said former player Margaret Whitworth.
"Playing in front of 56,000 was thrilling and the way women’s football was treated was so different to how it was back in England at the time. Here we had to play on park pitches or at other sports grounds, but there we played in major football stadiums."
The club were instrumental in the establishing of the Women's Football Association in 1972 when the ban was lifted in England, and many went on to play for City's women's team from 1988. Their efforts have been recognised by historian and research professor at New York University Gary James, who has written a book telling their story.
"This remarkable football club gave opportunities for women to play at a time when women’s football was banned by the FA. They toured the world but, more importantly, they played a part in developing women’s football for over forty years," he said.
"Their players and officials created competition and helped to change the way women’s football was governed. Some of their players are still coaching and developing teams today.
"For several years I’ve wanted to help them gain recognition, not simply for one high profile moment, but for over seventy years of activity. The reunion was my thank you to all of them for what they achieved for football and Manchester."