Ladies Football in Coventry

Thanks Midland Red. I do not know how to use Facebook either! Could anyone out there get a Facebook message to Bernard Boyland please?

Hi Lionel. I have sent the Bernard on Facebook a message. He may not read it as people sometimes don't if they get a message from someone they don't know. I was wondering how old the Bernard you are trying to contact would be.

Hi Annewiggy Bernard would be in his 60's. Thanks for your help.

Hi Lionel, Bernard is trying to contact you, he says he has sent you a message but got an error message. Do you want to contact me directly and send me your email address (click contact under my name on the left)

Thank you Anne! I am now in touch with Bernard who has supplied some very interesting information. Apparently Coventry Bantams had five international players during his managerial spell and the team was one of the best in the Midlands, competing in the Heart Of England Women's League. Bernard was formerly manager of Renold Chain Ladies F.C. During World War One this company raised a ladies team in 1917 from its vast number of female munition workers, to compete with the likes of representative sides from the Humber, Daimler and Rudge-Whitworth factories, to name a few. The female munition workers teams created a firm foundation which resulted in the formation of Coventry City Ladies in 1921. This club only lasted one year due to the Football Association imposing a nationwide ban on women's football in 1921. Coventry Bantams Ladies was formed in 1967 by two enthusiastic female Sky Blues supporters who stood in the West End for home matches. Many of their friends joined the group to establish the club, the team at this time played in all sky blue. Other players joined in later years and in 1971 the team played in green & black. The club survived until about 1980. Coventry City Ladies was resurrected around 1992 and that club is still in existence although today they play under the title of Coventry United Ladies, due to their recent amalgamation with the corresponding male team. We have a rich history of ladies football in Coventry and it is sad the female game does not get the credit or acknowledgement it deserves.

Glad it all worked out Lionel. My grandad worked at Renold Chain, not sure when but you never know he may have known some of the ladies!

I manage a very successful girls football team and each season produce an expertly designed book that is professionally printed and bound. In addition to Player Profiles and a match report for every game I try to include additional features. This season I'll be including an article on the lady that I've bought our end of season trophies off for the past 6 years. I recently found out that she played football for Dunlop and have a photo from 1966. She told me "I worked at Dunlop Ladies and the girls worked in different parts of the factory, so we never really got to know one another. I remember a notice went around requesting players. I was very keen to join. I took the game very seriously but alas a lot of the girls did not and it was a bit of a giggle for them. Worse still, the support, particularly from men was very negative. Ladies football was just not taken seriously. Our manager (a man) tried his best with no financial support and encouragement. He managed to get us a second hand kit (it was awful and didn't match). I honestly can not remember his name, it might come to me later! I can see his face. The team only last about 12 months, we were playing games and winning and doing quite well but then we got into a final and played a team from Manchester, they were brilliant and won by a humiliating victory". The feature I'm intending could actually be a wider subject: Ladies football in Coventry. If anyone can help, e.g. by providing the material, or perhaps even writing (parts) of the article please let me know.

Hello & welcome to you EugeneL Let's hope for a response. Best wishes.

There were quite a few good ladies teams around in the 70s. Hawker Siddeley (Bitteswell) fielded one and you might find a couple of pictures of the teams on the Bitteswell F/B site. It might be worth contacting the Sphinx club at Siddeley Ave to see what they have?