WOMEN’S football across the UK has gone on to higher goals in the last few years – thanks largely to the success of the England women’s team.

And National Football Day this Sunday offers a rare chance to highlight how more and more females of all ages are gravitating towards the beautiful game.

Bolton is no exception with a thriving women’s game. And at Bolton Lads and Girls Club they are now actively encouraging more and more young girls to try the sport to secure its future.

The club already has a strong football presence . It has new and much-admired facilities at Hacken Lane in Darcy Lever with a smart, well-equipped clubhouse and flexible 3G pitches to allow several teams to play at once.

BLGC runs 27 teams playing in seven leagues across the North-west, ranging from under-sevens through to over-35s veterans’ teams – many of whom started in the junior teams themselves.

Across its junior section, there are six teams playing in the recently-formed Community Partnership League and three teams also play in the North Bury League. Ten BLGC teams compete in Bolton and Bury league and, in the adults’ section, in the prestigious Manchester Football League. Its under-21s compete in the Lancashire Sunday League and its veterans’ team plays in the Bolton Sports Federation.

The club’s ladies’ team, under manager Peter Wood, has proved particularly successful, competing against teams from across the region. Last season, the team won the League 1 cup and narrowly missed winning the Challenge Cup.

The club also now has a female football coach in Lisa Horrocks, who coaches the girls. “The other BLGC coaches have supported me when needed with training and advice and have welcomed me”, she stated.

In the meantime, the club’s Football Development Officer, James Walsh, is spearheading a programme to bring more girls into the game.

He is a former player who moved into coaching after suffering a back injury and who has coaching experience in the UK and abroad, including four years in Chicago.

He came to BLGC 18 months ago and was immediately impressed, not only with its facilities but also with its volunteers. “The volunteers’ system at the club is unbelievable,” he stated. “They not only coach but are happy to stay on after the game,answering parents’ questions. They are exceptional.”

James is a strong believer in getting more females into football and, as well as girls in the under sevens’ and under eights’ teams, he has recently run a girls’ tournament which attracted more than 100 players.

He has also been delivering free football sessions for girls in local junior schools and this is starting to pay off.

“We want to provide a better pathway to get girls into football,” explained James. “They can gain all the skills – we have just had a young girl taken on by Everton Ladies’ FC – and the game gives them a different view of team play to other traditional girls’ sports.”

The club is keen to see more girls playing in teams “or just having a kickabout and having fun” and has already introduced Friday evening sessions to accommodate an often busy after-school and weekend schedule.

“Girls can be a real force in football,” stated James. “And they do enjoy it.”

That has certainly been the case for BLGC players like Hayley Hulme who looked for a local team with her friends when she was young and is still playing today. “Now, it helps me run off some steam from stresses that adult life brings,” she stated. “Not to mention it keeps me fit and the social life ain’t bad either!”

Another player, Ellen Thornton, started playing football with boys at the age of eight. “I loved being the only girl who played and got so much enjoyment from being equal to them - if not better than them – at what was perceived to be a boy’s sport,” she said.

“I still love the game and get the same feeling as when I used to play in the park over 27 years ago. It’s still special to me as my daughter plays so I’m holding on for two more years so we can play in the same team together.”

Caption 1: GIRL POWER – Young players at Bolton Lads and Girls Club enjoy the beautiful game

Caption 2: DEVELOPING FOOTBALL – James Walsh