The Lost Lionesses

A fantastic book giving a voice to an incredible bunch of women who experienced a huge injustice over 50 years ago when they showcased their talent at the Womens World Cup in 1971 . As someone who had to pretend to be a boy as a child so I could play football with other children I have a sense of the climate in relation to women playing football at that time but I had no idea of the plight of these women and the man who championed the case for womens football, Harry Batt.
This is a deeply moving account of the events at the time and the consequences the group paid for doing something they loved and had a talent for. I hope this book and the acknowledgement I am sure it will bring as more people learn about their experiences will prove healing for all concerned. Harry Batt is my new hero!
I am very grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced listener copy of this wonderfully narrated audiobook and will be recommending it to my football loving friends.

I challenged myself to listen to veneers outside of my usual preference and this was one of these audios. I live the feminist perspective and the focus on women in sport. The cover made me choose it and kudos to the photographer. An interesting listen and it’s made me want to pick other books up in this area. Gave some great discussion in my book club with other readers of this genre,

Those who know me are familiar with my obsession interest in real football (ie the women’s game). So when I saw this book advertised, I jumped on it faster than Erin Cuthbert on a loose midfield ball.

The Lost Lionesses tells the story of a team who travelled to Mexico for the women’s World Cup in 1971. They did so against the wishes of the English FA, and both the players and their manager ended up with footballing bans for doing so.

Gail Emms - who is in the uniquely privileged position of her mother having been part of that team - begins by sharing the background of each of the women and how their love of football began, usually in childhood. She then traces the establishment of the team grown by Harry Batt - a huge advocate and defender of the women’s game.

In the late 60s there was still a ban in place on women playing football and specifically on FA-accredited pitches. While the FA argued at the time (and still would now) that they were working toward an aligned utopian future of equal access and representation, Emms shows where this was not in fact the case, and then contrasts this with the dedication of players and manager to move the game forward.

She evokes a Mexican World Cup full of colour and new experiences, really painting a picture of the start of a new age of women’s football. The subsequent readjustments and lack of recognition of their achievements is frustrating to hear but important to tell.

I particularly enjoyed the final stages of the book; the “what if?” chapter, and the more recent positive signs of football moving forward towards some kind of parity were great to read. Whether or not you’re already a football fan, I reckon you’ll find something in this book to grab your interest.

Thank you Octopus for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is an amazing story. I’ve been gripped from start to finish and full credit to the author for telling such a remarkable tale in such an honest and moving way. I’m a similar age to most of these ladies. I loved sport as a teenager in the 1960s and was irritated that girls weren’t allowed to play football or cricket. I recall the Mexico Olympics, but to my shame, I was unaware that women were playing international football at the same time and that the English team did so well.

Inequality in sport remains, but it’s thanks to the dedication of ladies such as these that youngsters now can play whatever they wish. Even tv coverage of women playing cricket and football has improved. This is a truly remarkable story. From such an inauspicious start; girls as young as 12 and 23 with no experience, females not being recognised by the FA or allowed on pitches. We’ve come a long way and I’m delighted that this story is in print. Gail Emma and others in her team should be on every chat show with the launch of this title. Brilliant.

The Lost Lionesses tells the story of the first England women's football team that took part in the 1971 World Cup and the challenges and injustices that they faced. The book is filled with words from the players themselves and is written by the daughter of the striker.
This book is filled with stories and anecdotes surrounding the team and is both heart-warming and devastating in equal measures.

I loved everything about this book. I found it so interesting to learn about the history of women's football and the difficulties the players had to endure. As someone with a 10 year old daughter who is mad about football, I think it is important to know the history of the sport.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning the story of the lost Lionesses.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

Why did this book make me cry? Twice! Its so rare that books make me cry but this just hit me. As a woman who grew up in the 90's and played in her primary and secondary school's first girls football teams, I really felt this. The story alone was so fascinating. It was also a rollercoaster, one moment its making my heart swell and the next I'm annoyed.

I love that these inspiring woman are finally being able to talk about their experiences and get the attention and recognition they deserve. I already have and will continue to recommend this to everyone.