According to sources, the Corinthians Ladies FC was formed in 1949 in Manchester. This occurred against the backdrop of a ban on women's football imposed by the English Football Association (FA) from 1921 to 1971. In 1921, the FA declared football 'quite unsuitable for females'.
According to sources, the Corinthians were determined to play despite this prohibition, defying the rules to win worldwide trophies. Aftonbladet reports that the Corinthians were instrumental in beating the ban and led to other women's teams being formed. The team is also credited as a founding team of the Women's FA, according to Aftonbladet.
We didn't bother about the rules. You know what they say about rules, they're there to be broken, and we did.
The National Football Museum has named the Corinthians 'one of the most successful women's teams the UK ever had'. Their achievements include beating Germany to an unofficial European Cup in 1957, becoming the first women's team to tour South America in 1960, and triumphing over Juventus to win a cup in Europe in 1970. Former player Myra Lypnyckyj reflected on their attitude, saying, 'We didn't bother about the rules.
' The Corinthians' success came with significant challenges. Aftonbladet reports that they trained on a field in Fog Lane Park in Didsbury with no facilities. Despite this, they drew huge crowds in massive stadiums, including Sporting Lisbon, though how they managed to play in such venues despite the FA ban is not detailed.
We had paper cuttings saying that we weren't built to play football, that we should think about knitting and sewing and feminine things like that.
Lypnyckyj shared her enthusiasm: 'I just loved every minute of it. ' The team's story has gained renewed attention with a documentary film that premiered at HOME in Manchester this week, as reported by Aftonbladet. The original players are now aged 70-90, and the specific reasons the FA gave for overturning the ban in 1971 are unknown.
Aftonbladet also notes that the Corinthians' story has been largely forgotten, despite their impact. During World War I, women's football had a surge in popularity with crowds over 50,000, providing historical context for their later efforts. The exact number of players in the original Corinthians team and their names are not recorded.
Their influence on the formation and development of the Women's FA remains a topic of historical interest.