The early beginnings of organised women’s football trace back to the late 19th century, a time when the sport was still finding its footing among male players. The first recorded women’s match took place in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 7 May, 1881. This game featured teams representing Scotland and England and was a bold step in introducing women to the football scene. However, it was not without challenges. The match faced disruption from the crowd, and societal attitudes at the time were largely dismissive of women participating in such a physically demanding activity. By the 1890s, efforts to formalise women’s football… Read more »
Some 40 years have gone by since three heroic Blackpool police officers gave the ultimate sacrifice while attempting to save a man and his dog from the choppy Irish Sea. On 5 January 1983, a Scottish holidaymaker had been walking along the Blackpool coast near Gynn Square. 25-year-old Alistair Anthony was with his terrier, Henry, along the prom. The next twelve hours would see Alistair and three officers lose their lives with a fourth hospitalised as they tried to retrieve the dog. To this day it remains the greatest loss of police life to Lancashire officers. It was January 5 when the... 