The FA "wants to double the participation in the women's and girls game to nearly six million" by '20, according to the PA. The FA's "ambitious" strategy, "The Gameplan for Growth," was outlined at Wembley Stadium on Monday. Head of Women's Football Sue Campbell "wants to have competitive England teams across all age levels," and said that the FA will target what she described as "eight key priority areas." They include:
- Building a "sustainable and successful high performance system" which "produces world-class players."
- Changing "perceptions and social barriers."
- Enhancing the "profile of the England team and players."
Four new posts -- head of women's performance, head of women's coach development, women's refereeing manager and head of marketing & commercial for women's football -- "have also been created." The FA, which set a target of "increasing the number" of affiliated girls' and women's teams from 6,000 to 12,000, also signaled its intent to "stage a major tournament in the coming years to inspire the next generation" (
PA, 3/13).
'LET DOWN': The BBC's Tom Garry reported FA CEO Martin Glenn said that the organization "let down" women's football in the past. The FA banned women's football from being played at Football League grounds in 1921 and "did not take the sport back under its jurisdiction" until '93. Glenn said, "We even banned it in its pomp and we were slow to introduce it. We are addressing these failings." England's record goalscorer Kelly Smith "welcomed Glenn's comments." She said, "Martin is right. I felt quite neglected as a national team footballer in the past. To be here today brings a tear to my eye" (BBC, 3/13).
