Football women in a league of their own A

DID you hear about the chap who named his Alsatians Rolex and Timex because they were watchdogs?

My mate Kev threw the clock out of the window because he wanted to see time fly.

I lost my watch at a party once and when I found it a big bloke was standing on it. He started harassing a young woman so I hit him. No one does that to a girl. Not on my watch. LMOST 100 years ago, women in Huddersfield were part of a sporting revolution that drew thousands of spectators to games of ladies football.

It started during the First World War when women, taking the jobs of men who were at the Front, found a new independence and formed factory and town teams to compete against each other for charity.

The Football Association, worried that its popularity might rival the men’s game, effectively banned women from playing. It was 50 years before that ban was lifted.

The England Women’s team is now more successful than the men.

The most prominent of Huddersfield’s three teams was Atalanta FC.

A photograph was used last week and I asked if anyone could reveal the names of any of these heroines of the past.

Billy McGuire from Golcar got in touch to submit another picture of the squad. His mother, who was Alice Senior before she married, is on the front row on the right.

“With a big smile on her face,” says Billy.

Alice died 71 years ago when Billy was only nine.

He said: “I was the youngest of five children so do not know a lot about my mother’s early life. She lived in Hillhouse Lane and had one brother and one sister. I was born in Farfield Road, Almondbury. I didn’t know about her playing football until many years later when one of my sisters showed me the photo.

“As far as work goes, Jesse Lumb’s mill at Folly Hall sticks in my mind. In the short time I had with my mother she was always at home.”

Gerry Quinn sent a great photograph of his Aunt Nellie Quinn.

She was also on the team picture from 1921 used last week. Tragically, she died aged 22 from TB, says Gerry.

“Nellie lived in Dodds Yard, Springwood, very close to the ring road, with her parents and brothers and sisters,” said Gerry.

“Jack, Joe and Alf Quinn were all in the building trade. Nellie probably worked in the mill.

“She is mentioned scoring goals in a few of the match reports.

“Joe, Laurie and Alf Quinn played local soccer and Jack was a very good rugby league player and represented Halifax.”

Any more memories?