EURO 2005: THE LEGACY

England hosting the Women’s Euros reaped rewards, despite an early exit

It had all started so promisingly. Hosting a major tournament for the first time, England’s women had won their opening Euro 2005 game against Finland thanks to Karen Carney’s dramatic injury-time chip. The 3-2 victory was watched by 29,092 fans at the City of Manchester Stadium, setting a new record for a women’s match in Europe.

The success wouldn’t last. A 2-1 defeat by Denmark at Ewood Park, followed by a 1-0 loss to Sweden at the same ground three days later, eliminated England from the competition, finishing bottom of their group.

Euro 2005 was confined to England’s north west, with matches staged only in Manchester, Blackpool, Preston, Warrington and Blackburn. But a combined attendance of 69,481 watched Lionesses games, all of which were also live on the BBC along with the final – inevitably won by Germany.

Thankfully, England’s early exit didn’t dampen the FA’S enthusiasm to drive forward with their ambitions for the women’s game.

“I think it was the first time that many people had watched women’s football, because it hadn’t been on television very much – even major tournaments,” says trailblazing presenter and commentator Jacqui Oatley (right). “The FA Cup final was on every year, but it was routinely laughed at by pundits of the men’s game. They had no idea about the history of women’s football.

“Euro 2005 was exhilarating and frustrating in equal measures. People were finally waking up to women’s football. It was a sport in its infancy in terms of being in the public eye, and it was starting a journey towards having part-time and, later, full-time players. So many of them had been paying to play.”

Although success on the field may have sped up the process, the tournament galvanised those in charge to make changes which would one day lead to England having the only full-time professional top tier in Europe. Four years on from the Lionesses’ disappointment in Blackburn, England Women earned central contracts to help ease the burden of having second jobs. A year later, in 2010, the FA established the first edition of the Women’s Super League.

With England confirmed as hosts for Euro 2021, Oatley believes it will be a very different occasion next year. “Euro 2021 compared to Euro 2005 will be night and day,” she says.

“The popular question about female footballers used to be whether they were able to play. Now people prefer to debate whether Fran Kirby should be starting or not. They aren’t tuning in and learning about the women’s game for the first time – they’re tuning in with more knowledge.”

This time around, England will be seen as genuine contenders to reach a Wembley final and lift the trophy. No pressure... Claire Bloomfield