HISTORY LESSON NOT LOST ON HAYES

EMMA HAYES admits it will be a moving moment when her Chelsea side walk out with Arsenal in front of nearly 50,000 fans at Wembley for the women’s FA Cup final tomorrow — 100 years to the day since women’s football was banned by the FA. ‘This is the showpiece event and we’re both vying to win but it’s also about the recognition of everybody that came before,’ said Hayes (right). ‘To have the game on a poignant date is critical and must serve as a reminder that the game won’t be banned again.’ Though the ban was lifted in 1971, parts of it remained in place for the next decade. Women were still barred from playing at Football League grounds until the 1982 FA Cup final, which took place at Loftus Road. The first Women’s FA Cup final was played at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in 1971, with Southampton beating Scottish side Stewarton Thistle 4-1. Lesley Lloyd, who was captain of the Saints that day, recalled: ‘We got there far too early so we walked to the high street and had coffee and cake — they wouldn’t do that nowadays! When we eventually got into the ground we all looked at the grass, our manager was saying, “They haven’t cut it”. It was far too long.’ The match was a low-key affair with only a small crowd watching on and little interest from the national media. ‘Afterwards we all just went home,’ said Lloyd. ‘The score was mentioned on BBC News. We didn’t even have a picture taken with our cup, we did that a week later.’ Tomorrow’s final is live on the BBC. Both teams train at the same base as their male counterparts. It is a world away from the facilities players had even 10 years ago, never mind 50. Kick-off: Tomorrow 2pm. TV: LIVE on BBC One from 1.30pm.