“Playing at Anield is something so many kids all over the world
dream of doing. Captaining a Liverpool team here is something extra
special. My family were here with my little daughter Macie supporting
us and it was a great occasion for them too.”
There was a real buzz of excitement around the ground leading up
to kick-of with George Sephton, the ‘Voice of Anield’, spinning his
discs and the familiar Anield playlist adding to the sense of occasion.
As the teams walked out to the sound of You’ll Never Walk Alone,
there was a tangible sense of just how far the women’s game has
come with thousands of young fans delighted to see the ladies in red
(and blue) in action at one of the cathedrals of European football.
Reds CEO Peter Moore, who is also chairman of Liverpool FC
Women, said: “We are committed to the growth of the women’s
game. We have all seen the wonderful trajectory for women’s
football and this day marked another major step on that journey.
“It had always been our hope to host a women’s game at Anield
this season and the Merseyside derby against Everton represented
the perfect occasion to make it happen. Our ethos of ‘two teams,
one club’ was at the heart of what everyone saw and enjoyed.”
Liverpool had hoped to make it a winning occasion but despite
dominating proceedings, the Reds lost 1-0 to an Everton goal scored
on the stroke of half-time, the result of an uncharacteristic error by
goalkeeper Anke Preuss.
A bright start to the contest saw lifelong Liverpool fan NiamhLiverpool FC and 23,500 Merseyside football fans helped make
history for women’s football last month.
On Sunday 17 November 2019 they took their seats in three of
Anield’s four stands to record the largest crowd for a ladies’ match
involving the Reds. It was by far the biggest attendance to watch a
Liverpool FC Women’s ixture since the club was founded 30 years
ago.
The game formed part of a programme of ixtures that made up the
FA’s irst Women’s Football Weekend, an initiative aimed at putting the
focus on the women’s game during a men’s international break and a
scheme that is set to become established as an annual event.
More than 70,000 watched the Barclays FA Women’s Super League
ixtures that day with a similar number having helped set create a new
England record for the Lionesses friendly against Germany at Wembley
the previous week.
The Anield ixture also involved the small matter of the Merseyside
derby. With tickets priced at a iver and including the option of bringing
up to three children for free, it was real family afair in L4.
Liverpool captain and central defender Sophie Bradley-Auckland
said: “All the girls were buzzing to be playing at Anield. It was a huge
honour for me to be leading Liverpool out at such an historic stadium.
“When I think back to an injury I had a few years ago, there were
days when I didn’t know whether I would ever play again let alone at
this level.