Levelling the playing field: Pompey ITC's programme for young girls celebrate the Lionesses win and share what it means for them

The sessions, which are part of Pompey in the Community’s girls and women’s football development programme, have become increasingly popular over the past few years because of the increased level of inclusivity within the sport.

Pompey in the Community (ITC) is the charitable arm of Portsmouth Football Club which promotes equal access to opportunities and runs girls’ development teams, running from under-11s to under-16s, offering high level coaching sessions twice a week, with games played on a Saturday.

The programme is now braced to receive a surge of even more interest in the game from girls in the area after England's Lionesses beat Germany 2-1 at the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final at Wembley a fortnight ago.

Their victory has led to scrutiny of female inclusivity in the sport, with fresh calls for further development of women’s football and increased participation for girls at grassroots.

In an open letter to to Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss the Lionesses urged the government to ensure all girls have access to football in schools.

The letter, signed by every member of the England squad, read: ‘We want every young girl in the nation to be able to play football at school.

‘Currently only 63 per cent of girls can play football in PE lessons. The reality is we are inspiring young girls to play football, only for many to end up going to school and not being able to play.’

The development programme, which has been running for five years, has 64 girls in the junior programme and approximately 70 girls in the after-school scheme, with interest expected to soar following the monumental win.

Attending a training session at Cowplain School, near Waterlooville, the girls had plenty to say about the stunning victory.

Elsie Gordon, 11, from Waterlooville, joined her first local team as an under-six and is just about to start her fourth season at the development programme.

Elsie was among the record-breaking Wembley crowd, along with her family.

‘I was there! It was amazing, I was surprised how many people there were, there’s not usually many people at women’s matches, but there was a lot,’ Elsie says.

Elsie’s mum, Keri Gordon, said: ‘It was phenomenal, literally out of this world, the whole place was buzzing.

‘Representation is massive for the girls, to inspire them and see how successful the women can be. They watch the men a lot and its never been comparable, hopefully it will give it that lift and the girls at this level can aspire to it.’

Another player, 12-year-old Riley Barnett from Southsea, says of the triumph: ‘I think it made me want to get better, I've been playing since I was seven.

‘I don’t get to do it at secondary school, there’s not enough people to make a team.

Kirsty Pearce, a former player on the Pompey women’s team, runs the development programme.

She said: ‘I’ve been in the role for six months. I was here 10 years ago in a slightly different role, still heading up the women’s and girls’ programme, but it was more about increasing participation.

‘At that time there was a lot of female drop-outs.’

Having left and returned to the club, Kirsty, who also played professionally for Reading FC, can see how far girls’ participation in the sport has come – in a relatively short space of time.

‘There’s a massive difference, just seeing how popular it is and the increased number of girls playing football now,’ she says.

‘When we had our open training session, we had to turn girls away because we had too many for certain teams.

‘Before I was dragging people in just to come to a training session!’

The women's game has historically attracted less attention and funding compared to the men’s, with limited access for women and girls at a grassroots level.

Kirsty says watching the Lionesses, and some of her former teammates, win was a ‘proud moment’ which she hopes will continue to push much-needed development in the women’s game.

‘The women's game is now professional, and has been for the past five years, and it’s more accessible for young girls.

‘They've actually got role models now,’ she adds.

Watched by 87,192 fans - a new attendance record for either a men's or women's European Championship – the Lionesses final also hit a peak TV audience of 17.5 million on BBC One, making it the most-watched programme in the UK of 2022.

‘The broadcasting deal has been massive, young girls can see that they can do it too.

‘When I say to the girls now, who’s your favourite player, I’m expecting them to say someone like Kevin De Bruyne and they pop out with a woman’s name. ‘I think that’s brilliant. You wouldn't have got that a few years ago,’ says Kirsty.

Jack Randall is a full-time coach who trains girl and boy players. He says: ‘Arguably there’s more passion in the girls now, they want it more. They’re trying to prove a point. I think that’s brilliant,’ adds Jack.

Lily Wiseman, 10, from Portchester joined her first football team when she was six, but she says she was kicking a ball around as soon as she could walk.

‘Men get paid more sitting on the bench than women do playing the game,’ says Lily.

‘Some Pompey women players don’t even get paid, they just do it for their team and they have to go find a different job,’ she adds.

‘It’s sexist,’ adds 11-year-old Lacey, from Petersfield.

But Kirsty and her colleagues are working hard to level the playing field. ‘Whatever the boys get the girls get, that’s something I’ve made sure about since I came to my role.’

‘My aim is to get as many girls playing professional football as possible and to make them aware that there IS a career for them.’