monday

FOOTBALL has become the most popular women's sport in the country, overtaking netball, latest figures have revealed. Clarissa Satchell looks at the female invasion of the beautiful game and how it has taken hold of female fans in Bolton.

LOCAL HEROES: Will the names Katie Chapman and Rachel Yankey trip off the tongue like Michael Ricketts and David Beckham?

THE beautiful game has long been dominated by men -- in the pubs, in the stands, and most definitely on the pitch. But just as women have muscled in on watching football, the goalposts are changing for those taking part in the game, as new figures show.

Football has become the top women's sport in this country according to the Football Association, overtaking traditional favourite netball for the first time.

With the women's FA Cup Final shown live on terrestrial TV for the first time two Saturdays ago and the comedy, "Bend It Like Beckham", proving a smash hit at the cinema, it has been revealed that more than 60,000 female players of all ages now hone their skills on the pitch.

But is women's football set to remain a sideline or can we look forward to a day when female England stars like Katie Chapman and Rachel Yankey trip off the tongue as easily at high profile players like David Beckham and Michael Ricketts?

Neil Fairclough, who runs Bolton Wanderers Ladies FC, which has players aged seven to 40, has seen a dramatic rise in the number of women playing in the town since the first teams were set up in 1994.

"When we started there were two teams with about 30 women in total. Now it's more like 130 players and, with this new film, the numbers are likely to grow even more," he says.

"But the interest was there already. Girls are learning at school that they can play football and what a great game it is, and there's so much more opportunity for them to play these days."

Nationally there were only 11,000 players in 1993, a number which has risen to 61,000 this season, making it the fastest growing sport in the country.

Premier League clubs have discovered that as many as 20 per cent of their fans are female, proving that women really are interested in taking part in football.

The town's burgeoning Bolton Ladies' and Bolton Girls' football teams became affiliated to Bolton Wanderers three years ago, and many other professional clubs have done the same.

Plans are being drawn up for a professional league in the UK. At present the only professional team for women is FA Cup winners Fulham.

Mr Fairclough says: "Women can tackle just as hard and they are aggressive.

"It is different from the men's game, perhaps because there's a bit more emphasis on skill, but women's football is just as good to watch as men's.

"I think it will become a lot more popular, just as it has in America. But the main problem with catching up with the men's game is that it's so far ahead. The endorsements for the main game are on such a large scale."

In America there is a professional women's league with most teams boasting a fan base of 6,000.

Amanda Bennett, senior development manager for the Women's Sports Foundation, believes Britain's long footballing history has hindered the female game here.

"There's a long way to go before we can talk about equity. It's one of the few remaining male bastions women were not allowed access to. Football is steeped in very great traditions. That kind of history is going to take a while to change."

In an effort to stop the 40 per cent drop out rate of girls stopping sport at 18, the FA is investing £8 million in girls' football. Another £6 million programme will give free kit and guidance to schools which offer equal training to girls and boys.

And Neil Fairclough is confident that there is a bright future for women who play the beautiful game if Bolton is anything to go by. "People who come to teach or referee matches are genuinely surprised about the excellent quality of the game. They always leave wanting to see more," he said.

To get involved with women's football in Bolton, contact Mr Fairclough on 01204-383914.

WOMEN WANDERERS: The Ladies team celebrating after a victory against Blackpool. The game is very popular in Bolton