Chelsea

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It was another successful night for Premier League clubs in the Champions League with wins for Manchester City who beat Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle who got the better of Athletic Club at St James Park – and a draw for Chelsea away to Qarabag in Baku.

Kelly Cates has all the reaction and is joined by Premier League legends Michael Brown, Leon Osman and Tim Krul. They start at the Etihad where Phil Foden and Erling Haaland dazzled again for Manchester City on bonfire night – and Pep Guardiola even pops on the pod to chat to John Murray after his side’s 4-1 victory.

Tim gives his thoughts on Joelinton and Dan Burn after they scored for his former side, giving Newcastle a 2 nil win.

And Chelsea came from 2-1 down to draw two all with their opponents, after Alejandro Garnacho got Chelsea’s second and proved that he was indeed the impact substitution that manager Enzo Maresca needed.

Timecodes:
00:40 – Manchester City section.
10:25 – Pep Guardiola with John Murray.
14:30 – Newcastle section.
18:08 – Eddie Howe interview.
22:35 – Chelsea chat.
29:53 – Enzo Maresca audio.

Thursday 6th November
EUROPA LEAGUE: Midtjylland v Celtic 1745 KO – LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA
CONFERENCE LEAGUE: AEK Larnaca v Aberdeen 1745 KO – LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA 2
EUROPA LEAGUE: Rangers v Roma 1945 KO – LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA

Saturday 8th November
PREMIER LEAGUE: West Ham v Burnley 1500 KO – LIVE ON 5 LIVE
PREMIER LEAGUE: Everton v Fulham 1500 KO – LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA
PREMIER LEAGUE: Sunderland v Arsenal 1730 KO – LIVE ON 5 LIVE
WSL: Arsenal v Chelsea 1200 KO – LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA

Sunday 9th November
PREMIER LEAGUE: Nottingham Forest v Leeds United 1400 KO – LIVE ON 5 LIVE
PREMIER LEAGUE: Brentford v Newcastle 1400 KO – LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA
PREMIER LEAGUE: Aston Villa v Bournemouth 1400 KO – LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA 2
PREMIER LEAGUE: Crystal Palace v Brighton 1400 KO – LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA 3
PREMIER LEAGUE: Manchester City v Liverpool 1630 KO – LIVE ON 5 LIVE

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Match of the Day’s Gabby Logan, Alan Shearer and Ashley Williams dissect the reaction of Tottenham’s Djed Spence and Micky van de Ven after their defeat by Chelsea.

READ MORE: Fans booing and players snubbing the manager – an ‘abject’ day for Spurs

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Chelsea captain Reece James explains how Thiago Silva’s influence continues to have an impact on his career, and how it was good to catch up at the Club World Cup, as he sits down with Kelly Somers for The Football Interview.

Watch: Reece James – The Football Interview in full here

Chelsea Clinton is already running for a second term — as a mom!

“Next summer, Charlotte is going to be a big sister! Feeling very blessed & grateful this holiday season,” the former first daughter said Monday on Twitter. She and husband Marc Mezvinsky had their first child, Charlotte Clinton Mezvinsky, in late September 2014.

The announcement featured a picture of Charlotte eyeballing a book titled “Big Sisters Are the Best.” (Perhaps the little one’s next read will be her mom’s book “It’s Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going”? OK, we’ll give her some time …)

Grandparents Bill and Hillary Clinton were quick to jump in with official congratulations.

Follow Christie D’Zurilla on Twitter @theCDZ and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs.

Follow Christie D’Zurilla on Twitter @theCDZ and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs.

Walsh highlights Chelsea’s vision for the future but also the ghosts of the recent past.

Against Ajax, Chelsea gave minutes to 10 players aged 21 or younger, having not played a player over the age of 28 since the beginning of last season.

Chelsea broke several other records on Wednesday, including:

Brazil international Estevao continues to impress after joining the Blues this summer.

The forward was last week one of three Chelsea players nominated for the Golden Boy award, which recognises the standout young players across the European game – along with Jorrel Hato, Mamadou Sarr.

And, after Hato described him as one of the best teenagers in football after Lamine Yamal, Maresca was full of praise for his display.

He said: “I feel very lucky to be his manager. The fans pay tickets to see players like Cole (Palmer) and Estevao.

“He’s very humble and polite, wants to work hard. He has fantastic family who are very close to him. He’s a special player but we don’t have to be worried that he thinks he knows how good he is. He’s a very simple guy.

“It’s a special night for the club and its young players.”

The Blues are the youngest team in the Premier League and are among the youngest teams in Europe’s top five leagues, coming second behind only sister club Strasbourg last season, which is under the same BlueCo American ownership.

Chelsea’s strategy, which sometimes faces criticism, is by design and one they believe will lead to greater success in the long-term, having already won the Conference League and Club World Cup last season.

Despite that, signing so many young players can send the wrong message to the club’s famed academy and there is a delicate balance to be struck.

Chelsea were horrified when they lost attacker Rio Ngumoha to Liverpool in 2024 and vowed it would never happen again.

Since then, Maresca gave a record eight academy players their debuts last season, albeit against lesser competition in the Conference League.

In addition to Walsh, older academy graduates George and Josh Acheampong, both 19, have been given full-time first-team roles.

Meanwhile, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, 16, was on the bench against Ajax for the first time and is among an exciting future generation.

Chelsea’s dominant victory over Paris FC was lit up by the newest member of their attack, Alyssa Thompson, who traversed the Stamford Bridge pitch with agile runs and eventually got the rewards her efforts deserved.

Thompson may be just 20 years old, but her arrival at Chelsea was accompanied by lofty expectations arising from the club record price tag. Now, in her seventh appearance, she has finally got off the mark.

She darted down the wings and led her side’s counter-attacks, showing expert positioning to put herself in the right place to be able to set up Johanna Rytting Kaneryd’s goal, and tapped home an excellent Keira Walsh delivery to get her first goal for the club.

It was an impressive display, but, says manager Sonia Bompastor, the best of her is still to come.

“A young player, a lot of talent, but I think we haven’t seen yet the best of her, but hopefully we will see that soon,” said Bompastor.

“She is coming from abroad, she speaks the language, which helps, but again, it’s a new environment, a new club, she needs to learn to connect with new players on the pitch, new team-mates, so hopefully, even sooner, we will see an even better version.”

Thompson’s first goal is one which will put her at “ease”, says Brighton forward Fran Kirby, who previously spent nine years at Chelsea.

Former Scotland captain Rachel Corsie added that now Thompson has scored, she imagines the “floodgates will open”.

“She’s been a real bright spark,” Kirby said on BBC Radio 5 Live. “I think against Tottenham she looked really sharp, it was probably that final product.

“Today, getting that assist and goal will make her feel a little bit more at ease going into the next game. A little bit of pressure off.”

FRANK LAMPARD has told England’s players that silence is golden if they want to earn a World Cup spot.

The former Three Lions great is advising Thomas Tuchel’s latest squad that mum’s the word when it comes to the German’s team selection.

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The Three Lions’ chief has an array of attacking talent at his disposal and Lampard, who spent the majority of his 106-cap international career being shoehorned into a midfield with Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes, knows all about compromise.

And he suggested that keeping schtum worked for him — as he went on to score 29 international goals and played in three World Cups and one European Championship as part of the ‘golden generation’.

He said: “I just got on with it. You’re a professional, you get on with it — you are playing different ways, you respect the manager and you crack on. You can have your own opinions — but I tended to keep mine to myself and think about what could I do best if I was asked to play.

“The truth is, I never really played for England much like I played for Chelsea.

“There were times, like in 2004, when Sven-Goran Eriksson was there when I played at the top of a diamond — that wasn’t my ideal, either — but if you are representing your country and the manager’s got an idea, you just go with it.

“That was my story and it’s been documented and people talk about it many years later with a different view to how it felt at the time,

“They just sort of say, ‘It did work or it didn’t work’. Sometimes it did, sometimes it didn’t. But I’m not interested in that conversation.

“Personally, I got on with it, as did Stevie and Scholesy.”

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Lampard is in a unique position to comment now he has crossed over to frontline management.

His Coventry side are sitting top of the Championship this season, having scored an impressive 27 goals this season as he attempts to orchestrate a return to the Premier League.

He believes that times may have changed and that Tuchel might  operate a more relaxed policy.

The German has plenty of options up front — all of whom will make a claim to start alongside skipper Harry Kane.

Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon, Eberechi Eze, Jarrod Bowen, Marcus Rashford and Ollie Watkins were all in the squad for the double header against Wales and Latvia.

But the likes of Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish will all be wanting to board the plane to North America for the World Cup next summer.

There are only so many places in Tuchel’s starting XI — and Lampard added: “Now I’m a manager, I understand selection difficulties.

“I’ve had big squads at Chelsea. When I was first there, I went back and they had the 29 players — of which some were disgruntled — that’s another story.

“But in terms of trying to fit players in, you have to make tough decisions as a manager — you have  ideas, you have to work with the squad you’ve got and think, ‘What is the best?’ So that’s why I never really comment on what decisions other managers take because I don’t know the context, what they’re thinking and who and how they want to play.

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“However, I do think it’s more common in the modern day for a conversation to be more open between player and manager.

“It goes manager by manager – some don’t want to talk and say, “This is the team, I’m the boss, you get on with it.’

“There are those who will have individual conversations, and then other people will open up to the group. That all depends on who’s in charge. And players react differently.

“I think there’s a balance to it. I think the players have to feel your authority and believe in what you’re doing.

“It’s not always an open conversation. Our job is to get that bit right. And our job is to be like that.

“But as a manager also, you want to have constant communication in that players feel that they can speak to you because you might find something that you didn’t know.

‘A DIFFERENT ANIMAL’

“England’s a bit of a different animal because you only turn up every now and again.

“At Chelsea, sometimes you’re playing at the weekend and through the week, and you’re training every day and the conversations are there throughout the year much more.” One chat with a great former Chelsea manager sticks in Lampard’s mind.

He added: “I remember once having a conversation with  Carlo Ancelotti about my position at Chelsea when he played a diamond formation.

“It didn’t feel really fluid, not just for me, but for the team.

“That was one of the beauties of Carlo, he would be very open with that chat and I’m not saying he changed his mind, but he was taking on information and then adapting around it.

“That’s why he’s one of the greatest managers, that’s his style — I think those things should be authentic.

“If you want to do your thing and you stick to your guns, you may  succeed or you may fail, that’s what you do. That’s one person’s approach.

“I am more open with my players to try to speak to them, because I want to get better. So every conversation I have with a player may help me, whether I agree with it or not.”

“In the end, the decision is mine — and then hopefully it works.”

DIEGO COSTA may be retired, but he hasn’t lost any of the fire he showed in his playing days, KICKING OUT at ex-Liverpool right-back Martin Kelly in the Chelsea vs Liverpool legends match.

The ex-Brazil and Spain forward, 37, was running onto a through ball from Eden Hazard, when Kelly came through from behind to win the ball from the physical striker, leaving him furious.

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Costa, still on the floor, decided to lash out at Kelly with his studs, planting a foot into the right-back’s upper leg.

Kelly – who only officially retired from football YESTERDAY – was left furious, and we saw a familiar scene as Costa got to his feet and squared up to the 35-year-old.

Things looked to be diffused, only for Costa to carry on playing before choosing Martin Skrtel as his next target.

The Slovakian defender challenged Costa just minutes later, with the striker still clearly unhappy, and then getting booked for squaring up to Skrtel.

And fans were left less-than-shocked on social media.

Taking to X, one wrote: “Diego Costa being aggressive in a Legends match is the most Diego Costa thing ever.”

Another said: “People don’t really change, and Diego Costa reminding us why.”

A third added: “Diego Costa will always be Diego Costa.”

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Even Eden Hazard weighed in at half-time, saying: “”This guy is still the same, you know. We just saw it.”

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COLE Palmer has trademarked his nickname and celebration after a French vineyard forced him to abandon the right to sell his own brand of wine.

The Chelsea and England star won exclusive legal rights to the term “Cold Palmer” as well as his “shivering” goal celebration.

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It comes after Chateau Palmer, which sells bottles of wine for as much as £750, opposed his bid to flog plonk — and won their case in August.

But, on Friday, the 23-year-old won the right to brand an array of other products, including snacks, mobile phone covers, toys, Christmas crackers and even teddy bears.

This essentially means nobody can use Palmer’s “Cold” nickname for commercial use without his permission.

He has also successfully trademarked his autograph.

An article in The Athletic detailed how the Intellectual Property Office approved the application made by the footballer’s private company, Palmer Management Limited.

In August, winemaker Chateau Palmer, based near Bordeaux, opposed the initial application.

In response to this, Palmer amended the application in September to drop any reference to wine, paving the way for the successful application.

It still covers a range of other alcoholic beverages, such as spirits, liqueurs and alcoholic energy drinks.

The winery was founded in 1814 when Army officer Charles Palmer bought the estate.

Royal wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd says: “At their best, the wines of Ch. Palmer are among the greatest anywhere in Bordeaux.”

A bottle of its Cru Classé Margaux from 1970 is priced at £750.

Speaking to The Athletic, Karen Lee, an intellectual property lawyer at Edwin Coe, said: “Once you have a registered trademark in place, it is much easier to enforce your rights against third parties.

“Anyone using something that’s the same or similar can amount to an infringement. And that’s when it can lead to High Court litigation, which can be very expensive.”

Palmer has made no secret about the celebration not being his own original work. 

He previously admitted how, following his time in the Manchester City academy, he was inspired to perform the celebration by then team-mate Morgan Rogers. 

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Aston Villa star Rogers, was accused of copying the celebration when he scored against Chelsea in April 2024, before he clarified: “It’s the opposite, I did it first, he copied me.”

Speaking of his celebration in a previous interview with The Telegraph, Cole said: “It symbolises joy, passion and hard determination for the game, plus it’s funny as it works well with my name.

“Everyone knows it’s my celebration. Lots of people might have done it (before me), but everybody knows it is my celebration.”

However, this could mean that Chelsea has to register for a licence if the London club wants to use his nickname in promotional material.

EA, the company behind the EA Sports FC series of video games, might also have to ask permission to use his celebration in future games.

Other footballers who have trademarked their names and celebrations include David Beckham and  Cristiano Ronaldo, who trademarked his name, CR7 initials and “Siuuu” celebration.

Lionel Messi also trademarked his surname after a legal challenge from the cycling brand Massi.

Some other stars have managed to have their brand made exclusive in specific countries, including Marcus Rashford with his name in the United States, Erling Haaland  with his signature and goal celebration in his native Norway.

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UEFA chiefs want to block clubs from playing domestic games abroad.

But they are powerless to prevent La Liga and Serie A chiefs heading out of Europe this season.

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In a measure that could stymy any long-term Prem plans to play matches out of the UK, Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin confirmed his deep personal opposition to the concept.

That is despite giving the green light for Barcelona to play Girona in Miami in December and Milan to face Como in Perth in February.

Uefa explained its ruling executive committee had “reluctantly taken the decision to approve, on an exceptional basis” the requests from Spain and Italy, citing a lack of rules to prevent the games being switched.

But Euro chiefs pledged to work with Fifa to “uphold the integrity of domestic competitions and the close bond between clubs, their supporters and local communities”. 

Ceferin said: “League matches should be played on home soil.

“While it is regrettable to have to let these two games go ahead, this decision is exceptional and shall not be seen as setting a precedent. 

“Our commitment is clear – to protect the integrity of national leagues and ensure that football remains anchored in its home environment.”

Prem chief Richard Masters has emphasised his total opposition to the prospect of English games being played overseas.

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However, that policy could change if 14 of the 20 top flight clubs voted to explore the option.

Fan group Football Supporters Europe said: “We regret the decision to allow the requests but all 55 national associations have committed not to make further requests for domestic matches abroad without first consulting UEFA. 

“The onus is now on FIFA to plug this regulatory gap. We welcome UEFA’s commitment to work with FIFA to ensure that future rules uphold the integrity of domestic competitions.”

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Estevao struck in added time for Chelsea to inflict a third straight defeat on Premier League champion Liverpool.

The Brazilian slid in at the far post to seal a 2-1 win for the Blues that sparked wild celebrations after a thrilling clash at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The teenager’s first goal since his move from Palmeiras ensured Liverpool goes into the international break having been knocked off the top of the standings.

Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo had given his side a half-time lead following a fierce drive from outside the box, but Cody Gapko levelled.

“Last season, we lost against Chelsea as well. Stamford Bridge is always difficult [to play at]. We were very close to a result. [It’s all about] Small margins,” Liverpool manager Arne Slot said.

The Dutchman also went on to reflect on the defeats at Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday and at Crystal Palace last weekend.

“As I said at Galatasaray, we had a one-vs-one, then they get a penalty,” he said. “We conceded in extra, extra time against Palace. And then today, they score a goal that could go at either end.”

Arsenal claimed first place, a point ahead of Liverpool, after beating West Ham 2-0 earlier in the day.

Manchester United also secured a crucial victory as they won against Sunderland 2-0.

Relief for Manchester United manager Amorim

Ruben Amorim rang the changes and the Manchester United manager got the result he desperately needed.

United’s win may quieten the mounting speculation over Amorim’s position, even if only temporarily. He has still to lead United to back-to-back victories in the league after almost a year in charge, but this was a step in the right direction.

“Of course, it’s really important to win games and have a better feeling, but we need to forget this game and go for the next one,” he said.

Amorim showed his ruthless side by dropping $84m summer signing Matheus Cunha and handing a first start to new goalkeeper Senne Lammens in a game that was seen as another potential stumbling block after losing three of their opening six league matches.

Those decisions paid off with first-half goals from Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko at Old Trafford and a first clean sheet of the season.

This was only Amorim’s 10th win from 34 league games and going into Saturday’s match, he accepted it would be “impossible” to continue in the job if results did not turn.

Which is why victory against Sunderland was crucial in a week when he was criticised by United greats Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville, and before the international break, which has traditionally been a convenient time to make managerial changes.

“There’s always a lot of pressure, especially in a club like this, but we always try to take it in a positive way,” said Sesko, who scored for the second game running after his move from RB Leipzig worth up to $99m. “We did it, and we showed once again that we can play well, that we can win games.”

Arsenal on a roll

That is four wins in row for Arsenal.

Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, from the penalty spot, inflicted a first defeat on new West Ham coach Nuno Espirito Santo in Arteta’s 300th game in charge.

“I wanted to celebrate it with a win, I’ve got it,” Arteta said.

After a daunting start to the campaign, Arsenal was back in the title hunt following three seasons as runner-up.

Saka, who scored on his 200th appearance for the club, is convinced Arteta will deliver trophies.

“We’ve had some tough games, particularly away. We are in a strong place in the Premier League and looking forward to coming back and pushing on,” he told the BBC. “Mikel has very much improved my game. I am very grateful to have him as my coach. He will bring this club success and [I’m] looking forward to when that day comes.”

But victory came at a cost after another injury to captain Martin Odegaard.

Kudus gets off the mark for Tottenham

Mohammed Kudus scored his first Tottenham goal to keep Thomas Frank’s team riding high.

Kudus’ second-half strike from the edge of the box secured a 2-1 win at Leeds to move Spurs up to third.

Spurs were unbeaten in their last seven games in all competitions and have lost just once in the league under Frank, who took charge during the off-season.

Kudus was one of Frank’s big signings in the offseason — joining from West Ham — and the forward produced the decisive moment at Elland Road, where he cut in from the right and fired low past Karl Darlow in the 57th minute.

Spurs led through Mathys Tel, whose deflected shot rocketed into the top corner.

Leeds, which was unbeaten at home since February, equalised through Noah Okafor from close range in the 34th.

Former Manchester United and Everton striker Wayne Rooney explains how Chelsea exploited Liverpool down the flanks in their 2-1 win in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge.

Watch Match of the Day on iPlayer.

WATCH MORE: Chelsea score dramatic 95th-minute winner to beat Liverpool

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Senior officials at Chelsea have been expressing excitement about Estevao’s arrival since they agreed his signature more than a year before his eventual move to England.

Fittingly, Estevao scored a brilliant goal from a tight angle against Chelsea in a losing cause on his final appearance for Palmeiras this summer.

He left the Sao Paulo-based club with 27 goals and 15 assists in 83 games.

After that match, he was seen mingling with his future team-mates, including England playmaker Palmer, in what appeared to be a moment of respect between peers.

That game was perhaps an English audience’s first glimpse of Estevao, but Brazilian football experts have long tipped him for the top.

He was the first player under 18 to have 20 goal involvements in a single season in Brazil’s Serie A (12 goals and eight assists), breaking a record set by Neymar.

In the Club World Cup, he won ‘superior player of the match’ twice and, perhaps fittingly, impressed against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, having earned the nickname Messinho – ‘Little Messi’ – in Brazil.

It felt like a coup from Chelsea to beat some of Europe’s leading clubs, including Paris St-Germain, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, to Estevao’s signature.

He chose Chelsea due to his belief in their vision and the promise of a significant role in his first season, with his sights set on playing for Brazil at the 2026 World Cup.

Estevao consulted former Chelsea defender Thiago Silva before choosing Chelsea in 2024.

The Blues had planned to ease him in slowly, but Palmer’s injury and Estevao’s brilliance have led him to feature in every match – except the draw with Brentford which he missed because of illness.

Palmer hopes to return from a recurring groin problem after the international break.

But even in the star attacker’s absence, Estevao appears ready to deliver more big moments for Chelsea.

Chelsea and Liverpool meet at Stamford Bridge on Saturday with the Reds hoping to bounce back from consecutive defeats.

In April 2014 the pair played out a huge match in the title race, which included a certain Liverpool captain’s slip on the way to a 2-0 Chelsea win.

That’s the match we’ve chosen for this week’s Saturday starting line-ups quiz.

How many players can you name? You have seven minutes. Good luck!

The big question at the start of this season – the same one that’s been asked over the last six WSL campaigns – is whether anyone can end Chelsea’s dominance.

The Blues won last term’s trophy by going 22 games unbeaten in Sonia Bompastor’s first season at the helm – part of a domestic treble as they lifted the Women’s FA Cup and League Cup too.

In fact, it’s been more than 500 days since Chelsea last lost a league game – a 4-3 defeat at Liverpool on 1 May, 2024.

Manchester United came close to ending that streak on Friday night in a top-two encounter and Skinner was proud of “the most brave performance” from his players.

“We’re building. You can see it, you can sense it,” he said.

“We are disappointed to not win the game. The chances we created, not many teams could create that against Chelsea. So for us to do that and in the way we did it was credit to them [the players].”

Since their promotion from the Women’s Championship in 2019, United have rapidly emerged as WSL title contenders, finishing just two points behind Chelsea in 2022-23.

The following season they won the FA Cup – their first major women’s trophy.

While a draw against the current league leaders may be deemed a missed opportunity for United, former England striker White believed it showed how far the club has come.

“You have to look at that consistency,” she said. “They’ve played 11 times against Chelsea now and only drawn once, now the second time, so I think it’s really good for their consistency and what they’re doing as a club and a team.

“It shows it’s working and they’re improving.”

Asked if Skinner deserved more credit for United’s rise to compete with more established clubs, White added: “What he’s done with these players, the philosophy, the DNA, how resolute they are.

“He hasn’t got the amount of money or been able to spend the amount of money the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal or [Manchester] City have done.”

GIRLS are aloud and making us proud!

OK, no more nostalgia about 1990s ‘Girl Power,’ but the times they are a-changing and then some.

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The Red Roses blossomed last weekend as the England women’s rugby team won the World Cup in front of a record 82,000 Twickenham full-house.

That came hot on the heels of our Lionesses’ back-to-back European Championships successes and proves that women’s sport is here to stay.

Rewind two or three decades and women, when mentioned in the same breath as football, was something approaching a dirty word. Just look at the history books.

In 1921 there were over 150 women’s football clubs playing games in front of 40,000-plus gates.

So what did the FA do? They banned it, saying it was “unsuitable for females.”

It only took nearly five decades for the FA to change their minds and growth in the women’s game in the 70s and 80s was slow.

In fact, the national team had to wait until 1998 to have its first full time coach, Hope Powell.

The 2012 London Olympics handed the women’s game a massive boost. TeamGB were watched by over 70,000 at Wembley against Brazil and footie for females was finally freed.

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Last year, an FA study revealed a 56 percent rise in the number of women and girls playing football in the previous four years.

The number of registered female football clubs has more than doubled in the last seven years and just look at crowds in the WSL.

Seven seasons ago the highest gate at any game was 2,648 for Chelsea against Manchester City. Last season it was nearly 57,000 for the North London derby.

A new sponsorship deal with Barclays is worth £15million a year and WSL clubs’ revenues soared 34 percent in 2023-24 alone. So from the grassroots all the way up, women’s football is on the up.

Thankfully, that kind of progress is being repeated in other sports and not just rugby, where there has been significant growth in recent years to the tune of a 60 percent rise in registered players since 2017.

What about cricket? Our girls took a pasting against the Aussies, but the World Cup is upon us with England aiming for a fifth title.

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In other sports, women do us proud. From netball’s Jade Clarke to tennis star Emma Raducanu, to athlete Keely Hodgkinson and world champion boxer Lauren Price… the list is long and shows just how women are flourishing.

Having said that, I was stunned to read that middle-distance runner Georgia Hunter Bell still worked full-time in tech sales just a few months before winning a bronze at last year’s Paris Olympics.

I cannot imagine a male elite athlete doing the same.

Georgia won silver at the World Championships last month and hopefully being a 24-7 athlete will help her go one better next time.

I’m obviously aware of the lack of female representation in the corridors of power within football and other sports, but I hope that is slowly changing.

Both the FA and PL chairs are women — Debbie Hewitt and Alison Brittain — and are doing a fine job.

Right now, though, I’d rather concentrate on the progress that has been made in a relatively short time.

The WSL is in rude health and will get bigger and better, underlining the fact that we, as a nation, are leading the way in the men’s and women’s game.

We should celebrate that because ‘girls just wanna have fun’.