Surge in grassroots football since Lioness success

Proud coaches Colin (left) and Steve (right) with their own "Lionesses"

This weekend, thousands of whistles are being blown across the country for the first games of the 2025-26 season, including the Women's Super League and grassroots football teams. This summer at Euro 25, the England Women's national side tasted silverware for a second time, and that hunger has filtered down to a growing talent pool.

In Essex, girls who had never touched a football a few years ago are now playing daily, and one summer school has seen a 1,200% increase in pupils.

Meanwhile, the Essex Football Association said there had been a 41% increase in registered girls' teams since 2023.

Witham Town FC and Thundersley Rovers were two football clubs without a girls' team in 2022. Three years later, the two clubs have 15 sides between them.

Thundersley coach Colin Smith, 44, said uptake "gathered pace" after England's Lionesses beat Germany 2-1 to win Euro 2022.

"It was good just seeing how quick the numbers grew," he said.

"The willingness to train and learn and improve is very similar [to the boys].

"These girls just turn up through whatever weather — sun, rain, shine, snow."

FC Evolution, which plays across Essex, is associated with an academy which has gone from 10 girls to 120

Fellow coach, Steve Pudney, 46, said the role was "very rewarding".

"When our girls first got together, they'd run around like little sheep, just in herds, just chasing each other around.

"As a coach, it makes it worthwhile what we put in week in, week out. As a parent... it's magical.

"You can get a child to come along [who] doesn't want to be there at first... once they get that team feeling it completely changes their attitude.

"All of a sudden they can't wait for training, or they're first at training, or they're kicking a ball in their garden.

"My daughter, for instance, anywhere around my house there's football... in the living room, the dining room, the kitchen, the garden."

'Lucy Bronze was my first role model'

Macey, 12, was inspired by Lucy Bronze and Hannah Hampton soldiering on despite injuries

One of Thundersley's new additions is Macey, 12, who had never touched a football two years ago - now she plays seven times a week.

She also plays in the Junior Premier League, which is just below academy level.

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Macey said England captain Lucy Bronze became her very first role model after she played the entire 2025 Euros with a fractured tibia.

"It's just her determination and how she just plays through anything," she said.

She also watched the quarter finals in awe, as Hannah Hampton got a nosebleed and "still saved all her penalties" against Sweden.

'It gives me goosebumps'

Sarah Smith (left) chatting with Lioness manager Sarina Wiegman at Wembley Stadium

The Michael Richardson Football Academy (MRFA), which runs summer schools across Essex, has gone from only 10 girls across all of its sessions before the Euros 2022 to "about 120" this year.

Coach Sarah Smith, 53, said: "It gives me goosebumps. It's an amazing journey.

"I've been in the game way before the Euros and the Lionesses, and there was always a lot of barriers to girls playing.

"When I was at primary school, I was the only girl playing in the playground with the boys and was deemed a bit odd for doing that, but now girls play football at school it's part of many of their PE lessons."

Smith said she had spoken to England manager Sarina Wiegman, who went through a similar experience.

"She only played football because she played in her twin brother's team and she had to cut her hair and pretend to be a boy," she said.

Smith said her girl juniors once only made references to David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, but no longer.

"We talk about Lionesses matches, we talk about WSL matches, as opposed to Premier League matches," she said

'My daughter inspired my coaching'

Simon would not have got into coaching girls if his daughter had not asked

Witham Town FC went from zero girls' teams to six after the Euros 2022. It now has 10, including a new ladies side.

One of the coaches Simon, 54, got the ball rolling for his three-year-old daughter, Ella, after she developed "a taste for football" from watching on the sidelines.

"We wouldn't have been doing this if she didn't exist, if she hadn't said, 'I want to play'. She's consumed by the sport," he said.

"Several parents have come to me and said 'my daughter suffers with anxiety, with ADHD, with behavioural issues, and I need an outlet for them'."

Simon said they gained a social life by speaking to girls outside their usual social circles.

He attributes his success to outreach at schools and nurseries, where he offers free taster sessions.

At boys games he said they would see their sisters on the touchline, maybe in fold-up chairs, and ask them a simple question:

"Look, why don't you come and play?"