First women footballers' park in plaque honour

Lizzy Ashcroft (fourth from right) pictured with the Dick, Kerr Ladies in 1925

A park where the first women's football stars played 100 years ago has been honoured with a commemorative plaque.

St Helens Ladies AFC beat the Dick, Kerr Ladies team, the first ever women's football team, and their superstar striker Lily Parr in a match at Queens Park, in St Helens on 31 March 1923.

The blue plaque at the park entrance acknowledges the St Helens ladies squad from 1919 to 1923 and celebrates "the women of this pioneering football team played on during the Football Association's 1921 ban".

Steve Bolton, grandson of Lizzy Ashcroft who played for St Helens, said it was "really special" the Merseyside town was "paying homage to these magnificent women footballers".

The plaque was unveiled at Queens Park in St Helens

Mrs Ashcroft made her football debut in April 1921 at St Andrews, Birmingham City's ground, in front of a crowd of 30,000 when she was just 16 years old.

The match against the Dick, Kerr Ladies team at Queens Park ended in a 5-1 win for her team.

It was the 20th attempt to beat the legendary team and with striker, Lily Parr, who scored around 900 goals during her 30-year career.

Mrs Ashcroft was part of the "unknown game" during a period when the FA had banned women's football from FA associated pitches.

"We knew none of this growing up, it was only from finding photographs in my uncle's loft I then became a women's football historian," Mr Bolton said.

Lizzy Ashcroft pictured in 1933

Ten days after the 1923 game, Mrs Ashcroft, who grew up in Parr, in St Helens, joined the Dick, Kerr Ladies.

She became vice captain in 1933 and in 1935 took over the captaincy from Ms Parr when she took a two-year break from football, Mr Bolton said.

"My granny then led only the second ever tour to France by the Dick Kerr Ladies in their 48-year existence," he said.

Mrs Ashcroft, who had two children, ended her career but Mr Bolton said she remained a "life-long lover of football" and would watch Match Of The Day on the BBC every Saturday.

St Helens Ladies AFC pictured in 1921

The 60-year-old said: "It's been a constant amazement over the last several years of discovering more and more about her - it's been very moving and touching.

"St Helens Borough Council has really pushed this agenda forward to remember these women.

"These were the glue that held everything together, they went through two wars, they held their families together, it is right and proper that they are remembered."

The plaque was unveiled with Mr Ashcroft present, along with Marie Rimmer, MP for St Helens South and Whiston and council leader Anthony Burns.