Euro 2022: Ex-England player Jan Emms hails women's football progress

Jan Emms said it was "brilliant how the women's game has progressed"

A member of England's inaugural women's football team has hailed the Lionesses' progress as a "watershed moment".

Jan Emms, 70, played as a striker in the women's football world cup in Mexico in 1971.

She was banned from football for six months for playing in the tournament and the manager, Harry Batt, for life.

Mrs Emms, of Bedford, said it was "incredible" to see how far women's football had now come since her time with the "Forgotten Lionesses".

England play Germany in the final at Wembley on Sunday

Mrs Emms, who played women's football for Chiltern Valley team in Luton, is now on a WhatsApp group with other members of the 1971 team.

They have been sharing their admiration for the Lionesses, who will play against Germany in the Euros final on Sunday.

Mrs Emms' England team had to compete as British Independents Ladies but was regarded in Mexico as England.

• 'Lost lionesses' reunited 48 years on

She scored twice in the tournament, but it came at a price as she had to to quit her job working as a bank clerk as bosses would not give her time off work for the tournament.

It would be 20 more years before China hosted the first official FIFA Women's World Cup in 1991.

Fans have been following Sarina Wiegman's team in growing numbers as they have progressed through the tournament without defeat

Mrs Emms, whose daughter Gail won an Olympic silver medal in badminton, said: "It's amazing how far the game has come now, it is so professional now. We are thrilled about the crowds and the fact that mums and dads are going with their daughters and sons.

"People who normally have no interest in ladies football have been texting me saying 'this is amazing, we love it'.

"We are delighted that its finally getting the proper recognition that women's football deserves."

Mrs Emms said her manager Batt - also in charge in Mexico - was "a visionary who was way ahead of his time".

"He knew that women's football would take off but in those days we could not even book a pitch - we had to make out it was for a boys' team - which is ridiculous but that's how it was.

"In those days, girls just didn't play football."