Oxford United Football team supports young girls bullied for playing the game

Young girls who have been bullied for playing football have been invited to train with their local team.

Oxford United Women sent video messages of support to a group of girls who said they have been picked on at school for playing football.

The team also invited the girls, aged eight to 10 and who all play for Summertown Stars, to train with them.

Martha, who plays in goal for the Summertown team, said the messages from professionals will keep her going.

She said she gets bullied by boys at school because she is a girl who wants to play football.

She said: "It's really upsetting because I know I can play and they've knocked my confidence."

Martha admitted her school is working with her parents to address the issue.

The girls from Summer Town Stars were excited by the messages of support from the professionals

Oxford United Women's players sent video messages to the young girls telling them to ignore the negative comments.

Meanwhile, former Lioness player, Rachel Brown Finnis, said: "Keep loving your football, keep enjoying your football and support each other on and off the pitch."

Gemma Simms, general manager for Oxford United Women, said she invited the Summertown Stars to train with his team after hearing about the challenges they have faced.

When Martha heard the messages she said she felt "excited" and added: "Hearing them say that stuff is really great.

"I know I'm not the only one who has gotten bullied at school, the professionals have too, and I know that's a really good message to keep me going."

Martha added that England Lionesses goalkeeper Mary Earps is her biggest inspiration and said she hopes to play professionally some day.

'It seems like it is an issue'

Mum Shirin's eight-year-old daughter plays football for the team.

She said her daughter comes home every week and tells her: "A boy told me I couldn't play football, he pushed me out of the way."

She added that this sort of incident is not isolated to one area and has happened at multiple schools that her daughter has attended.

She said: "I can see how good playing football has been for my daughter's confidence and then I see it crushed just with a comment from a boy at school who is trying to put her in her place."

Andy Pitt says he was "gutted" to hear his team was being bullied at school

Andy Pitt has been coaching the Summertown Stars girls team for three years.

When the children's parents told him the girls were being bullied by boys at school for playing football he said he was "really angry" and "absolutely gutted".

He added: "It seems like it is an issue and I don't know why all of a sudden it is a problem but I think it's something we need to stamp on very quickly."

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