
Williams: Women's football unrecognisable from my childhood
The most capped England player of all time, who made 172 appearances for the Lionesses, began playing football on her local estate before being scouted by Fulham. Williams was speaking at one of the first Big Football Days powered by The National Lottery, a free FA initiative to introduce as many women as possible and girls to football while the Women's Euros are taking place. Thanks for National Lottery players £6bn has been invested into grassroots sport over the last 30 years – changing the game for women's and girls' football.
The event is to celebrate EURO 2025 this summer and to increase female participation, with clubs being asked to open their doors to host a Big Football Day during the month of July.
The day will bring the community together and people can pop down to their local clubs to get involved in female taster sessions for all ages, match screenings, fun football festivities and more.
'I would have loved to have had this opportunity, to be amongst young girls as well and have an experience like this,' the former Everton and Reading player said.
'There was nothing like this for me at this age, there is an under six girls team playing, so to think they are starting that young and to think that the Lionesses have created that legacy from winning the Euros in 2022, it is massive.
'These opportunities I would have loved and without the funding of the National Lottery, they do not get these opportunities.
'Football, I keep saying it, is becoming a more expensive sport to participate in now so having the funding behind them and the opportunities is fantastic.'
Battersea-born Williams was speaking in Newham, only a few miles from where her own football journey began.
The Big Football Day saw a festival atmosphere with small-sided games the central focus but hair braiding, temporary tattoos and a DJ were also on offer.
The day began at AFC Leyton – one of the UK's biggest and most successful independent women's football clubs.
AFC Leyton has built everything from scratch, becoming a shining example of grassroots success and a proven talent pipeline, with players progressing to the likes of West Ham, Chelsea, Spurs and London City Lionesses.
The afternoon continued at Central Park in Newham for a festival-style Big Football Day event, hosted by The FA and supported by The National Lottery.
The fun spirit was something that particularly appealed to Williams who has fond memories of playing against boys in the football cage on her estate.
She added 'It is about finding your place and it is important they get the opportunity at various levels.
'So many parents want their kids to be the next Russo or Leah Williamson or whoever it might be.
'For some of these girls it might just be about something fun to do, a safe space for them and a place to make new friends.
'For me it is really important that they have an opportunity to do what they want to do and not be pushed to do something maybe parents want them to do.'
The FA's National Development Manager for Women's and Girls' Pathways, Alice Kemspki said; 'Big Football Day is one of our key activations across the women's and girls' game to try and use the major tournament and harness the moment to drive participation locally and in the grassroots game.
'We have 200 plus clubs across the country opening their door to women and girls' doing a Big Football Day powered by the National Lottery in their own areas.'
The FA's Big Football Day, powered by The National Lottery, will run throughout the Euros events to encourage more women & girls to get into football. Thanks to over £6 billion invested into grassroots sport by National Lottery players, the game is growing stronger from the ground up. For more info visit: //englandfootball.com/bigfootballday
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Scottish Sun
26 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
England vs Spain – Women's Euros final: Get Lionesses at 3/1 to lift trophy PLUS £20 in free bets with Midnite
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the betting offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. TROPHY BOOST England vs Spain – Women's Euros final: Get Lionesses at 3/1 to lift trophy PLUS £20 in free bets with Midnite Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ENGLAND and Spain meet in a mouth-watering climax to the Women's Euros on Sunday. Sarina Wiegman's side are attempting to defend their trophy and have shown incredible powers of recovery throughout the knockouts to reach the final once more. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up Midnite have a fantastic price boost for England backers, with the Lionesses to lift the trophy now available at 3/1 - up from the usual price of 2/1! Midnite's new customer offer Midnite welcome offer Download the Midnite app or create an account online HERE* Register using the Promo Code: BETGETSPORTS Deposit a minimum of £10 Place a pre-match bet of £10 and a minimum of 4 legs, at minimum total odds of 3/1 Once that's settled - win or lose - you will receive £20 in free bets You will also receive 50 free spins England vs Spain: Get £20 in free bets and 50 free spins HERE* England go into the contest as underdogs, such is the strength of the Spanish squad and their World champions tag. This Lionesses group have done it before though and won't be looking to give their European champions tag up easily. Not giving up has been a feature of their campaign - particularly in the knockouts - and the semi final highlighted that more than any other. Sometimes, it's just written in the stars. Midnite have a top price boost on that continuing and England lifting the trophy. The normal price of England winning the final is 2/1 but Midnite are offering all customers 3/1 for a Lionesses triumph! Midnite new customer offer Want to join Midnite? Well here's how you can... Simply download Midnite's app or create an account online using the Promo Code: BETGETSPORTS Once that's done, deposit a minimum of £10 and stake a pre-match bet of £10 and a minimum of 4 legs, at minimum total odds of 3/1. Once that's settled - win or lose - you will receive £20 in free bets. You will also receive 50 free spins to spend on Big Bass Splash (valued at 10p per spin). Midnite offer: Get £20 in free bets and 50 free spins HERE* Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chase their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – GambleAware – Read our guide on responsible gambling practices. For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites. *18+ New UK customers. Bet £10 on accas with 4+ legs, min odds 3/1 (4.0). Get 4x £5 Free Bets and 50 Free Spins, valid for 7 days on selected bets and games only. T&Cs apply.


Daily Mirror
27 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Gabby Logan's huge net worth, new job with BBC, rugby ace son and sport star husband
Gabby Logan is set to host the BBC's coverage of the Women's Euro 2025 final between England and Spain on Sunday, but what do we know about the legendary sports presenter away from the screens? Gabby Logan is set to provide coverage for the highly anticipated Women's Euro 2025 final between England and Spain on Sunday. The Lionesses stamped their ticket to St. Jakob-Park in heroic fashion on Tuesday with a last-minute 2-1 win over Italy. Barbara Bonansea opened the scoring for Le Azzurre before a Michelle Agyemang strike sent the game to extra time. Chloe Kelly later netted a rebound from her missed spot kick to win the tie for England. Spain, meanwhile, stamped their own place in Sunday's final with a 1-0 win over Germany on Wednesday. Logan will host coverage of the fixture between England and Spain for the BBC, as the Lionesses look to defend their crown from three years ago. But what do we know about the legendary host both on and off screen? Here, Mirror Football breaks it down... Gabby Logan's substantial net worth Since launching her broadcasting career in 1992, Logan has held some prestigious positions and covered many flagship events for several broadcasters. She teamed up with Sky Sports in 1996, at a time when the industry was dominated by males, quickly becoming a recognisable face of British TV. She was selected as the host of Sport Relief in 2004 and joined the BBC permanently. In the years since, the 52-year-old has hosted her own morning show on BBC Radio 5 Live, worked on Final Score, Inside Sport, the Invictus Games, MOTD Six Nations, and The One Show, and has also had the privilege of covering the 2022 World Cup and 2024 Olympics in Paris. As a result of her professional endeavours, Logan is estimated to have racked up a significant fortune of around £4million, making her the highest female earner in the world of sports journalism. As per Sportcasting via SPORTbible, Logan also ranked seventh in a list of Britain's highest-earning sports presenters and pundits last year, with a salary of £210,000. A new role with the BBC As Gary Lineker announced that 2024/25 would be his final Premier League season at the helm of Match of the Day, the BBC was quick to rethink the set-up of their flagship football highlights show. And as a result, top chiefs decided not to replace Lineker, who had held tenure since 1999, with just one fresh face, but with three. For 2025/26, Logan will join Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates to front the programme, a move that she believes will give the show a completely different edge. Speaking about her new role, she said: "I think what's interesting is that although we're sharing the role, we won't actually be working together on Match of the Day. "It's really great to share it because we bring different experiences and different interests within the game. We bring different ways of broadcasting and that will mean our pundits are kept on their toes and share different kinds of analysis." It is reported that Logan, Chapman and Cates will split presenting duties on Match of the Day, MOTD 2 and MOTD: Champions League. It is the first time in history that three presenters will share the role. A sporting husband and a rugby star son Away from the screens, Logan has been married to rugby union star Kenny Logan since 2001, with the two striking up a romance after meeting in a bar in Chelsea. During his career as a winger, Kenny won three English Premierships with Wasps RFC and a Scottish Premiership title with Stirling County. He also represented his nation of Scotland on 70 occasions, racking up 220 points before retiring in 2004. The two welcomed twins with one another in 2005 in the form of Reuben and Lois. And Reuben has ultimately gone on to follow in his father's footsteps in rugby union as a career choice, with the 19-year-old kicking off his career as a flanker with Wasps at academy level in 2023. A move to Northampton Saints ensued the same year, where he remains to this day, although he spent last season on loan with Cambridge. However, it appears as though the Scotland U20 star will be on the move once more ahead of 2025/26, with Sale Sharks announcing the acquisition of the talent back in April. Speaking about the move, he said: "This is a great opportunity for me to play with and learn from some fantastic coaches and players – like the Curry brothers – who play in my position." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.


The Sun
27 minutes ago
- The Sun
England vs Spain – Women's Euros final: Get Lionesses at 3/1 to lift trophy PLUS £20 in free bets with Midnite
ENGLAND and Spain meet in a mouth-watering climax to the Women's Euros on Sunday. Sarina Wiegman's side are attempting to defend their trophy and have shown incredible powers of recovery throughout the knockouts to reach the final once more. Midnite have a fantastic price boost for England backers, with the Lionesses to lift the trophy now available at 3/1 - up from the usual price of 2/1! England go into the contest as underdogs, such is the strength of the Spanish squad and their World champions tag. This Lionesses group have done it before though and won't be looking to give their European champions tag up easily. Not giving up has been a feature of their campaign - particularly in the knockouts - and the semi final highlighted that more than any other. Sometimes, it's just written in the stars. Midnite have a top price boost on that continuing and England lifting the trophy. The normal price of England winning the final is 2/1 but Midnite are offering all customers 3/1 for a Lionesses triumph! Midnite new customer offer Want to join Midnite? Well here's how you can... Simply download Midnite's app or create an account online using the Promo Code: BETGETSPORTS Once that's done, deposit a minimum of £10 and stake a pre-match bet of £10 and a minimum of 4 legs, at minimum total odds of 3/1. Once that's settled - win or lose - you will receive £20 in free bets. You will also receive 50 free spins to spend on Big Bass Splash (valued at 10p per spin). Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Read our guide on responsible gambling practices. For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.