2 days ago
Come on the Lionesses, you can do it, says York
Excitement has been rising all afternoon as York cheers on the Lionesses in the European Championship final.
Across the city, friends and families have gathered in their chosen place to watch the big match against world champions Spain.
Many pubs across the city are showing the match on their big screens as is Spark on Piccadilly where tickets for today's showing sold out within minutes.
More than an hour before kick-off, fans were taking their seats and getting into the mood.
'They have a real passion for the game and they've done themselves and the country proud,' said Liz Atkins of the Lionesses.
Everyone agreed that women's football is worth watching and not just because the Lionesses have a habit of playing in big finals.
'It's more enjoyable', 'they actually play football, it's not just tactics' and 'no hooliganism' were just some of the reasons given for watching it.
And the general opinion is that England will win.
Predictions of the score varied with 2-0, 3-2, 3-1, but everyone agreed that they don't want it to go to penalties.
Members of two women's football teams were among those watching the match at Spark – Gals FC who play on a Thursday evening and Honeyball FC, named after the 19th century pioneer of women's football, Nettie Honeyball.
'We weren't allowed to play football at school, but that was a long time ago,' said Liz Atkins of Honeyball FC.
Members of Gals FC, which plays football socially, were at Spark in force, and said they play because of the community spirit, the camaraderie, and, of course, to keep fit.
For some of those at Spark the final was the first match they had gone out to see. They had watched previous matches at home.
But for the final they wanted the atmosphere of being together in a large group to join in the atmosphere and share the excitement, the ups and the downs.
Spark is donating the entrance fees for today's match to Kyra's Women's Project which supports women in York.
Elsewhere in the city centre, the Golden Lion in Church Street is showing the game on four big screens, The Old Bank in Lendal on all its screens, the Old White Swan in Goodramgate is showing it on seven screens. The Roman Bath in St Sampson's Square, is also among pubs welcoming football fans to the match, as are pubs elsewhere in the city.
