They shoved men's football down our throats

[maniak]

The title is just a little provocation, don't take it too seriously. This is definitely the biggest what if in football history and it should give pause to those who believe women's football growth nowadays is not organic or that many fake their interest in it just to be politically correct.

The war had been over for two years, the men had returned from the front, but women's football continued to attract crowds.

On December 26th, 1920 (Boxing day in the UK), Dick Kerr Ladies FC brought almost 70,000 people to Goodison Park - Everton's stadium.

It was more than the 50,000 fans who went to the Liverpool - Arsenal men's derby at Anfield on the same day and in the same city.

It was also more than the crowd at the first FA Cup final after the First World War.

Believing that the women's league had become a competitor to the men's league (either out of sheer jealousy or machismo, or all of the above), the English clubs lobbied the FA and in 1921 the Football Association (FA) passed the following resolution: "The game of football is quite unsuitable for women and should not be encouraged. For this reason the council requests clubs belonging to the association to REFUSE the use of their grounds for such matches."

The FA has also banned its members from acting as referees and linesmen at women's matches.

And there was a really nasty twist to the measure: girls couldn't play in schools either because, at the time, British schools and universities were affiliated to the FA.

And since the FA was the most powerful member of FIFA, the ban went international.

Already powerful, FIFA decided that any of its members who allowed women to play in their stadiums would be banned from the FA.

The ban lasted until 1971.

https://www.flashscore.com/news/opi...e-biggest-crime-in-football-history/Clr2SuPP/