The Lost Lionesses

'Inspiring. After reading this book, I'm ready to run through a brick wall for these girls.' - Karen Bardsley, ex-Lioness A captivating and moving account of the first England women's football team that took part in the 1971 World Cup - detailing the injustice faced by those who took part and its effect on the women's game as a whole. Told by the team themselves and written by the celebrity daughter of the main striker. 'Don't laugh, one day there may be a female Arsenal', one headline read amidst the ridicule following the First Women's World Cup in 1971. The spotlight was on the original lionesses, a diverse group of schoolgirls, bank clerks, and telephonists, primarily hailing from Chiltern Valley football club, run by a 60-year-old, multilingual bus driver called Harry. These amateur girls emerged as England's first women's football team at the 1971 World Cup in Mexico, only to face scorn once returned home. They were mocked by the press and their achievements were undermined. Players were banned for three months to two years if they tried to play with another team. The heroes had been punished. But the time has come to tell their truth. Narrated by the daughter of one of the team members, Janice Barton, with unprecedented access to the secrets and insights of the first ever woman's team, this is a multi-generational story celebrating the power of a group of women who refused to accept the status quo - revealing how the events of 1971 shaped mother and daughter's lives both personally and professionally. 50 years later, Gail, her mother, and the rest of the team are ready to tell their story and share the legacy of the lost lionesses.