Women’s football in England started with far from humble beginnings, emerging through the extensive number of men signing up to fight in the First World War, leaving women to take charge on the home front. Taking male job vacancies, they also took up their sporting interests and subsequently discovered a passion for football.

30,710 watched Chelsea Ladies defeat Notts County Ladies at Wembley a fortnight ago, the biggest attendance for a female game since 53,000 packed into Goodison Park in 1920, and is surely an indication that the country is falling back in love with the women’s game.

With the success of the Women’s World Cup behind us, female football has seen a rise in both coverage and attendances back in the United Kingdom. Canada 2015 proved to be the scene where the public sat up and took notice, with the BBC showing every game on numerous platforms. A third placed finish stole the nation’s hearts but could this passion transfer from the television screens to the stands?

Back on the home front were the players taking a break from the pressures of the Women’s Super League to watch their fellow countrywomen. The stars of England’s first division are endless even without these World Cup stars; Puskas Award finalist Stephanie Roche now resides with league leaders Sunderland, top goalscorer Beth Mead is also playing in the North East while an abundance of talented foreign players have all decided to join one of the most improving leagues on the planet.

However, when looking upon the modern era, it is hard to look past the unrivalled success of Arsenal Ladies and arguably their greatest player, Rachel Yankey. The North London outfit have won an unprecedented 22 major honours since the turn of the century, including nine league titles, nine FA Cups and a Champions League. Yankey has been with the Gunners for all but one of these triumphs.

Despite being in the twilight of her career, the 35-year-old is still challenging for titles amongst a team of up and coming stars. The likes of Carla Humphrey and Young Player of the Year Leah Williamson are now regular starters for Arsenal Ladies, with Chloe Kelly and Lotte Wubben-Moy attracting attention as they attempt to follow in their footsteps.

Time away from Arsenal Ladies

Like Wubben-Moy, Yankey was also a starter for Arsenal at the age of 16. However, the game was not like it is now and the youngster found herself unemployed and representing a then unprofessional side. After four years in North London with the team she supported as a child, the starlet decided to go on loan to Canadian side Laval Dynamites to play in their summer league. A move, she tells VAVEL, that was always supposed to end in her returning to her parent club.

“I was a main starter and I went to Laval on loan with the intention of coming back to Arsenal.” She told Conor de Smith.

“When I was over there [Canada] I was offered to be a full time professional with Fulham. Football was not like it is now, we were training in the evenings so I did not have anything to do in the day as I didn’t have a job.

“I had no source of making money and I had an opportunity to play with Fulham, where they were offering me the chance to be a full time professional, train in the daytimes and be paid for what I do.”

The chance of playing for the only professional team in the country at that time proved too good to turn down, with the England international stating she “had to go.” The move ultimately paid dividends in more ways than one, with both Fulham Ladies and their latest recruit earning outstanding success over the next four years.

The treble winning season of 2002/2003 stands out on paper, with a talented and diverse Fulham squad winning the league, FA Cup and League Cup. However, it was the year previous when they really announced themselves by lifting both cup competitions, beating Birmingham City 7-1 at Adams Park before overcoming Doncaster Belles at Selhurst Park, and their regional league.

Although Yankey caused havoc on the left hand side against Birmingham, crossing to force a Laura Bassett own goal, it was in the FA Cup final where she netted one of her most famous goals. Scoreless at half-time, Yankey opened the scoring 10 minutes after the interval with a stunning free-kick destined for the bottom corner. This lead was then doubled by an equally impressive Katie Chapman strike before Jody Handley reduced the deficit.

“Scoring the free-kick was fantastic as I am not the best free-kick taker so I have to thank the manager for having a lot of faith in me, as he had more than I did.” Proclaimed Yankey.

“We had three FA Cup finals with Fulham, losing the first one to Arsenal so that was disappointing but it really built a team spirit and gave us a hunger for the FA Cup finals in the second and third seasons.

“People had their opinions of Fulham being the only professional team in the league, but we did have a lot of pressure on us as people expected us to win so winning those meant a lot to us as a tight knit group.”

Influx of foreign playes in the women's game

Managed by Norwighen Gaute Haugenes, the Fulham squad included six foreign players in their FA Cup triumph. Goalkeeper Astrid Johannessen, Lene Terp, Margunn Haugenes and captain Marianne Pettersen started that day and Arsenal Ladies are currently facing a similar influx of foreign talent. With Pedro Martinez Losa taking over in 2014, the Londoners have gained a Spanish contingent alongside a host of other foreign names including Natalia Pablos Sanchon, Marta Corredera, Victoria Losada and Dominique Janssen.

In the men’s game, talent coming into the Premier League from abroad has been a subject of some scrutiny with the national team suffering. However, Yankey, once the most capped England player of all time, believes that imports can only be a good thing if they posses the necessary talent. She stated:

“Those players changed they way that I looked at football and most of the players that were at Fulham too.

“When I came to Arsenal, I know it is not particularly foreign, but seeing the way Julie Fleeting of Scotland trained was great. Much like the Japanese girls that came over a couple of seasons ago, the way they played and their style of football meant it was fantastic to be in the same team with them and process the way that they like to keep the ball down.

"This is very similar to the Spanish girls, they are very technical and like to keep the ball on the floor with great ability. Vicky [Losada] is unbelievable and the same with Marta [Corredera], while Nabs [Pablos Sanchon] has been in this country a long time with Bristol so she is used to the English style.

"I do not think there is anything wrong with foreign players as long as they are top quality and are able to compete with the English players, as it makes everyone up their game.”

With these exciting talents to compete with, the former New Jersey Wildcats woman also has to fight for her place with the aforementioned youngsters on the periphery of the first team. In a recent interview with the FA, experienced goalkeeper Emma Byrne stated that she felt the need the help transition these youngsters into senior football “like Rachel Yankey and Kelly Smith”.

Losa seems keen on giving these players a chance, notably in the Continental Tyres Cup, a tournament that has seen Arsenal overcome Watford Ladies and London Bees convincingly with starting XIs flooded with youngsters.

Yankey started in the former as she made her return from a back injury against the Hornets, who put up a good fight against their opposition in spite of being bottom of the Women’s Super League Two. Bringing experience into a side that included eight players aged 23 or under, this seasoned professional was proud of their performances in the two games so far.

“I believe there is an opportunity there to mix up the squad and make sure that people understand what it is to play for the first team with a higher standard game for the girls. That is probably the highest quality game they have played in.

"I think it was a really good experience and they did brilliantly because they actually came from pre-season and I do not think people appreciated that they came into our training sessions [whilst the seniors are fully fit]. They are building up to their season in the development squad, meaning they are in pre-season mode at the moment so they did fantastically well to put on the performance.”

Double-header against Chelsea Ladies could define season

The Gunners return to Continental Cup action this Sunday, as they face a dramatic double-header against rivals Chelsea Ladies in the next fortnight. These crunch fixtures in both league and cup could determine the outcome of their respective seasons, with both challenging in the Women’s Super League and the League Cup.

With Chelsea already lifting silverware in the form of the FA Cup this season, the first trophy in their history, the Blues will be hoping three points against their title challengers will see them on their way to a historic double.

These matches have been made even more significant with Arsenal falling victim to an inform Manchester City Women side last weekend, with Toni Duggan scoring what proved to be the winner in a pulsating 3-2 victory.

“Massive” said Yankey when asked how big these games are in relation to Arsenal’s season. “Even though it [the Continental Cup] is a league system you want to go out and win every game. We have played youngsters in every round and hopefully this will be the same, I am not quite sure how many as it is getting closer to the start of their league and the squad need to get game-time together.

“The league game is a must win, like every other. We need to keep ourselves up there with the other title contenders. We know what we have to do and we just need to go out there and do it.”

Arsenal now stand two points behind Chelsea at the summit of the first division, with Sunderland sandwiched in between and City just one point behind Arsenal with a game in hand. With stakes already high, with no champion losing more than two games since the inception of the WSL, Yankey is aware of the added competitiveness in the league with improving sides able to challenge the once dominant Arsenal.

“There is more quality, knowledge and training available for younger players and for every team.” she said. "I do think women’s football has a long way to go and not rest on the fact it is getting better, it still needs to push on and make better strides but it is going in the right direction.”

Women's World Cup helping the game make great strides

Helping the women’s game to make these strides was the success of the Women’s World Cup. 1.7 million people in the UK watched England’s quarter-final clash with the hosts, the same amount that watched Tottenham thrash Chelsea 5-2 on New Year’s Day, BT Sport’s most viewed game throughout all of last season.

Upon returning from North America, an average of 1,588 fans came to watch a total of four WSL 1 fixtures on Sunday, 12 July. This is in contrast to the average of 892, set before the World Cup began. A club-record 2,102 saw Manchester City beat Birmingham City Ladies, while 2,061 saw Liverpool Ladies defeat Yankey’s Arsenal 3-1 at Boreham Wood. The attendances have been growing for years but such a climatic rise has caught out the most optimistic fan, although Rachel Yankey believes that the game must not rest on it’s laurels and make the most of this new found success.

“The rise has always been there, I believe that the fact that BBC put every game on live is a major breakthrough.” She told VAVEL UK.

“Speaking to everyday people on the street, it is about knowledge and promotion; if they know when the games are on then people will watch it and the World Cup proved that. If people are not getting pushed the information then it is difficult to find it. It has to be more available and then they can make the decision if they like it or not.”

“Men’s football is a businesses that consumers want to buy into and women’s football is not there yet, we need to push it to be at that level. The quality on the pitch is getting better but it still needs to improve, fans want to see exciting football and I believe we need more of that."

Television career

Coverage of this event was something Yankey was heavily involved in this summer, working with the BBC whilst recording her new series for CBeebies. First airing in May, ‘Footy Pups’ has since gone on to leap to second in the children’s television ratings. The 15 minute long episodes teach a team of children, and those watching at home, a series of different football skills. A passion for coaching children off screen, Yankey was eager to join up once she understood the concept.

“It is not something I would say I was trying to chase a career in.” Said Rachel.

“The company Dot to Dot came to me with the idea of Footy Pups and asked what I thought about it, I did not fully understand it at the beginning so they asked me to do a demo which helped me understand it more.

“It is essentially a coaching session and I thoroughly enjoy coaching children, so I was well up for doing it and have enjoyed every episode we have done. It has been hard work but it has been really fun, I hope that shows in the episodes. The kids are enjoying it and the feedback I have been getting is brilliant.”

Appearing on the BBC in a London studio to try punditry for first time during the World Cup, Rachel Yankey since went onto appear on shows such as Good Morning Britain amongst others. This sight could be a familiar one in years to come as she looks at new ventures away from playing. Jacqui Oatley, Match of the Day’s first female commentator, was the main presenter for the BBC whilst the renowned Jonathan Pearce and Sue Smith had the honour of being match commentators throughout the tournament.

Nervous at first, Rachel proclaimed that working in such a great team helped calm her nerves. She said:

“The World Cup is something that I have never done before, commenting on live games was a different scenario. I was very nervous at the beginning but I enjoyed working with Natasha Dowie, Rachel Brown, Trevor Sinclair and Jacqui Oatley so they all made me feel part of the team.”

On the back of such a successful career that is still very much ongoing, Rachel Yankey has so much to look back on and a bright future ahead of her.