The roar of Wembley in 2022 after England defeated Germany 2-1 to lift the European Trophy never faded, especially in Lincolnshire. It sparked a transformation.
In three seasons following the historic win, women and girl’s football in Lincolnshire grew at a pace no one ever imagined, they defied all targets and helped to reshape the ideology around women’s football.
At the end of the 2022/23 season, Lincolnshire’s end-of-season performance statistics showed the impact that the Euros had on the county, but also the country as a whole.
With the Football Association (FA) setting a target of 2,422 players, the county outperformed expectations by 42.3% taking the figures to 3,447 players.
For many in the local scene, it was an early sign that something extraordinary was occurring.
Kirsty Dixon, Football Development Officer (Women & Girls Lead) at Lincolnshire FA, said: “The Euros caused a revolution for the county.
“We suddenly had girls all across the county, who have never kicked a football because of the stereotype surrounding football, wanting to train, play and be a part of something much bigger.”
This was not just a one-off season; the growth went from strength to strength every year as further programmes and initiatives developed.
In the 2023/24 season, the FA projected a target of 2,565 and Lincolnshire surpassed that number comfortably, hitting 3,760 players, which was nearly a 50% increase from the target.
Dixon credited the continued growth in the game and said: “Clubs across the county just embraced the women’s game, they began adding new teams, invested in coaches and made a pathway for girls to develop.
“I could not be more proud and grateful for how receptive clubs have been in supporting us with this”.
Following the conclusion of the 2024/25 season, Lincolnshire FA saw a tougher challenge set by the FA of 3,769 players and they managed to beat it with 3,842 players, which was steady progress from the season prior.
A large part of the success came through the introduction of two initiatives, one being Ignite Her Game, which was set up in partnership with Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, which was set out to help transition players from the youth game to senior football.
They offered mentorship and guidance on pathways to help keep more girls in the game post youth football.
Another project was the FA Talent ID, which gave 70 girls to be watched by professional clubs and unlocked routes into elite football.
Dixon said these projects were ‘game changing’ for the county and she hopes it can have a lasting impact for Lincolnshire as a whole.
3 years on since the Euros success, this is proof that international success can have such an impact on the local game and help change the landscape for football in a permanent way.
With record levels of participation in recreational and competitive football, the county FA aim to continue to grow the game through walking football and more girls league to open up access ahead of senior football.
