In September I was lucky enough to photograph Everton Women vs Bristol City Women’s Football club. As a Sports Photographer Liverpool, I regularly go to grounds, both in the north-west and all over the country.
A particularly good game for Everton and the Ex-Bristol City player (now playing for Everton) Lucy Graham as she got two assists and two goals against her old team. A great game to open the season for Everton, not so much Bristol City’s side but as the boss- Tanya Oxtoby said: “I was disappointed with the result, but I thought the level of our performance gives us something to build on.”
I managed to capture some great athletic shots during this match, a favourite is the Bristol City Keeper looking dejected laying on the floor next to the post whilst Everton celebrate their goal a few feet from her. It was a bit of a shame that there was a massive downpour of rain towards the end of the game but unfortunately sitting next to a pitch in the rain is part of the life of a Sports Photographer Liverpool.
The two biggest clubs in Liverpool have a rich history in Women’s Football. Both Everton and Liverpool have had women’s teams for nearly 3 decades. Liverpool’s ladies’ team being one of the founding members of the top-tier FA Women’s Super League and twice winners, although unfortunately they are currently playing in the second division after they were relegated last year.
If you have not attended or watched a women’s football game, I highly suggest you do if you get the chance. Photographing this game was slightly different as there was no audience to give the normal atmosphere I am used to as a Sports Photographer having sat at the touchline of hundreds of games in my photography career.
Viewership of women’s football is on the rise, in a big way. 1.12 Billion people watched the 2019 Women’s World Cup which is massively up from the 750 Million people who watched the previous tournament which was held in 2015.
The number of women, both young and old, playing football has also been steadily increasing over the past few years with grassroots programmes to get girls participating in the sport that I love taking pictures and capturing images of.