Action & Personalities from the ‘1917 Munitionettes Game last Monday

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ProgrammeHere are some pictures from the great bank holiday WW1 re-enactment ladies football event held at the Butts Arena on a wet Monday August 25th 2014. CCFPA were pleased to help sponsor the historic revival of a ladies WW1 football match at the Butts in 1917 between two factory teams of women ‘munitionettes’.

For a time either side of WW1 ladies football was popular in the Coventry area, as it was in other industrial centres before a ban on women’s teams using football league grounds for their matches was enforced at the end of 1921.

DSC01714aDSC01662cBoth teams dressed, as were the match officials and several members of the crowd, in period costume were made up of team members drawn  from Coventry City Ladies FC and other local teams each representing a named participant in the original  Coventry Ladies Cup Final of September 1917 between Humber and Rudge-Whitworth.

The Victorious Humber Ladies

The Victorious Humber Ladies

Rudge-Whitworth Team

The Rudge-Whitworth Team

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a repeat of the original result (decided 19-0 on corner kicks after a 0-0 draw at full time) the ‘Humber Ladies’ team again ran out winners 7-2 in a battle both energetic and skilful played in difficult conditions.

Dietmar,Kirk, Dave, Bill & Billy

Dietmar,Kirk, Dave, Bill & Billy

The Association (who helped sponsor the event) were represented by a number of CCFC former players and CCFPA committee members including Sky Blues F.A.Cup star Dave Bennett, key eighties defender Kirk Stephens and sixties CCFC stalwarts Dietmar Bruck and Bill Tedds together with CCFPA committee men Mike Young and Dean Nelson.

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Mike and CCFPA Associate member Lionel Bird had done much to underpin the historical research for the event and Lionel also appeared resplendent in historical costume to match the players, officials and other attendees. Coventry City Council leader Anne Lucas and ‘Mr Coventry’ CCFPA’s Life President Joe Elliott led out the teams and kicked off each half and CCFPA vice chair Billy Bell, dressed in somewhat dubious vintage clothing acted as m/c for the day and led the entertainment along with the Coventry Festival Band.

Joe, Billy, Ref, Ms Clarke (Rudge) & Lionel

Joe, Billy, Ref, Ms Clarke (Rudge) & Lionel

As the game is just one part an ongoing project (with Heritage Lottery funding) exploring the early days of women’s football in Coventry (an important centre for the early ladies game) look out for a touring exhibition and other events to follow.

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