Lost Lionesses play ‘is coming home’ to Bedfordshire, writer says

A theatrical manufacturing in regards to the rebellious, unofficial England facet that competed within the 1971 Girls’s World Cup was “coming dwelling”, its playwright mentioned.

Nicole Lockwood-West was impressed to write down The Misplaced Lionesses by her aunt Christine Lockwood, a part of the unsanctioned staff that played in front of 90,000 football fans in Mexico earlier than being banned on their return.

“The Lionesses gained in such an iconic means, it modified the course of ladies’s soccer however I wished to recollect the pioneers of the sport,” she mentioned.

Following a profitable run in London, the play involves The Place, Bedford – within the county most of the gamers have been based mostly – from 15-19 April.

It’s a tribute to supervisor Harry Batt, who was banned from English soccer after forming the staff regardless of opposition from the Girls’s Soccer Affiliation, and has since handed away.

The play ends on a constructive be aware, exhibiting how the sport has come full circle with the Lionesses winning Euro 2022.

Ms Lockwood-West mentioned: “I all the time thought it was an amazing story, I all the time grew up with my mum and aunty telling me about it.

“It is a piece of native historical past that had been forgotten about. It is time to deliver it dwelling, it is coming dwelling.”

Christine Lockwood mentioned she was comfortable to depart the script to her niece.

“I did not need to poke my nostril in. After I noticed it, I assumed this was sensible. You do not even have to love soccer, it is so uplifting.”

Jan Emms, 73, from Bedford, who was 19 when she played in the side, mentioned she was thrilled they have been “lastly getting the popularity we totally deserve”.

“I am completely delighted with what’s occurred now, 53 years after the story was hidden away.

“When you had mentioned to me, all these years in the past, there could be a e-book, a movie and a play about us, we’d have laughed our heads off.”