We Were The Champions – Available to Watch Now
Manchester Corinthians were one of the most important women’s teams of the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Established in 1948 by founding manager Percy Ashley, so he could provide a team for his daughter Doris to play for. Despite beginning deep into the FA ban on Women’s Football. The Corinthians were determined to make their own space!
Though not the first Women’s team established in the Manchester area, they would go on to become the first to begin touring extensively across the world. Promoting women’s football and proving their right to play as they went.
Initially, they played charity matches across Britain before heading across to Portugal for the first time in 1957. Within the year, they had made five trips to the continent that included places like Germany, Holland & Madeira. On their travels, the Corinthians would host their fixtures in major stadia before large attendances as had never been seen before.
In Germany, they participated in the International Ladies FA’s European Cup winning the tournament as an unofficial English delegation. Victories like this inspired further tours in the 60’s as far as Morocco, Tunisia and Italy.
One of their longest tours across South America & the West Indies, before winning another international tournament in Venezuela cementing the strength of the Corinthians sporting successes considerably.
This shirt on display in our Match Gallery, worn by Corinthian Margaret Shepherd serves as a great reminder and point of reflection of this incredible side’s journey whilst navigating the barriers set down before them by those determined to minimise their existence and enjoyment of the Beautiful Game.
Shepherd joined the side in the late 60’s and was part of the Corinthians team that enjoyed success in Reims by beating Juventus 1-0 to claim another international trophy.
Members of the Corinthians side would later play large part in the formation of the Women’s Football Association prior to the lifting of the FA ban and England women’s first international fixture.
The Corinthians played on into the 90’s with their final piece of silverware being lifted in 1989. The side eventually disbanded in 1992 but its players would go on to play huge parts in the development of other women’s teams, continuing their commitment to the growth of Women’s Football.
Their incredible journey has now been immortalised in a documentary titled Manchester Corinthians – We Were The Champions.