Gregory’s legacy is foundational. Inspirational. Impactful.
As one of the central figures in the re-establishment of women’s football in the 1960s, she co-founded the Women’s Football Association (WFA) in 1969 — a body set up to organise the game at a national level following the FA’s decades-long ban. As a WFA committee member, she played a critical role in organising the first England women’s international matches and developing structured leagues for women and girls.
A tireless advocate for gender equality in sport, Gregory was instrumental in helping lift the FA’s ban on women playing on affiliated pitches in 1971 — a landmark moment in English football. Her work helped lay the foundations for the game’s growth and eventual governance by The FA in 1993. Throughout her life, she has continued to push for better representation, recognition, and opportunities for women in football, earning her an MBE in 2024 for services to the sport.
Born in London in 1947, Patricia grew up watching men’s football, particularly Tottenham Hotspur, but was quickly discontented by the lack of women representation in the sport. Soon enough after Tottenham winning their 3rd FA Cup within a decade in 1967, Patricia decided it was time to take action. Contacting her local paper, the Hornsea Journal, Patricia began a search for potential teammates for a team which became known as ‘White Ribbon FC,’ with Patricia at the helm as chair.
To register as a FA compliant team ruled difficult due to the 1921 ban by the FA itself where it denied women the chance to officially play football under FA rules. This didn’t stop Patricia and White Ribbon FC who searched the country for youth men’s teams to play against. After an advertisement she placed in a magazine looking for relevant opponents, Patricia met a man called Arthur Hobbs who was in charge of running women’s tournaments. Together, they agreed to set up the Southeast of England League and between 1967 and 1969, the pair set up numerous women’s leagues.
The rest as they say, is history. Patricia made history by playing a huge part in the lifting of the 1921 ban for women’s football within her role at the Women’s Football Association, working closely with Arthur and UEFA to put pressure on the FA. Since then, she has been shining example of how advocacy and determination can make real significant change.
The fight didn’t stop there, as of 2022, Patricia has been heavily involved in the Legacy Cap project with the FA to honour every England woman’s player just like they do with the England Men’s team.