The Corinthians, one of the world’s first female football teams found fame in the ’60s and ’70s playing to tens of thousands of fans across Europe and South America. Now, a group of passionate filmmakers are hoping to self-fund Corinthians: We Were the Champions − a film documenting this pioneering women’s football team from Manchester.
The Corinthians, who hailed from Manchester, gained renown in the 1960s and 1970s, captivating audiences across Europe and South America with their remarkable talent and rare defeats on the field. Managed by Percy Ashley, the Manchester Corinthians defied the Football Association’s ban on women playing on FA-affiliated grounds, assembling a formidable team of local women in 1949.
The FA banned women’s football from the grounds of Association-affiliated clubs in 1921 due to its perception that football was “unsuitable” for women. Despite initial disapproval from the FA, the Corinthians embarked on global tours, showcasing their skills and leaving an indelible mark on the sport.
Their enduring legacy laid the groundwork for the Lionesses’ European Glory in 2022. A testament to their impact, a blue plaque was unveiled last October in Didsbury at Fog Lane, where the team once trained, commemorating their legacy.
Now, 75 years later, the Corinthians are poised to return to the limelight as the focus of a documentary. However, the filmmakers face the challenge of raising £65,000 to bring their vision to fruition. The Corinthians: We Were The Champions is said to be the film that will smash the theory (that women didn’t play football during the ban) forever, putting women firmly back in football history thanks to one magnificent Manchester team.
Produced in collaboration with surviving players – who have never had the chance to tell their full story on film before – the documentary reveals the Corinthians’ globe-trotting adventures from the 1950s to the 1970s, when they played in front of crowds of 65,000 abroad but were ostracised at home.
It is being backed by the Manchester-based National Football Museum, who want to add the film to their collection, as there is so little archive from women playing during the ban.
Lioness and Manchester United midfielder Ella Toone has also given her support to help the Corinthians’ story make it to the screen, and hopefully be premiered in Manchester. Ella, who played for Blackburn Rovers, and Manchester City, before joining United in 2018, described the Corinthians as “legends” who the Lionesses could look up to.
If you would like to help fund this world first documentary, visit the crowdfunding website here. For as little as £1 or £5 you could be part of a movement to put women firmly into football history and celebrate a team who fought the sporting system. For £10 you’ll get a personal numbered certificate commemorating your donation.