Milton Keynes Council is asking residents to share their stories from women's football in the city, as part of a documentation project.
Milton Keynes was chosen as one of nine cities sitting front and centre hosting one of the biggest women’s European sport event in history.
With the tournament breaking multiple records and making history, MK’s heritage partners are undertaking a project to document the history of local women’s football, funded in part by Milton Keynes Council and, thanks to National Lottery players, the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Milton Keynes Museum, with its partner Living Archive Milton Keynes, has already captured some amazing stories and photographs, but the Museum is keen to expand its collection.
So far, the team has interviewed former Chiltern Valley Ladies players from the 1960s and 1970s. The Museum has also met former players for MK Wanderers and Aylesbury Ladies and current recreational players for MK United.
Objects from a former player of MK Girls and Newport Pagnell have also been collected by the museum, including a football shirt, trophies and a team photograph.
A wealth of information on enterprising young local teams in the 1930s has also been unearthed, including Stony Stratford who were nicknamed ‘The Canaries’.
Director of MK Museum, Bill Griffiths said: "We think there’s an important history of women’s football in the area and we would like to more comprehensively understand and represent the story of teams and clubs that have existed locally. Medals, football kits, programmes, match tickets, trophies – all would be considered for collecting."
MK Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Culture Cllr Robin Bradburn commented: “As the host of three group matches and a semi-final, Stadium MK, the Station Square fan party and city overall were buzzing with excitement. We want people to come forward so our Museum can capture our women’s football history, as well as this event, for future generations.”
