The England women's national football team take on Spain in the Women's World Cup Final this weekend.

But did you know Crewe has a connection with the journey which had led to the Lionesses success today?

Jeanie Allott (66), was an outfield player, who was included in the very first England women's football team squads.

A former pupil of the old Wistaston Green Primary School, of Moreton Road, she spoke with Crewe Nub News ahead of this Sunday's final.

The current Lionesses take on Spain in the Women's World Cup Final on Sunday at 11am. (Image - CC 2.0 James Boyes from UK Unchanged) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eng_Women_0_Czech_Rep_0_11_10_2022-321_(52427095313).jpg

"I think I was born with a ball in my hand," said Jeanie.

"As a child, we were always playing football on Readesdale Avenue in Crewe, because there were hardly any cars about.

"We used to use potholes and jumpers as goalposts, and would play street football before school as well as after school.

"When I was eight-years-old, I got in to my school team as the only girl on the pitch.

https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2022/Nov/18/england-women-jeannie-allott-interview-20221118 (Image - The FA)

"Unfortunately, I was caught by the headmaster 'who told me I was banned'. I didn't know what that meant!

"I then started playing with Foden's Ladies FC in Sandbach, but unfortunately I could not afford football boots. We didn't have any money in those days. I would play in my trainers or bare feet. That is how it was in those days.

"But my manager, kindly bought me a pair of football boots."

Jeanie, made her debut in for Fodens Ladies in Sandbach, who were one of the trailblazing women's football clubs.

Fodens Motorworks had a male and female football team, however, Jeanie did not work for the motorworks company based in Sandbach. (Image - Public Domain https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Foden.jpg)

In 1972, the teenager was called up for the first-ever official England women's football squad, just months after a 50-year-ban on competitive women's football was lifted.

She was just 15 when she played in the first-ever official England women's International football match against Scotland. She started the match up front, that helped achieve a 3-2 victory. (Photos of Jeanie in England kit can be found on these clickable red links.)

She would play club football for Fodens until she was 20, when she would make the brave decision to up sticks and move abroad to pursue football professionally in the Netherlands.

"I left England because at the time, England did absolutely nothing for girls football," she recalled.

(Image - The FA)

"(It is vice-versa now by the way).

"We were banned, abused, had photos of our legs in the paper instead of faces. It did hurt you a bit, but we just got on with it.

"Eventually I decided, 'right I've got a lot of friends in Holland, I'm going to see what playing is like over there'. I remember saying to my mum 'I'm off to Holland', and after a hug and a kiss, she said see you next week.

"If you live for football, and you couldn't get it in England, you go look somewhere else for it.

Crewe-born and bred Jeanie currently works in the Dutch shipping industry. (Image - Jeanie Allott)

"And it was brilliant, you got expenses paid for to matches, you got really looked after. It was the best thing for me.

"But now it is the other way around, Holland have gone down a bit, but England is bubbling up of course. [In terms of playing top notch professional football.]"

Jeanie, who could play as a winger, in midfield or as a forward, is part of a rare bunch of footballers to have played for two national teams.

As well as making eleven appearances for England - and scoring once - Jeanie would play for the Netherlands national team in the twilight of her career.

Back in the day, current England boss Sarina Wiegman even played with Jeanie. (Image - CC 2.0 Unchanged James Boyes from UK https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eng_Women_0_Czech_Rep_0_11_10_2022-258_(52427094508)_(cropped).jpg)

Jeanie was capped 12 times by the Leeuwinnen, scoring eight times from 1985 to 1987. She even played alongside current England manager Sarina Wiegman (who is Dutch), including at club level with Sarina's hometown club KFC '71.

But Jeanie's story with the England national team did not end there, despite hanging up her boots. In 2022, Jeanie finally received a physical cap to recognise her and her teammates contribution's as the first-ever Lionesses, and trailblazers to the success that female footballers from England enjoy today.

"The amount of money going in to women's football in England is amazing," added Jeanie.

"That cap that I have waited for for 50 years, I take my hat off to them. Get the kids out of trouble, get them into training facilities, and it gives people more jobs. It is incredible."

Jeanie (bottom far left) with her fellow Lionesses.

Jeanie would not have got the cap, if it wasn't for the work of her former England teammate Sue Whyatt, who is also from Cheshire.

Whyatt called up BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour to set the wheels in motion for the Football Association to finally recognise the teams caps, in a formal ceremony.

It was through this that the two reconnected, including with their other England teammates, and have rekindled a friendship over 50 years on.

"When we received our caps, there was nobody in that crowd that didn't shed a tear", revealed Jeanie.

Jeanie (centre) with fellow Lionesses from the north Janet Clark (née Bagguley) and Sue Whyatt (right).

"And going on the pitch at Wembley was brilliant, we were all one happy family.

"Sue is a true friend, and I can only count them on one hand. Since we have all got back together, she is someone I can know if I have a problem, even if it is in the middle of the night she will be there to talk to me. Even if she has to swim over the English Channel to come to me."

Sue played in goal, and was target practice for Jeanie's shots over many training camps as they toured Northern Europe on international fixtures for England.

"We all remember Jeanie with her long beautiful blonde hair when we were playing, but we hadn't heard from her for all that time.

In recent years, Jeanie has helped the first generation of England's official women's team get recognition, fifty years after their first game.

"We had a close relationship back then too, we were like three musketeers, me, Jeanie and Janet [another northerner called up for the original Lionesses, being from Buxton in Derbyshire].

"We remember being with Jeanie was such good fun, and when we finally reunited it felt like we had never been apart. The best thing out of all this, has been renewing our friendship."

Jeanie still lives in the Netherlands today, where she works in the shipping industry. But will be retiring later this year, and continuing to reconnect with her footballing friends.

In fact, Jeanie and Sue are meeting up in London this weekend to watch the big match together with some of their fellow ex-England teammates.

Jeanie and her fellow England footballers will watch the World Cup Final at Box Park at Wembley Stadium this Sunday.

"I was 32 when I retired from playing football," explained Jeanie.

"I wanted to give a chance to younger players coming through, I decided to stop at the top.

"Watching this year's tournament, I would like to shout out the whole team. It is easy for us to celebrate the goalscorer as they make the headlines, but the whole team has been amazing.

"It was a bit nerve-wracking watching the semi-final, but England had control and I knew they were going to win."

Can England's Lionesses and win the World Cup go one further? Head to your favourite pub in Crewe or turn on the telly at 11am to find out.

See Also: Eight new jobs to apply for in and around Crewe this week

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