Venue of Lionesses' first home game honoured

Today marked a significant moment in the history of English sport with the unveiling of a commemorative blue plaque in Nuneaton, permanently marking the site of the first official England women’s home fixture.

The occasion, part of a week of celebrations for England women’s 500th game, commemorates the meeting between the Lionesses and Scotland which took place in the West Midlands on 23 June 1973, with the hosts recording an 8-0 victory which included England women’s first ever hat-trick, scored by Pat Firth.

Members of the 1973 squad gathered together in Nuneaton to celebrate the milestone and the day involved speeches from FA Chair Debbie Hewitt MBE and director of women’s football, Sue Day who joined in the celebrations.

There was also a Q&A session hosted by former Lioness and Nuneaton local Laura Bassett, who spoke with members of the ’73 team as they reflected on their memories of this defining moment in the history of the game. The group were also surprised with congratulatory messages from Lionesses head coach Sarina Wiegman and captain Leah Williamson.

Also in attendance were representatives from the Scottish FA, Birmingham FA, as well as founding members of the Women’s FA, who were instrumental in creating greater opportunities for women in England to play competitive football.

This unveiling comes at an important time, aligning with the wider celebrations of the Lionesses 500th game, showcasing the incredible journey of the England women’s team that has spanned across the past 54 years and seen 241 players represent their country.

England women’s first hat-trick goalscorer, Pat Firth, said: “It means the world to be here today in Nuneaton celebrating our first home international, nearly 54 years later, and I can speak to the rest of the group that we’re so honoured and proud to have the plaque put up to mark the moment.

"It’s special to celebrate this moment as the Lionesses play their 500th game, all the Lionesses from 1 to 241 are a family and we’re proud to be the group that started it. It’s been incredible to see what generations of Lionesses have done since 1973 and it’s only getting better.”

Debbie Hewitt added: “It was an honour to join the celebrations in Nuneaton as we mark such a significant moment for women’s football in England.

"In the wonderful history of the Lionesses, this story has gone relatively untold. The 1973 England squad were pioneers who drove the game forward in England, they played with a belief in building something bigger and a determination to break down barriers to create more opportunities for future Lionesses to reap the benefits of.

"This plaque serves as a lasting tribute to their contribution, and a powerful reminder of how far the game has progressed. As we celebrate the Lionesses 500th game it is important that we continue to recognise and honour those who laid the foundations for what we see today.”

More 500th game celebrations took place earlier on in the week as former internationals, including members of the 1973 team, created a guard of honour that welcomed out the current generation of Lionesses in front of 60,000 as they took to the pitch in a 1-0 victory against Spain at Wembley Stadium connected by EE.

England women will officially mark the 500th game milestone in Reykjavik on Saturday 18 April (5.30pm BST) as they place Iceland in their second FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier of the window.