Luton midfielder Jess McKay believes the success of this summer’s Women’s World Cup will have a trickle-down effect into the grassroots of the game and increase the popularity of female football, which has savoured a historic week.
More than 28 million people tuned in to watch the tournament in France, which was a 500 per cent increase in peak audience compared with 2015’s event.
And there was World Cup fever in England as the Lionesses had a magnificent run to the semi-finals, with their progress covered on the front and back pages of national newspapers for the first time ever.
On the back of that, the Women’s Super League kicked off yesterday with Manchester derby breaking the attendance record for the Women’s Super League’s, by more than five times the previous best, with more than 31,000 fans going to the Etihad Stadium.
McKay, a former Arsenal youth, knows current Gunners aces Leah Williamson and Jordan Nobbs and, speaking exclusively to The Lutonian about the growth of the women’s game, the Luton midfielder revealed: “They are saying they can notice it at the top end. That’s where it’s going to start if it’s going to start anywhere. If they’re recognising it because of the World Cup then it’s only going to feed down the grassroots levels.
“The women’s game in general is becoming bigger so it’s quite positive really. I would say it has changed massively over the last few years. It’s been bubbling up until now.
“It’s definitely got a lot better and exploded is probably the right word because it did go under the radar, but then the World Cup happened. There was one spark and then another one and now a lot more people know about it, which is really good. It’s better late than never.
“It would’ve been nice if it was earlier but it’s finally being recognised slowly and hopefully it keeps going in that direction.”
Equal pay was a major subplot of the USA women’s team’s march to a second consecutive World Cup title this summer – their fourth in total. While talks with US Soccer broke down in August, the Finland national team announced this week that their women would be paid the same amount as the men.
McKay, who scored a brace in Luton’s 7-0 Women’s FA Cup win over Leigh Ramblers last weekend, said: “Once one team has done it, it leans a lot of pressure onto other teams to follow in those footsteps. It’s fantastic news and hopefully it encourages other teams to do the same.”
Yet, negative attitudes still persist. Former Arsenal Women right back – and current Strictly Come Dancing contestant – Alex Scott turned to broadcasting after retiring in 2017. She became the first female pundit at a men’s World Cup for the BBC in 2018 and now regularly appears on Match of the Day.
But she revealed earlier this year that she suffers a torrent of daily sexist abuse on Twitter, which peaks at weekends when she’s been on the television as a pundit.
“It’s very much people stuck in their ways of what they perceive football should be,” said McKay, adding: “They think it should be a men’s sport and therefore the commentators and pundits should all be male as well.
“So, when you have a former female player, or a current player – when Jordan Nobbs was doing it, for example – trying to comment on a men’s game, there are people out there that welcome it with open arms, but there are still people out there that don’t.
“That’s a shame, but I’ve heard men, especially, just being quite shocked on the ability and the knowledge we have. I think they thought we were playing a different type of football with different rules.”
“I’ve got a loyalty to Luton. I’ve been there a long time and I’m sure if you ask some of the other girls, it’s more like a family than a team.
While the game is most certainly the same, the 25-year-old is adapting to a new position this season, having moved off the wing into the number ten role.
Now in her tenth year at Town, she’s been part of Luton’s three-game winning start to the season and said: “I debated whether I’ve made the right decision, but the girls have supported me, so have management. I’m really enjoying it now. It’s been an exciting time because I’ve felt like I’ve needed to prove myself.”
Luton Ladies are one of only three teams to still hold a 100 per cent record in their division, putting to bed bad memories of last season’s relegation from the National Leagues.
“The team spirit is really good,” said McKay, adding: “It’s such a big difference from last season where we really did struggle in front of goal. It’s nice to see that the girls have gotten over it over the summer. We’re not dwelling on it all and it’s really nice to get some goals behind us, early doors. It’s going to be important for us later in the season.”
McKay could have left Luton in the summer, but after joining the club at the age of 15 and breaking into the first team as a 16-year-old, having swapped swimming for football, she said: “I’ve got a loyalty to Luton. I’ve been here a long time and I’m sure if you ask some of the other girls, it’s more like a family than a team. We all look out for each other within football and outside of it.
“A lot has changed off the back of last season. I didn’t think much would change but we’ve had a lot more interest, more people watching, a lot of our players have been sponsored and, from a very low point with Luton, it seems to have spurred us on in a completely different way than in previous seasons.
“From something so disheartening we’ve benefitted from it, as a team, so we are really lucky. I think the girls are quite shocked at the attention.
“For me, there is also some revenge needed. We need to go back up into a league that I feel we belong and where our level of football belongs.”
Read McKay’s thoughts on today’s league derby clash with Bedford here.
Hatters fans can watch Luton Ladies face Bedford at The Brache on Gipsy Lane today (kick-off 2pm). Tickets £2 for adults and £1 concessions. Luton fixtures can be found here.
Donate to Luton Ladies’ JustGiving crowdfunding page to help the team with training and travel costs.
