Nil by Mouth have become one of the first groups to sponsor the new women’s football team Glasgow Phoenix FC which will run 5 and 7 a side teams out of Riverbank Primary School in Dalmarnock.
The club has been founded with the principle that the beautiful game is for everyone and sees its role as not just offering the opportunity to play but providing an outlet for women to keep fit and make friends. Women of all ages have become involved to play games, keep fit, help out behind the scenes and socialise. 67 year old east-end native Liz Brawley was one of the founding members, volunteering as treasurer as well as taking part in training to help stay active. The club is capitalising on the huge surge of interest in women’s football in Scotland in recent years which has seen thousands of women take up the sport as players, coaches and volunteers and are keen to stress that its open to players of all abilities and ages.
Liz Brawley said:
‘We are a women and LGBT+ friendly safe place to play football, get fit and socialise with loads of lovely people of all ages and from all backgrounds. The players make their own decisions about everything connected to the club. We use our group chat, so everyone can voice an opinion and then we vote to decide on things like which tournaments we want to enter, who is up for playing in the team we put forward, etc. Some of us have no desire to compete in tournaments, myself for example being an older member. I am happy just to train and play in inter-squad games at the end of training.Our club has no problem with that as no pressure is put on you to compete unless you want to. We welcome people whatever experience they have had in the past. Some have played football before and others have never had the opportunity. We are a mixed bunch of skills and always have a good laugh at training. I always come away from training feeling good and it gives you a real lift!’
Club Captain Ros Barrie said:
‘At the age of 39 I went along to training for first time, I’d never kicked a ball, let alone been involved in a football team but I was immediately made to feel both welcome and accepted. What’s special about Phoenix is everyone works really hard to create this fun, accepting welcoming environment for people. We already have 30 women coming along each week and this is because of the sense of camaraderie we’ve fostered. There is such a big opportunity for women in Glasgow to come along and get involved in football, the sport is growing and we want people to join more than a team but also a community. We wanted to set up a club that was ran by the players, for the players and allowing everyone to have a say in what happens. Football should be a highlight of your week, seeing your pals, running around getting those lovely endorphins going, maybe win at the end. But the motivation should always be about fun, we are seeing new players coming each week being visibly elated from what’s been going on. It’s not about your skills, its about your passion.’
Nil by Mouth Director Dave Scott said:
‘We’ve always believed that football should be a game for everyone and over the last ten years there has been phenomenal growth in the women’s game at all levels. We are delighted to provide sponsorship to Glasgow Phoenix as it establishes itself in the city. It’s been amazing to hear from the players just how much they get out of the taking part and it’s clearly a club that wants to be as welcoming and all-encompassing as possible. We hope to be able to continue to support the players in the months ahead as part of our ‘Kiss Bigotry Goodbye’ campaign which seeks to promote football as a vehicle for positive change in society.’
For more information on how to become involved with the club contact them on social media at Twitter and Instagram @GlasgowPHX or email glasgowphoenixfc@gmail.com