Barclays Women’s Championship players past and present visited the National Football Museum in Manchester on Friday afternoon to donate pieces of memorabilia to mark the division’s tenth anniversary this weekend.
Former England international Sue Smith – who spent the final years of her career with Doncaster Rovers Belles – alongside current Blackburn Rovers captain Jade Richards and midfielder Millie Chandarana, were in attendance to celebrate the league’s milestone.
The Rovers duo donated a squad signed special edition training shirt designed by global football and culture artist Dodici Otto, with the Lancashire side the first women’s team they have collaborated with.
Sue Smith meanwhile donated several pieces from her time with Doncaster Rovers Belles including her Player of the Season and Golden Boot trophies from their 2014 campaign, a season review DVD from the same season, two match programmes, a pair of boots worn during her time with the South Yorkshire outfit and a unique embroidered rug.
Charlton Athletic also gave a selection of pieces to the museum including Jessica Gray’s match worn gloves from the Addicks’ 3-1 win over Birmingham City this season, Melissa Johnson’s away shirt worn last term when she won the club’s Golden Boot, and Sian Rogers’ shirt signed by the entirety of the 2022-23 squad.
These donations support the collaboration announced at the start of the current campaign, with the women’s professional game committed to supporting the National Football Museum in their bid to eventually achieve equal representation of men’s and women’s memorabilia in their archives.
The official tenth anniversary of the Barclays Women’s Championship meanwhile is on Sunday 14 April, when Blackburn Rovers will host Reading at Ewood Park.
