A Manchester Movement

Beth Lane, Manchester, England

Goal Click have teamed up with EE to tell the stories of UK grassroots teams born out of adversity - that have overcome hate with hope, with the aim of making the beautiful game more inclusive for all. Because there is a place in football for everyone. 

Beth Lane plays for Manchester Laces, the first ever inclusive women’s and non-binary football club in Manchester, located in Whalley Range. Founded in early 2021, they welcome women and non-binary people from age 16 to 55 and beyond, aiming to promote inclusivity and community – and is united to fight for trans issues in football. Winning an award for National Grassroots Club of the Year in 2022, the club has a no-pressure policy with social sessions, development sessions, and a league team.

Inspired? To find your place in football, in England, head here. 

Can you introduce yourself and tell us how you got involved in football?

My name is Beth Lane, nickname Laney. I am from Sheffield originally but moved to Manchester in 2020. I work for a High Street retailer as an Incident and Individual Rights manager. I currently play competitively for the Manchester Laces Blue Squad and also coach another grassroots team called Rain On Me FC.

I used to play football every waking minute of the day up until the age of 12, and then stopped completely. My mum worked for Sheffield Wednesday FC so sent me to all the Young Owls summer camps and weekly indoor sessions. If I was not playing football with the Young Owls, I was with friends at the local park or on the road on side streets until it was time for bed.

What has your football journey been up until now? 

I stopped playing football when I moved to secondary school. In the early 90s, even though women's football was quietly around, there were no visible role models. In secondary school, the consensus of my new mates was that girls did not play football. To top it off I was also a massive tomboy, so these two things making me different attracted a lot of unwanted attention - so I changed to fit in.

Almost 30 years later I moved from my hometown to Manchester, and we were coming out of the main pandemic lockdown. I was gagging to meet some new mates and saw a post on social media about a new inclusive club being formed and they were based 5 minutes down the road. It was a chance to reconnect to a sport I used to love, make new friends and keep fit.

What did you try to capture with your photos? Was there a wider meaning with the photos?

I tried to capture the togetherness of the team and the joy we feel together playing the beautiful game. The photos were taken at our Manchester Laces home training ground and feature my teammates, the Blue squad, doing warm ups and playing an in-house 11-a-side friendly. You can also see the team playing an in-house 5-a-side tournament in Manchester city centre.

I wanted to capture images of teammates and newly formed friendships between players from across our three squads. Players are proud to wear their Laces shirt and of everything the team stands for around inclusivity. This includes players from all across the country and the US who found themselves in Manchester at the time the club was formed and are now part of a really exciting football family.

There is a photo of the team from below in a circle. None of the players wanted to be in this because they thought it would show off their double chins. There is nothing finer than a pre and post-match Laces huddle.

What are the opportunities for women's and non-binary players to participate in your community?

Manchester Laces wanted their football team to be different, they wanted to create an inclusive space for every single person that set foot on the pitch. With visible leaders who go out of their way to make everyone feel included, the Laces have built a club of over 100 members in one year. Our founder fought hard to allow our 3 trans players to play in the league - and was successful!

What impact has Manchester Laces had on you? Why is it so important to have an inclusive space to play?

In the past year I have been more than happy to let football take up all my spare time. I play four times a week in various 5 and 7-a-side leagues as well as competitively with Laces in the Manchester League. 

Being part of the Manchester Laces family has given me many things. Firstly, reconnecting to a sport I loved but felt I had to give up to fit in. I did not realise how much joy it brought me. I feel like I have claimed back a big part of my authentic self which is HUGE. Secondly, and not to be sniffed at…it has brought me 100+ new mates, and a safe space as a non-binary person within an inclusive driven community.

What ambitions do you have for the future?

I would like to bring football back for other women and non-binary people who have a similar story to me. We know there are loads of people who think they are too old or not good enough because they have not played for years. My football career started at 40 and I could not be happier to have it back in my life. I hope that I can inspire others to get back into the game. 

What do you think the future looks like for football in your community? Why might the future be hopeful? What would you like to change? 

I think the future has never looked better for football in my community. The Laces has a sister project named the Alternative Football League or “the AF League”. The league is dedicated to doing things differently. It has Manchester-based women and non-binary individuals playing in a 7 aside league which is safe, regulated and fair.

Manchester Laces are adding a new squad making that four teams challenging under the badge next season. New grassroots teams are popping up all over the city. It really feels like a movement.

How important is it for male allies to fight sexist abuse?

I see misogyny from men in relation to women's football at all levels and platforms. It is everywhere and it is rife. Our sister club in London had all their block bookings for pitches cancelled because “the men needed them” a few months ago. 

We regularly see and hear men and boys shouting abuse over the railing at training or at competitive games. Then there is the online abuse and hate aimed at the women's national team. 

Men are the root cause; the book starts with them – it is not our responsibility to fight a battle we have not created or are part of. So, it is time for men to own their problems and start being role models for their wives, daughters, sisters and ALL the women in their lives. 

Series edited by Emma Walley.