Northern Ireland v Czech Republic

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Long gone are the days when female football fans were as rare as
Matt Le Tissier’s teeth.
And Northern Ireland’s recent hosting of the UEFA
Women’s U19 Championship has helped bring the
ladies’ game to a brand new audience.
But what sparks an interest in football among
some of the team’s most passionate female fans?
On my quest for answers I asked a couple of
familiar faces and put out a call on Facebook to
find the female GAWA.
The response was fantastic but, for me, a couple of
women stood out as particularly obsessive football
devotees. To such a degree, I would say, that their
passion would put their male counterparts to
shame.
First up is Glenda Farr Johnston, a woman who
is such a big fan she married on Windsor Park’s
centre circle wearing not Manolo Blahniks but silver
football boots. And when Windsor was revamped -
to become the National Football Stadium - Glenda
was presented with the grass circle which now
takes pride of place in her garden.
“It’s the biggest emotional rollercoaster ever
supporting our blinking country,” said Glenda, who
has been going to games since 1982 and hasn’t
missed a home or away game in almost 11 years.
“Us girls stick together like glue,” she explained.
“The lads look out for us and you’re always
guaranteed a laugh with this bunch of headers.”
The comradeship continues with fellow female
GAWA member Shirley Graham, or Airport Shirley
as she is also called due to her many ‘away’ air
miles.
“The boys might think they are macho but the
girlies stand in their own right”, she enthused.
“We are all so different, from the diehard girlies who
wear Northern Ireland tops all the time to the wee
old ladies you meet in the toilets during half-time.”
And, like Glenda, Shirley loves the instant
friendships only football can bring. “We are one big
family,” she insisted. “I love the way you can walk
Marie Jones and her sons
48
THE ULSTER GIRLS
CANMAKE NOISE TOO!