The Lionesses are ready and roaring (and luckily they are even good when they're bad)

About 15 years ago, when I was chair of the junior club where my son played football, we decided to start up a girls' team.

- JIM WHITE

In truth, it wasn't our idea. We were approached by a dad whose daughter was keen on the game, but couldn't find anywhere nearby to play. That year we were very pleased with ourselves when we managed to recruit half a dozen other girls to join our young pioneer and form a seven-a-side team.

Back in June, I went to watch the club's annual five-a-side competition. And I was astonished by what I saw. Across the park where it was being staged were 20 small pitches, each occupied by girls teams, dozens of them, representing clubs from across the county.

Speaking to the organiser, I was told that female football has grown exponentially. My old club now has 15 girls' and two women's teams. On a Saturday and Sunday during the season as many girls as boys turn out in the club's colours. This is a game that in 15 years has gone from an adjunct to the mainstream.

And what has rocket-fuelled the growth was England's victory in the Euros last summer. When Leah Williamson lifted the trophy inside an ecstatic Wembley, it irrevocably changed our attitude to women's football.