Lionesses: Former England player says recognition is overdue

The captain of the "lost Lionesses" England women's team of 1971 says it has taken "too long" for the sport to get proper recognition.

Carol Wilson, 70, played in Mexico in a World Cup but returned home to find the team had been banned.

Mrs Wilson, of Dereham, Norfolk, played defence in the team of "visionary" manager, Harry Batt.

She said: "The Lionesses are amazing but it should not have taken 50 years to get here."

Mrs Wilson was 17 when she was chosen to be part of Batt's unofficial world cup squad.

However, the Football Association would not condone the event and all the players who took part were handed bans.

Batt himself, hailed a "visionary" by his team, was banned from coaching for life.

Mrs Wilson said she was "so proud" of what the Lionesses had achieved in Euro 2022.

They created history by taking their first major women's tournament against eight-time champions Germany at Wembley - and became the first England team, men's or women's, to win a major trophy in football since 1966.

She said: "It should not have taken this long to get where we are, but I am glad we are finally there now.

"There's no way of putting this back in the box," she added.

"The Lionesses are amazing but it's a bee in my bonnet that it has taken 50 years to get where we are now, it should not have taken this long."

Yvonne Bradley, who was also part of the 1971 team, and who lives in Norfolk, was at Wembley with Mrs Wilson to see the victory.

"I think it made us quite proud. The atmosphere was electric, it was just amazing," she said of England's win.

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