The Lionesses may have been particularly successful recently, but Roy O'Brien asks if the Lions even care

Two perspectives on women’s place in football, both provided by Millwall FC. In May, the Lionesses football team are given a civic reception by Lewisham Council to celebrate their most successful season ever, which included winning the Women’s FA Cup. “They’re helping to raise the profile of the sport and continue to push the standards of women’s football higher and higher,” says local MP, and minister for women, Joan Ruddock. A few days later, the press are invited to see Millwall’s new strip modelled by the club’s “latest international signing”, Anne Marie Foss, L!ve TV’s Norwegian weather girl. Anne Marie reads the weather in Norwegian with a subtitled translation. It’s quite a giggle.

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Never before have women been so interested in football. Anne Coddington thinks that clubs need to realise this quickly

“90% of males are happily married. To eleven men,” say the posters from Carling. Who’d have thought, then, that the fastest growing section of support was actually young women, and that we no longer stand out at football matches like the proverbial sore thumb. Though there’s plenty who still find us more than a minor irritant. “See you’ve brought the wife along,” is still a regular welcome, though that’s enlightened compared to the treatment handed out to female golden goal sellers venturing along the touchline with a modicum of confidence.

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Although France '98 will have representatives from North and Central America, Neil Dixe Wills predicts that they won't upset the applecart

At the turn of the century Mexican president-cum-dictator Porfirio Diaz quipped, in what passed for wit in those days, “Poor Mexico: so far from God, so close to the United States.” Had he not shuffled off his mortal coil 82 years ago he might now be tempted to add, “But thank goodness we’re in the CONCACAF region.”

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Designing football stadiums has become big business for architechts, reports Matthew Foreman

When Derby and Bolton fans arrive at their new stadium for the first Premiership match of the season, they’ll find bars to tempt them away from the local, catering to put the hot-dog stand out of business and that symbol of 90s football, the revamped club shop. And as soon as the ground is empty the club can start preparing for the next business conference.

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WSC readers and fanzine editors weigh up the coming season

BARNET

John Cosgrove

How will your team do this season? Bit hard, this one. Our new manager has currently signed five new players with the promise of more to come. Even so, we can’t expect too many great things from a bunch of Peterborough rejects. Realistically we’ll come mid-table (again).

Who is going to be the most important figure at the club this season? John Still, our 7th manager in 12 months! We need to bring a bit of stability to the club after the Alan Mullery debacle.

If you had to come up with a new piece of merchandise to sell at the club shop what would it be? As we have a club shop which can rightly claim the title of “Worst Shop in The League” (to go with our proud “Worst Ground in the League” award), any piece of merchandise would be nice. Getting the new kit on sale before Christmas would be a novelty.

Which player at your club most divides the home support and why? You name him! Barnet fans tend to sway towards the fickle side. Even Sean Devine (top scorer two seasons running) gets some stick.

Which element of the matchday environment would you most like to change? Topical one this. One of the editors of Two Together was recently refused service at one of our snack bars on the grounds that they were closing. It wouldn’t have been so bad but there was still over half an hour of the game left to go. Jobsworths are alive and well at Underhill.

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