An Inclusive Future

Lois Kay, Manchester

Lois Kay is captain of the Manchester Laces green squad. Manchester Laces is 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. The photos were taken by Lois and fellow Manchester Laces player Claire Scott.

Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your football life?

My name is Lois Kay, player and captain for Manchester Laces green squad, which is one of the development teams in our club. I went along to Manchester Laces’ first session in March 2021. I was a complete beginner and had very limited exposure to watching or playing sports of any kind.

I was never offered the chance to play football as a child, and so it had been completely off my radar until a friend invited me along to Laces. It makes me sad to think about all the time I missed out on, but I am so grateful for the chance to play now and so I am embracing it with both feet.

I absolutely loved that first session at Whalley Range Sports Centre and signed up as a member straight away, got my very first football shirt with my own name and number (Lo – 24), and it just spiralled from there. I had my first ever competitive team experience taking part in the Alternative Football League (AF league) in the summer of 2021, coming away with a trophy and an increased confidence both on and off the pitch. The AF League is a casual football league dedicated to women, non-binary and transgender individuals in Manchester.

The beginners cohort of the club then joined the newly created Manchester Women’s Flexi-League in Autumn 2021. Both the league and Manchester Laces have grown massively since then. We now have three teams entered into the 9-aside league. The squad I am in moved up to Division 1 this season, which has really pushed us to work hard and develop to take on the competition. We have thrived on it.

My teammates are my friends, my support network, my cheerleaders, and are a source of much pride and happiness in my life.

What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning?

A lot of the photos feature the Manchester Laces Green squad, our intermediate level women and non-binary squad, who for the past two seasons have played in the Manchester Women’s 9-aside Flexi-League. We train on 3G every Thursday at Platt Lane Sports Complex, and play our home league games on grass at Wythenshawe Sports Ground.

Some photos include players from other groups in the Manchester Laces family, a lot of whom have been with the club since its first session in March 2021 and who are some of my closest friends. Some of the photos feature a weekend trip to London where we played a tournament to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Laces family.

I wanted to take photos that showed the fun, friendships, and happiness that we have created, which for me is as important as the football itself.

What is your favourite photo?

My friends and I winning the AF League season 1 was an absolute highlight. Looking back we really connected so well as a team and as friends and went from complete beginners to lifting the league trophy in less than six months. It was the most beautiful summer.

Coach Lauren has been with Manchester Laces since day one, working with us when we did not have football boots and showing us how to kick the ball for the first time. She is now by our side winning division 1 league fixtures and I have a lot to thank her for. She is a teacher in her day job, and occasionally we do get told off like school children, but we respect her and usually do not answer back.

What role does football play in your life and in your community?

Manchester Laces has presented me with so many opportunities that I had never been given before. I thought that sport was not my thing, I had never been encouraged to try it.  

It has brought so many positive things into my life in the last two years. It makes me feel strong and capable, gives me an escape from life when I need it, gives me new life, and has brought so many amazing people into my life.

Manchester Laces provides a place to be yourself, to be accepted exactly as you are, and where everyone is valued as we all bring something great and individual to the team.

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

Manchester has a thriving grassroots community for women and non-binary players. We face challenges in accessing pitches and facilities, and we do sometimes come across prejudice, but that just makes us more determined to keep playing. The legacy of the Lionesses winning the Euros last summer has given us so much more visibility and we are making sure that we move with that momentum.

What impact has Manchester Laces had on you?

For me, Manchester Laces offered a welcoming space for me as an adult beginner to learn to play football and for that I am forever grateful. To have the opportunity to feel healthy and fit whilst having fun, to run around and kick a ball carefree, and to be part of a team, is one that I had never been given before.

What ambitions do you have for the future?

On a personal level, as a fullback, I would love to experience scoring a goal in a game!

As captain of Manchester Laces Green squad, I know that we will continue developing as players individually and as a team, working our way up the league table and in the future, moving from 9-aside to 11-aside.

What do you think the future looks like for football in your community? 

For me the future is the next generation of women players being on equal footing with their male peers, having had the same access to facilities and opportunities to play.

I also hope that every woman, regardless of age and ability has the opportunity to be part of the game and have the chance to make up for the time that was taken from a lot of us.

I am really optimistic about the future. We have momentum, and so many new women’s and non-binary teams are popping up across all of Greater Manchester. We need to make sure that with this growth we ensure that the spaces are explicitly inclusive to groups including trans players, non-binary players and BAME players. Football is for all, and it is for each one of us to make sure that is the future we create.