At a glance
Short bio: Clare McEwen is a women’s football historian and author of She Can Kick It: The History of Women’s Football Across the World.
Longer bio: Clare McEwen is a women’s football historian and author of She Can Kick It: The History of Women’s Football Across the World. She is Managing Editor of The New Women’s Sport Magazine, and writes She Can Kick It, a Substack dedicated to recovering the buried history of women’s football worldwide — from the 1921 FA ban to the game’s growth today. Clare also coaches an under-15s mixed team, bringing a coach’s eye for the game to her historical work. She grew up in an era when girls playing football was still considered unusual, and writes with that experience at the centre of everything she does.
Publishing on Substack every week for a year with a growing readership of football fans.
About Clare McEwen, women’s football expert
I’m a writer and author specialising in women’s football, covering the game’s history, culture, and current stories. My work focuses on how women’s football has survived restriction, navigates growth, and continues to shape pathways for players and fans. I write books and articles on the women’s game and have contributed to podcasts, broadcast, and print media.
what i do
- Write history books on women’s football, exploring how the game developed, survived, and changed over time
- Research and write articles for general audiences, including youth football and participation
- Contribute to podcasts and broadcast discussions on the women’s game
- Cover women’s football from historical, cultural, and grassroots perspectives
- Create football-inspired books and printed resources for girls in football
- Work across writing, research, and storytelling to increase understanding and visibility of women and girls in football
why women’s football
I fell in love with football as a girl in the 1980s. Like many girls growing up, that love didn’t come with access or visibility – it came with sidelong glances and calls of “tomboy”. But women’s football existed, at least in pockets. It just wasn’t visible or acknowledged, certainly not in my corner of Cornwall.
When I found myself amongst a sea of fans watching the Lionesses at Wembley in 2019, I wanted to understand how the game had grown so big when, for most of my life, it had barely been shown. I wanted to know what I’d missed. I wanted to know the stories.
Media & Collaborations
Topics
- The history of women’s football as it developed around the world
- The FA ban and its long-term impact on the women’s game
- Growth, visibility, and what they do (and don’t) tell us about progress
- Women’s football culture and its overlooked history
- Girls’ pathways into football and participation beyond elite routes
- Grassroots football and access to the game
- The relationship between the past of women’s football and its present moment
Recent appearances
I’ve contributed to discussions on women’s football across podcasts, radio, and online platforms, including writing for The New Women’s Sport Magazine, with features ranging from an interview with Lucia Kendall to coverage of teams further down the pyramid, alongside appearances on the Women’s Football Hub podcast and BBC Radio Oxford and Radio Berkshire.
For a list of all podcasts and broadcast media, go to the Appearances page
Contact
Interested in working together? See what I offer on the Work with me page.
She Can Kick It: The History of Women’s Football Across the World
The first book to tell the global story of the women’s game across countries, eras, and the players and movements that built the sport. Published December 2024.