HER GAME TOO ANNOUNCES CREWE ALEXANDRA AMBASSADOR

Kate Blakemore is the latest member to join Her Game Too team, as Ambassador for Crewe Alexandra.

Kate will work with the League Two club to organise projects and events relating to the campaign, and serve as a point of contact for Her Game Too at Crewe.

The Railwaymen became a Her Game Too partner club in March 2022, when the players raised awareness of the campaign by warming up in Her Game Too t-shirts in their dedicated International Women’s Day fixture.

Long-standing supporter Kate first started going to watch Crewe with her friend, whose dad was a steward, and the pair quickly became Saturday afternoon regulars.

She said: “I have supported Crewe ever since but, now my two sons are in a football team, my love for the game has grown.“

“My sons are also season ticket holders for Crewe now.”

Kate has many highlights from following her team, but Crewe’s recent trip to Wembley for the League Two Play-off Final is up there with the very best.

That game, in May this year, is also one of her most painful memories though, as Crewe lost 2-0 to Crawley Town to miss out on promotion to League One.

Kate is passionate about women and girls being able to enjoy football without being subjected to sexism, and it is comments and incidents she has witnessed that have motivated her to become involved with Her Game Too.

“For me, it's the comments I hear all the time - in work and when watching my sons play football.“

“I run a women's and girls’ charity and hear derogatory comments about women in sport all the time.“

“I also hear comments about skill and body image all the time, which can cause anxiety and worry for females - ultimately leading to women choosing not to play or watch the game.“

“I’ve also seen discrimination at grassroots level, where males have not wanted a female referee.“

“To say I was angry is an understatement.”

Kate hopes Her Game Too can help to achieve better female inclusion and representation throughout the game and for gender not to be considered an issue at all in football.

“I would love to see us just talking about ‘football’, where all genders are at all games, and the gender pay gap is no longer spoken about.“

“I also would love to see women at every level of decision-making.”