West Ham United supporter and England Lionesses legend Ellen White believes the success of the 2022 European Championship can transition to the fast-approaching 2022/23 Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL).
The Lionesses’ all-time leading scorer, who netted 52 goals in 113 caps for her country, was a special guest of the Club at the recent Premier League fixture with Tottenham Hotspur.
The Buckinghamshire-born striker, who comes from a family of West Ham supporters, was introduced to the Claret and Blue Army, interviewed by matchday presenter Chris Scull and happily signed autographs, and posed for photographs with her fellow Hammers.
Like the men's first team, West Ham Women will play the defending champions in their first match of the season. On Sunday 11 September, Paul Konchesky's Hammers will face Emma Hayes' Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Last year, hours spent watching the Women's Super League on television saw a "near fourfold" increase from the previous season, according to the Women's Sport Trust (WST), while the 2022 Euro finals saw its average crowds double in size compared to the previous best in the competition's history.
And White, a two-time WSL champion and a three-time England Women’s Player of the Year, hopes that the success of the national team this summer can take the league – and the whole club pyramid - to an even bigger audience.
“Hopefully the momentum will continue,” White said. “The support for women’s football, people going to watch women’s football and it just continues to grow and develop. I think the nation were gripped and hopefully that continues for many years to come.”
During England's UEFA Women's Championship final victory over Germany at Wembley Stadium in July, White played her final match as a senior international after 13 years.
“It wasn’t bad was it,” enthused a smiling White. “Winning the Euros was a dream come true.”
Interested in watching West Ham United Women this season? Sign up to our mailing list or click on the graphic below to purchase tickets ahead of the 2022/23 Barclays Women's Super League season now!
