Emma Clarke To Be Honoured
Sports Writer and Women in Football Founder, Anna Kessel, has called for Clarke to be recognized in the form of a blue plaque on her childhood home.
Clarke’s rise saw her transition from a confectionery assistant to playing for the British Ladies’ team at the age of 20. She has already been commemorated by the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA).
Kessel commented:
“It would also be lovely to see the ground on which she made her debut recognized. I know English Heritage have rules about where a plaque can be attached – on an existing original building – however, there are no existing buildings left on the pitch in north London where Clarke played. Maybe English Heritage could rethink their criteria.
“There could also be a statue of Clarke on Wembley Way. When female fans go to watch football at Wembley, they see the statue of England men’s World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore, which is great – but wouldn’t it also be great to see one of the incredible women players we’ve had in this country?
“At the moment there are only two statues of sportswomen in the UK – that’s 1% of the total.”
