Southend United may be preparing for another season in the Football League basement, but their female counterparts are gearing up for their first ever crack at top flight soccer.

The Shrimpers' ladies team are looking forward to rubbing shoulders with big-name clubs like Spurs and West Ham this term, while Blues face the prospect of unglamorous clashes against fellow Third Division outfits Halifax, Hartlepool and Rochdale.

"We're in for a really exciting season and we can't wait get to get started," said Lisa Hart, manager and founder of Southend United ladies.

Following a steady 11-year rise the girls achieved promotion to the Premier Division of the Greater London League last season for the first time in their history.

However, they have had just as many tough battles off the pitch as on it, as they have had to rise above the prejudice and ridicule of playing a sport totally dominated by men.

"Women's football in this country needs to be promoted much more," said Lisa, who lives in Shoebury.

"It has taken a long time to gain recognition as a serious sport in England because women were never thought of as being footballers.

"However, other countries do take women's football very seriously and you only have to look at the World Cup which has just taken place in America to see how massive it can be.

"More than 90,000 people watched America beat China in Sunday's final - which proves that women's soccer is much more than a minority sport."

In fact, the crowd which packed into the Pasadena Rose Bowl to watch America's penalty shoot-out victory was higher than any attendance at the men's World Cup staged in the USA in 1994.

However, even in today's more liberated social climate, some people still frown on women playing what they see as "a man's game".

Lisa admitted she has encountered plenty of negative attitudes towards her soccer sisters playing the glorious game, even on her own doorstep.

For as long as she can remember, Lisa had tried to get Southend United involved with her club, founded as just Southend ladies, and after ten years of trying she has finally received a response.

"We have finally joined forces with Southend United, which is great news, but it has been a long time coming," she said.

"I played for Chelmsford ladies before I set up the Southend team and I thought that it would be good to form some sort of partnership with the Blues because they are the local professional club.

"But they didn't want to get involved with us because we were women. I couldn't believe how shortsighted they were being, so I gave up any hopes of receiving help from them."

Yet times have changed and Lisa is glad to report that the Seasiders have now given them their backing.

"Since Martin Dawn plc have taken over at Southend we have built up a much better relationship with the club," she added.

"We've now become Southend United's official women's team and they have given us a new kit and promised to let us play five games at Roots Hall next season.

"I hope we can make the bond even stronger in the future as we attempt to climb into the big national leagues, but the present situation provides us with a good start."

Lisa is hoping the tie in with Blues will help promote women's soccer across south Essex and give the game a boost around the county.

"There are so many quality women players around who would give the likes of David Beckham a run for their money," Lisa said.

"We've got one girl who splits her time between playing for us and earning her living coaching and playing in America, where they aim to set up a professional women's soccer league next year.

"We've got plenty of talent in this country, but we need to keep these girls here, instead of losing them to countries like the USA who can hand them a stage for their skills, so we can make the English game stronger."

Southend United ladies are on the lookout for new players to boost the ranks of their two senior sides and junior team.

Training takes place at Warners Bridge in Southend on Wednesday nights between 7pm and 9pm. For more information contact Lisa on 07771 928668.

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