Premier of - REF: Stories from the Weekend

Well, my first Premier of a film!!!!!

I was invited to attend the Premier of the BT Sport Film - Ref: Stories from the Weekend. We were invited to BT Tower in London last Monday evening. I was excited but nervous. I'm the youngest referee in the film, and I was so unsure as to whether I wanted to watch myself on the screen. When we got there we went through an airport style security to be then greeted by a waiter with drinks, who then took us to meet the other guests. It's the first time that we had all met, so we started chatting very quickly about our feelings.

Tom (Watts) came over to me with some media reporters. He introduced them and left me to answer questions. I was talking with different reporters for around 30 minutes, being asked about;

• How I got in to Refereeing
• How am I treated by footballers
• What are my aspirations 
• Did I play football
• What do boyfriends think 
• etc etc

We were then asked to go into the Cinema to be seated. Me and Mum sat at the back in very comfy seating, nervously giggling. Tom and Guy opened up procedings and thanked everyone for their involvement. And the show began;

I was really impressed, it's a great watch. If you are a football fan in any way, it will be a well spent hour. The film covers all aspects, the Referee's are varied; 

• Aged from 19 to 70
• Across the UK
• From new Referee's to Premiership Referee's
• Females and Males
• Covering a vareity of experiences with the game
• It's even got the comedy factor

After the film we were all called to the front to have a question and answer session with the audience. No one knew what was going to be asked, but once we got going you couldn't stop us. It was fun to be so involved in the project. 

We were then taken to the top of the BT Tower, to the function area; a circular revolving room with floor to ceiling windows - Incredible. As soon as we walked out of the lift, to be handed a glass of champagne, the view that greeted us was breath-taking. We were up there for aroud an hour talking with so many people from all walks of football refereeing. 

It was a wonderful evening - I'm so blessed to have been involved, 

The film is on 04 April at 10.30pm - BT Sport 1

It's Ski Season - Bring on the Piste!!!

LOVE SKIING

I spent last week in the 'Three Vallee's' area of France. It's the most amazing ski area, consisting of - Yes you guessed it - Three Valley's;

• 600kms of skiing - I feel like I pretty much covered a massive percentage of this
• 169 ski lifts of various forms
• A maximum ski altitude of 3230m - meaning your pretty much guarranteed snow whatever the weather. 
• 51 Green runs
• 132 Blue runs
• 106 Red Runs
• 32 Black runs
• Skydiving
• ziplines
• Some amazing cafe's and bars
• 2 x small airfields
• 1 x helipad

It's certainly not a restful holiday. Up in time to hit the slopes at around 0930hrs, and just go where the mood takes you. Three Vallee's is great because it's so vast that you really don't come across queues for lifts at all, you can pretty much have an idea on the map as to where you want to go, and just see what happens. 

Luckily we have friends over in the Vallee's, we stayed at one friends apartment, who happens to be one of the 'Chief Instructors' on the slopes, but we met up everyday with my Mum's best friend and her family who are out there quite often. As my Mum and Sister (Bro was on a course and coudn't come out with us), are more your relaxed skiers - Queens of the Blue slope!!!, I was really grateful that the Black Slope brigade were there. 

Every year I improve that bit more, and take on those scarier slopes - and it feels amazing. I first went skiing when I was around 9 years old, and in a million years I wouldn't have thought that I would be having a go at a jump, or whizzing down a black slope, complete with moguls. It's incredible. 

To top it all, it was also 20 degrees, Hot Stuff. So when you finish flattening them slopes, you can strip down to your strappy top and sunbathe. It always looks weird when you are walking away from the slopes with ski kit on, but you;re walking past people in shorts and t-shirt. 

What else to do - Well it would be pure rude to not go to 'La Folie Douce' for their afternoon party. The most amazing setting for a live concert with paragliders who always pay a visit whilst the show is in full fling. And if you have money to burn you can order you're £5000 bottles of champagne, which will be sent across to you in a sky pully to a celebration of fireworks - Amazing afternoon. 

For a relaxing breakfast visit 'Le Panoramic' for the most amazing view, and wonderful setting. A great start to the day. 

There are so many different activities for every age group, with many ski fun parks for Children dotted all around. Off-Piste there are leisure centres, tenpin bowling, ice skating, and if you time it right you can go and watch a hockey match. 

I can't wait to go back already. Although next year I'm going out with family one week and my mates another week.

Oh - Of course there is football. This is the 5 a-side football pitch near our accommodation. Probably one of the best located pitches ever, although Mum said she wasn't going after the ball if we kicked it out!!!!

Suffregettes of Womens Football

The Women who wanted to play football, and were not going to let the Old Gentlemen of the FA stop them - Tough Women, with willpower and an overhelming ambition to succeed.


Great day spent in Manchester last Tuesday. The Football museum hosted an event for 'Women in Football', on of all days 'International Womens Day'. Again Shelley Alexander was the force behind the event, and had chosen an amazing venue yet again;

The football museum is a must for anyone who has an interest or love for football. It is located in the centre of Manchester, a short walk from Victoria Station and The Arndale Centre. I have visited before - Advantage of my Nana and Grandad living about 5 miles away. Anyway - It'sgreat. It has floors of fantastic exhibits, and covers all aspects. From the very begining of the game through to the modern game, and everything in between. From Football Kits, to WAGS designer dresses. Some old fashioned funfair games, to modern day skills booths. They have now introduced a great little cafe, where you can have a latte and wander around the signed shirts.

Well, back to the event. - Fantastic inspirational women;

• Patricia Gregory amazingly campaigned for women to be allowed to play football - after they had been banned by the FA in 1921. She wrote to a local newspaper and was inundated with leters from Women wanting to join her team - which by the way, she didn't have - Answer = Create a team !!!
• Kerry Davis - In the 60's she was one of the most prolific goal scorers 
• Carol Thomas - Previously Englands longest serving captain
• Liz Deighan - Footballer and Coach for England - back in the day!!
• Rachel Brown-Finnis - Recently retired Goalkeeper for England

Did you know that there were around 150 womens teams by 1920. The game was flourishing, and especially during the First World War, when Women were working more and more, they also started to get more and more involved in sport. On Christmas Day 1917 there were 10,000 spectators watched a match between two ladies teams at Preston. By 1920, on Boxing Day, a crowd of 53,000 watched Dick Kerrs Ladies play St Helens Ladies at Goodison Park, and more people were outside, that hadn't managed to get a ticket. 

The FA didn't like that - In December 1921 the FA made a statement - 'The game of football is quite unsuitable for Females, and ought not to be encouraged'. The Old Chaps at the FA had been outraged by the popularity of the Womens game. The Womens game effectively stopped there and then. 

All these women are so passionate about the game, and they had to really stand up for their rights to play the game they loved.They didn't give up, and they worked and worked to progress the game and are still working tirelessley. And they were on the receiving end of many horrible comments or suggestions. We make think that we have a battle now, but goodness they battled so much to make things easier for us. 

The presentations were great, amd the discussions interesting. The women all looked amazing, and makes me feel positive for hopefully ageing well !!!!