The club played their first fixture at Hinckley Carnival in May 1966
A club claiming to be the "oldest continuous ladies football" side in England is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Leicester City Ladies FC, which is not officially affiliated to the city's title-winning men's team, was formed in 1966 after a supporters' club meeting.
The players had to borrow kit and train in a car park in the early days.
Once considered a "taboo" by their male counterparts, the club has ambitions to reach the Women's Super League.
Peter Rodrigues (pictured right) borrowed shirts for the ladies to complete their first fixture
Having been one of the clubs represented at the first meeting of the Women's Football Association in June 1970, Leicester Ladies have been praised for their longevity.
Gill Ridgley, who looks after the women's football collection at the British Library, said: "It's a testament to these women's determination and love of football that they carried on playing despite all the obstacles - and these were many - that were put in their way."
The club played their early fixtures on council land and parks
Internal problems that have threatened the club's existence over the decades have included a lack of personnel and financial problems, officials said.
"It has been a real rollercoaster," club secretary and ex-player Sue Foulkes said.
"There's been many a time when the club could have gone under and it is just down to a bit of resilience from a few of us that have kept it going."
A half time orange remains one of football's oldest traditions
Women's football in England
Women's football has grown in popularity
There is evidence of women's matches being played in England in the 1880s
Perhaps the most famous women's team was formed at the Dick, Kerr and Co munitions works in Preston during World War One. On 26 December 1920 a record crowd of 53,000 watched Dick Kerr Ladies beat St Helen's Ladies 4-0 at Goodison Park
But the Football Association (FA) banned women from playing on FA-affiliated pitches in 1921 as they deemed the sport "quite unsuitable for females"
The ban lasted for half a century but was lifted in 1971 following the formation of the Women's Football Association (WFA) a couple of years earlier
In 1989, Channel 4 started to provide regular coverage of women's football
England were runners up in the 2009 European Championship, external
The Women's Super League began in 2011
A crowd of 70,584 saw Team GB defeat Brazil 1-0 at the stadium during the London 2012 Olympics and 80,203 watched the final between the US and Japan, a new attendance record for Olympic women's football
The club had a spell at Ellis School in the 1970s, keeping going as a night school class
The team went on tour to Wales in 1974
The team was initially met with scepticism, but has grown and played at Wembley in 1996 before the play-off final between Leicester City and Crystal Palace.
"The original team started to train in the car park at the old Filbert Street ground," Ms Foulkes said.
The ladies team also entertained crowds at Filbert Street before a men's match against West Ham in 1986
Leicester City Ladies played a game at Filbert Street as part of the ground's 100th anniversary celebrations in 1992
"Nothing was supported by the FA at that time and it was absolutely taboo for clubs to help a women's team with facilities.
"When they came out to play in the first game, we had a Welsh left back called Peter Rodrigues, external who played for Leicester City, who borrowed kit from the club so they wore those.
"They played their first game and we've been going ever since."
- Published9 June 2015
- Published12 December 2014
- Published15 November 2012
- Published2 February 2012
