Does Manchester really need a new football league?

A gender-inclusive revolution challenging the FA at Hough End

Dear readers — While football has made some attempts to confront its legacy of homophobia and sexism in recent years, there is still a long way to go. Trans players face particular barriers, both on a professional level and even within community games. For LGBT football fans, it poses a dilemma: in this environment, how do you express those two identities at the same time?

Enter the North West Community Football League, an LGBTQ-friendly, 11-a-side football league that meets every week in Hough End for judgement-free slide tackles and LGBTQ-friendly chanting. Harry Robinson has written a beautiful story about the league’s efforts to create a league that’s both inclusive yet competitive, and LGBTQ football fans’ relationship to the beautiful game.