Ashton Gate will play host to what could be its biggest women’s game yet as Bristol City take on Manchester United at the weekend.
A record number of tickets have been sold to the English Women’s Super League (WSL) game with more than 12,000 people have already secured their seats.
City have only won a single league game this year and are currently sitting at the bottom of the table while Manchester United are fourth.
It’s the latest record-breaking match for Ashton Gate – only a month ago City’s loss to Arsenal drew the largest crowd so far.
Ready for this one? 😮💨
— Bristol City Women (@bristolcitywfc) November 24, 2023
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Goalkeeper Benedicte Haaland will play after being signed on a short-term deal last week with first choice Kaylan Marckese still injured.
England Lionesses Mary Earps, Maya Le Tissier, Ella Toone and Katie Zelem will all be in attendance.
Manchester United’s Earps will be no stranger to BS3. The England vice-captain and goalkeeper signed for what was then Bristol Academy as a 21-year-old back in 2014.
Mitch Ford, Head of Female Football Ashton FC, explained the importance of having female role models for his team: “The younger girls have got favourites from Bristol City Women, and they all look up to them. It gives them that bit of confidence to go and play themselves.”
Beth Jones from Team Brave, a weekly women’s football team based in Windmill Hill, is also looking forward to the game.
“The fact it’s getting so popular now is unreal. It was so underappreciated before. I remember when there was only about 20 – 30 people in the stands and now they’re sold out.”
Bristol City will want to avoid being relegated to the Championship having only just returned to the WSL this year.
Despite the threat of relegation, Warren Milton, Team Brave’s captain, thinks the team has already made an impact in Bristol, saying that “It’s great for women’s sport in general to have a team in Bristol be up there with the best of the best.”
