A self-proclaimed Banbury Cheer Squad comprising of a 12-strong group of friends and family, headed to Wembley this weekend as they’ve done in previous years to cheer for the girls at the Women’s FA finals.
They unapologetically cheered loudly and then some!
Cheering for women isn’t just a pastime - it’s a calling! For years, we’ve championed girls to fully express their creativity. We support the rise of girls’ sports, football being just one of them, strongly believing in football's power to inspire, uplift, and unite. We attend local league matches and welcome opportunities to share the sheer joy of watching girls express themselves fearlessly and fiercely on the pitch.
So, every year when the opportunity to witness the monumental girls’ football final at Wembley arises, we do not hesitate. As soon as the tickets are released for sale, we build momentum, garnering everyone interested to get ready to arrive at the stadium with hearts open, ready to cheer louder than ever before.
This year, we were a 12-person squad!
At first, the cheers came from just a few of us—enthusiastic, boisterous, infectious. Soon a handful of other fans joined in this fearless expression, drawn to our energy and passion. Then our voices sent a wave of excitement across the crowd, transforming a patch of quiet spectators into a roaring wall of support.
We made fun chants, crafting new verses as the match intensified. We waved our arms and hands high, engaging everyone around us, encouraging hesitant fans to raise their hands and clap along. With every goal, every near miss, the noise grew, and the momentum surged.
When the girls scored we shouted, "Our daughter has scored!" because not only did the girls look like our daughters, but they were the age of our kids.
By halftime, we weren’t just a couple of devoted supporters—we were the beating heart of a newly formed squad of cheerleaders. A group of strangers around us united, voices soaring above Wembley’s grandeur. Fans of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of passion had joined the cause, electrified by the sheer love for the sport.
As the final whistle blew, victory belonged to more than just the team on the pitch. It belonged to the fans, to the movement, to the undeniable belief that girls’ football deserved every ounce of enthusiasm that filled Wembley’s air that day.
Before exiting we danced and had an after-play party!
As we exited the stadium, voices hoarse, spirits high, one thing was clear—we had started something bigger than the match itself. The roar of support had grown, and there was no stopping it now. We proceeded to have an after the after party.
And as if that was not enough we went on to have another after the after, the after party… and we would still have gone on to have an after the after, the after, the after, the after party, had it not have been we’d have missed our train back home from Wembley!
We will be back next year, hopefully with a bigger cheering squad than this year.
The writer of this article Angela Cook is an adolescent psychologist, mentor and parenting teenagers expert and the founder of Raising Remarkable Teenagers www.RaisingRemarkableTeenagers.com where we help parents raise highly effective and mentally healthy teenagers.