Ring Out The Belles

Ahead of Fulham Women's return to Craven Cottage a few weeks ago, the excellent HammyEnd blog wrote about why it was such an important occasion , especially given the rich history of the club in their previous guise when they were one of the early trailblazers for women's football and the long path back from when Fulham Ladies were dissolved in 2010.

Would we have been in a position to celebrate England's Wembley success at the Euros this summer without clubs such as Fulham and Doncaster Belles and the opportunities they strived to provide at a time when so many avenues remained closed?

Now known as Doncaster Rovers Belles, the six times FA Cup winners have had to rebuild themselves after being squeezed out of the top divisions of the game in recent seasons and now looking to gain promotion into the third tier of the women's football pyramid.

Chief executive Russ Green told the official club website recently: “The Belles were pioneering, incredibly successful across the decades and we are all incredibly proud to be a part of such a historic club. While more recent times have been difficult, we are back on strong foundations and determined to regain our place among the elite in this country."

The Belles will play Lincoln City Women at the Eco-Power Stadium on Sunday 11 December with all school children across the city offered the chance to watch the game for free when accompanied by a paying adult.

General tickets are priced at £5 adults and £1 for under-17's with reductions for Doncaster Rovers and Doncaster Rugby League FC season ticket holders.