Cassell nets story of England’s forgotten 1971 women’s World Cup trailblazers

Cassell, part of the Octopus Publishing Group, has secured rights to The Lost Lionesses by Gail Emms.  

Publisher Trevor Davies acquired world rights from Rick Mayston at Agent Fox Media, and will publish on 12th September 2024. 

The book is described as “a captivating and moving account of the first England women’s football team to take part in a World Cup, detailing the injustice faced by players, their manager and its effect on the women’s game as a whole” and is told by the team themselves and written by Emms, a retired English badminton player, and daughter of 1971 team member Janice Barton. 

Davies said: “This is an incredible story of injustice, told with humour, passion and wit. The characters of the team shine through and sense of pride they felt – and bemusement by the reactions to them from both the press and authorities – is remarkable. At the book’s heart is a tale of a group of young girls embarking on an adventure. The team were between 14 and 20 years old, and many had never been abroad before, but they strode out in front of 90,000 fans at the Azteca to represent their country. Now, with the current Lionesses bringing such pride to the nation, it’s time to herald these pioneers and the visionary coach that put them together.” 

Emms said she was "truly excited" to write about the team’s story. "My mum was part of a team of young girls given the chance of a lifetime, which they embraced with spirit, humour, hard work and skill. Their reception in Mexico – where they were treated like celebrities – contrasted so harshly with the response back home. After 53 years, the team are so keen to tell their full story."

A new documentary film, "Copa 71", tells the story of the tournament, and the disappointment that followed.