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By Finley Chung Josie Towers has become the latest new joiner to our Her Game Too family, joining up as an
ambassador for Hull City.
From falling in love with football thanks to Italia 90, to travelling from North Wales for City home games, Josie’s dedication to watching The Tigers cannot be questioned.
Growing up in a family that were big into Rugby League, a path into football seemed unlikley for Josie, until she stumbled across the TV Comedy, Jossy’s Giants, written in the late 80s by Sid Waddell.
“My first memory of enjoying football was when I was around 10 years old. There was a children’s TV show called “Jossy’s Giants” that I used to watch after school about a boy’s football team in the North East of England. I absolutely loved it and as my family were mainly Rugby League supporters, this was my first real introduction to football.”
Away from tele, Josie recalls fondly her memories of watching Italia 90 and that being her real entrance into the game.
“Watching Italia ‘90 was what really made me fall in love with football. I still think that it was the best tournament that I’ve ever seen.”
Moving from East Yorkshire to North Wales restricted her ability to go and see Hull City in person, most notably the 2014 FA Cup Final against Arsenal, and the 2016 playoff final, which heralded a better outcome for The Tigers than the FA Cup Final two years prior.
“I stopped attending games when I moved from East Yorkshire to North Wales and I missed it terribly so I knew that the distance wouldn’t keep me away for long. I missed going to watch Hull winning the play off final and also them playing in the FA Cup final against Arsenal. Watching it on the TV just wasn’t the same. When my son started showing interest in football I knew that the time was right to return to games as a family.
It’s something every football fan will say they would do for their team, travel far and wide, near and far, with Josie’s dedication not to be faltered at all.
“Friends think I’m crazy travelling all that way and back for a football game but they also see just how devoted I am.”
Hull City’s old stadium, Boothferry Park, the clubs home for 56 years between 1946 and 2002 still heralds many memories for Tigers supporters, with Josie listing one of her all time highlights at the ground, followed by the emotion she experienced when it was knocked.
“Some of the highlights that stand out for me are when Hull City beat Crewe Alexandra 7-1 in October 1994 and also the Hull City v Oxford Utd game in December 1994. We had so many injuries that our goalkeeper, Alan Fettis was on the bench as an outfield player. He came off the bench in the final 10 minutes and actually scored the final goal in a 3-1 win. The atmosphere in the south stand of Boothferry Park was unbelievable that day.
“I think Boothferry Park being knocked down was my most heartbreaking moment as that stadium held so many amazing memories for me.”
As with many people who join Her Game Too, Josie was pulled in due to her own experiences from watching football and wants to try her upmost to create a safe environment for her teenage daughter who is getting more into football.“
As soon as I was introduced to Her Game Too I knew that I wanted to be involved. Having experienced sexist comments first hand in the past and now with having a teenage daughter who attends games with me, I wanted to help bring an end to sexism and misogyny in sport.
I want people to be able to go to a football game and feel equal to every other supporter there. I am over the moon to be actively involved with this amazing campaign to help others feel safe supporting a team that they love.”
Joining the already brilliant Amy Key, Kirstylee Richardson and Abi King as part of the Her Game Too team representing Hull City, Josie states her excitement of working with the team.
"I have an amazing team working with me in my new role. With this help I hope to form a great relationship with Hull City and be able to work together to raise awareness that sexism and misogyny still exists and it has no place in football and to make match day an inclusive and safe experience for all.
“I want to help promote Her Game Too around the stadium on match days and provide female supporters with information and advice on any situation where they feel unsafe or have faced gender discrimination. So many situations go unreported and I hope to make a change to this with Hull City’s help.”
Sadly, a tale all to familiar of experiencing discrimination simply for just being a Woman watching football, with Josie bravely recounting a particular experience she had in the nineties travelling to an away game.
“One experience was in the nineties travelling as the only girl on a coach to an away game with men asking me to explain the offside rule to them to earn my seat on the way to the game and then asking me to “keep them company” at the back on the journey home.”
Finally, Josie was able to relay her thoughts on where she wanted to see Her Game Too within the next five years, with a welcoming community at the heart of her dreams.
“I would love to see Her Game Too achieve in the next five years a rise in female supporters
attending sporting events and more women working within sport with no discrimination aimed towards them. I hope that every person in sport is made to feel included and safe taking part in something that they love.”
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