Nicole Lockwood-West

Last year I was so luckily to have been invited to be a part of the #WeSeeYou Network and experience the amazing weekend at Chelsea Women FC with 3 Network.

This year I have written and produced my first ever play about the 1971 unofficial Women’s World Cup in Mexico from the perspective of the English team that played - featuring my Auntie who was only 15 at the time. They played in the Azteca stadium to 97,000 people with the final having 112,500 in attendance. This surpassed the rate of the 1970 Men’s World Cup final featuring the great Pelé. I have a big passion for safeguarding women’s football histories through art and media - making this truly accessible for people to experience and learn from.

The show was produced in July to sell out audiences in a London theatre where I took initiative to invite other content creators and members of sport media to watch. The show has been commissioned to be performed again in Bedfordshire (where the story began) next year through the University of Bedfordshire and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. I’m working with football clubs and community groups in the region to show this local story to them.

I have also received a VERSUS top 50 award for making the show and being a part of the change in football culture. It was truly an amazing moment to see my name alongside many greats in football on the same list like; Ian Wright, Leah Williamson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Katie McCabe, Raheem Sterling, Alex Iwobi and more!

This year I was also lucky enough to have been invited to a champions league game in Malta to speak with players from the local team of Birkirkara as they play Anderlecht. Speaking with the players and fans afterwards, I became so inspired by their stories - I bought a shirt and became an instant fan! In light of this experience, it inspired me to want to increase fan base, viewership and mobility for players (more potential movement in transfer markets - even between leagues), so that the scope and potential for a career in women’s football can be even broader for someone to dream not just on the pitch but beyond it too.

I’m looking forward to see what 2025 has to offer after how amazing 2024 has been! Thank you again #Weseeyou network - it would not have been possible without you!