Brent Museums & Archives, FOOTBALL PLAYERS

Eartha Pond is a footballer, teacher and campaigner.

At 12, Pond began playing for Arsenal, and she also went on to play for Chelsea, Everton and Tottenham Hotspurs. Whilst playing for Tottenham, Pond was also Assistant Head Teacher at Crest Academy. She was a finalist for the Global Teacher Prize out of nearly 34,000 nominees across 173 countries in recognition for her work in schools.

Pond is also the founder of the ESP foundation, a charity that creates opportunities for underprivileged young people in education, sport and policy. Last year, Pond was appointed to the FA Women’s Football Board to advise on their strategy.

"When I got to my first FA Cup final, it was a little daunting, because usually that’s just something that you watch on TV, and now I was participating in one myself. It’s something that made so many people proud. Not just me and my family, but my extended family and people within my community."

Manisha Tailor is Assistant Head of Coaching at Queens Park Rangers FC, the first woman and first person of South Asian heritage to hold such a role. She began coaching as a primary teacher working with schools’ teams and volunteering for the grassroots community club Gibbons Wreckers Youth. Encouraged by England and Arsenal Ladies star Rachel Yankey to gain coaching qualifications, Tailor went on to work as a Coach at QPR.In 2014, Tailor created Swaggarlicious, an organisation that aims to champion mental health and through football and education. In 2017, she received an MBE for ‘Services to Football and Diversity in Sport.’
"Women’s football has definitely moved on from when I was growing up. The visibility that we have for women’s football now is great, because for me, as somebody growing up in the eighties, I didn’t see women playing football. I didn’t see women who were Black or Asian playing football, women that look like me."

Fatima Husein is a coach, referee and player.

Having played football at school, Husein’s coaching path began after a visit from a coach at Queens Park Rangers. She volunteers for Sport at the Heart, coaching young people in football. In 2019, she won Best Grassroots Leader at the UEFA Grassroots Awards for her work for the charity.

The previous year, she was the first winner of the Bobby Moore Award at the newly created FA Grassroots Football Awards.

"If it wasn’t for COVID, I would not know how much football actually helped me mentally. Once I wasn’t able to actually play, I could actually fully understand why I’m such a happy person when I am able to play. Once I get onto that pitch, every single frustration goes onto that ball. And when I do leave, I’m leaving with a smile."

Patience Kavule is a volunteer coach for the Jason Roberts Foundation in Stonebridge Park. Kavule started at the Foundation as a player, training with the boys since there were no girls playing.After a few years, she began coaching. Every Monday and Wednesday, she trains the under 10s football team.
"I want it to go as far as it can, I want it to get to the men’s stage, I want everyone who invests in men’s football to also share that same time and money in women’s football."