I’ve published an article on Substack every week for a year.
Every week, I’ve written something new. I’ve spent time learning my craft, finding my voice, and - perhaps most importantly - turning up consistently.
That consistency would have been much harder without you reading, sharing, and responding to what I write.
So this week, I’m doing something slightly different.
I’ve looked back over the past year and picked out 10 articles that resonated the most with you, dear reader.
One thing stood out: every article in the top 10 was published within the past four months.
Perhaps that means I’m getting better at this. Perhaps the subjects have landed better, or perhaps my consistency has created more visibility. It’s maybe all three. But it wouldn’t be possible without people like you finding and sharing my publication.
Thank you.
Here they are in chronological order from the most recent to the oldest.
Correcting the Myth: 10 landmark crowds that define women’s football
Women’s football didn’t suddenly attract large audiences in the twenty-first century. These ten crowds tell a much longer story.
Team Expendable.
Dear Forest Green Rovers, axing a women’s team is a choice, not a necessity.
The many faces of women’s football.
From lifelong club fans to digital-first followers, women’s football is made up of many audiences - each with its own route into the game.
Mexico, the USA and Canada have all hosted Women’s World Cups too.
A history of the Women’s World Cup.
Can we stop applauding Sky for televising women’s sport?
Women’s football will eventually command huge broadcast deals. But right now, visibility matters more than exclusivity.
Why Purpose-Built Stadiums Matter for Women’s Football.
Brighton’s plan points to a bigger shift: building for the women’s game, rather than squeezing it in.
They played at the Nou Camp — but not as Barcelona
The forgotten women who played inside one of football’s most famous stadiums without being allowed to represent its most famous club.
My Ball, My Game.
How I built my own football world as a girl in the 1980s - and what I discovered later
The Women’s World Cup 110,000 people watched.
Before the authorities made sure everyone forgot about it.
More Women Coaches? Yes. A Quick Fix? No.
Why FIFA’s new rule made me uneasy and why the real problem starts much further down the football pyramid.
These three didn’t find the same audience but I enjoyed writing them. Maybe there’s a hidden gem ;)
The Priest, the Parish Funds and the Women’s Soccer League.
They played on dirt, in snow, and with Reader’s Digest magazines as shinpads.
The Case for Marc Skinner.
What I’ve seen, what I value, and why I think he should stay at Manchester United
Shaken not stirred.
How the Italian’s rattled world football’s governing bodies and helped shape international women’s football in the 1960s and 70s
The final piece was published before I settled on the format and style I now use here, which is why it looks different.
It’s also a good reminder of how much can change in a year.
When I wrote that last one, I had 42 subscribers (ah, now I see why it didn’t get many likes, comments, and shares). Now I have 375 subscribers.
Hmm, that’s pretty cool.
Thank you for reading, sharing, and subscribing.
Which article was your favourite? Leave a comment and let me know.
You can support my research and writing with a virtual coffee (tea in my case) on Ko-fi. Every contribution helps me keep uncovering and sharing the stories of women’s football: https://ko-fi.com/claremc
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