Alice Woods (footballer)

Woods was born in Sutton, St Helens, in 1899, the youngest of seven children in a mining family. Her father died in 1902, and her brother James assumed the role of head of the household. She attended Sutton National School. In 1917, Woods started working at a munitions factory in St Helens, where she began playing football. This historic meet, held in Blackpool in 1918, was the first in England to allow women runners, with thirteen female athletes competing in the 80-yard race. Woods developed a rivalry with Elaine Burton. == Club career ==

Having lost her job in the munitions factory at the end of World War I, Woods was a founding member of the St Helens Ladies football team. Her brother John Woods, who was playing for Halifax Town at the time, was a coach for the team. According to verbal evidence from Alice Norris, it was Woods who suggested to team manager Alfred Frankland that Lily Parr would be a good addition to the club. Woods scored her first goal for the Dick, Kerr Ladies against a touring team from France on 1 May 1920. Later that year, she travelled to France with the team and also played in the Boxing Day match at Goodison Park. Woods has been described as a "crowd magnet" who helped boost the team's popularity. She also went on tour to the United States in 1922. == Personal life ==

Woods retired from football in 1928 when she married Herbert Stanley. Woods had four children and became known to her family as 'Grandma Boss'. Woods' granddaughter Gaynor Stanley competed in swimming at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Her great-granddaughter Lauren Quigley also became a swimmer and won three silver medals at the Commonwealth Games. == References ==