Women’s work - she won't be going to Wembley but Lynn Brown is still in a very good place

PAWS IN PLAY: Durham Wildcats were buzzing after beating London Bees

This Saturday, Rebecca will take charge of the FA Women’s Cup final at Wembley, Helen will be fourth official and Lynn will be on holiday with her mum and dad in the Lakes.

A week back Sunday she lined a Women’s Super League match at Durham, of which more shortly; last Saturday, her last game of a busy season, she was back as a Wearside League assistant, Jarrow v Richmond Town.

“I didn’t start until I was 37. I knew at the time that age would prevent me getting to the top, as Rebecca and Helen have done,” says Lynn. “Why worry about something you can’t change? I’m not in the least envious, it’s been great to watch them progress and maybe you can do that better if you’re an assistant. I’m thrilled to bits for them.

“I feel a bit maternal towards them, I suppose. Are you allowed to say that, is it sexist?”

She took up refereeing after watching her two sons, both goalkeepers, soon afterwards becoming the first woman to officiate in the Darlington Sunday Invitation League.

“I was the original mother on the sidelines, shouting at the referee,” she confesses. “I must have been bad. I went on a referees’ course to learn a bit more about what I was shouting about. I never intended to referee a game but then one day they were short and someone said I was qualified. I discovered that I enjoyed it.

“One game that my son James played in, the referee was absolutely terrible. I know I shouldn’t say it, but I thought that I had to be able to do better than that. Then I thought that if I was going to do it, I might as well try to do it at a decent level.”

She’s now 53, has a country-wide job with the courts service, is qualified to be an assistant in both the Wearside League and Ebac Northern League second division and on Sundays crosses the Tees from her Hurworth home to referee in the Hambleton League. “I love that league,” she says.

She also had a couple of matches as a referee in the Teesside League. “I had assistants, but it was awful, the worst games I ever did. I don’t think I did anything wrong but it made me question everything. Two games in the Teesside League was enough.”

Durham Women, known as the Wildcats, are going very well – facing London Bees at New Ferens Park and top of a ten-team “Spring series” which also includes Brighton and Hove Albion, Watford and Millwall Lionesses.

Durham, in truth, appear an altogether pleasant lot, but could hardly be called the Pussycats, could they?

It should also be stressed that when a team mate shouts “Haway Ellie, man” there is no suggestion that Ellie is transgressing what might be termed gendrification rules. In that respect, as in “Haway woman, man”, the North-East remains asexual.

Enthusiastically and successfully marketed, they’re in the FA Women’s Super League second division, attract crowds of around 500 including a chap from Pity Me who’s been a Sunderland fan for 50 years. “This is my treat,” he says.

Though there’s a distinct chill in the air, someone else has brought a sunbed. Women.

The Wildcats are missing Sarah McFadden, a Northern Ireland international, for reasons hitherto not encountered in the men’s game. She’s pregnant.

Helen Conley, marking her 32nd birthday, is referee. Lynn’s officially an assistant ref though addressed by the nautically neutral “Liner”.

One of her watches is also one of those new-fangled gizmos which record how far the wearer runs. It reckons about three miles in 90 minutes, and that’s just one half of the pitch. The liner can shift a bit, too.

The language is generally ladylike, any occasional outburst from the other Bees. Mostly they’re encouraged with the phrase “Good girl”, which is what I say to my two-year-old granddaughter. Though the Wildcats might be better at football, they probably aren’t as good at jigsaw puzzles.

The Londoners, originally the rather more underground District Line Ladies, fall behind to Nicki Gears’ fifth minute header and have a further setback soon afterwards when a player sustains a nasty and clearly very painful injury. It appears to be a Bees’ knee.

Durham dominate, fit and skilful, add second half goals through Beth Hepple and then a 20-yard screamer by Zoe Ness, rather appropriately a Scottish international.

Four days ago, the season’s penultimate match, they lose 1-0 at Everton Ladies behind whom they will probably now finish second or third. The Women’s place may soon be higher yet.

Lynn’s let her hair down when again we catch up at her home last Saturday morning, looking forward to the holiday but aware of the need to keep fit during the summer.

The house has a treadmill. She’s also signed up, like many more, for a Civil Service challenge which demands a minimum 10,000 steps a day. Those fit-bit gizmos again.

“I’m not one of those referees who wants to go on for ever, maybe just a few more years,” she insists. “There are too many unfit people as it is.”

It’s much changed since first she whet her whistle, of course, ages since she (or I) heard a spectator shout “Where’s your balls, referee?”

“I wasn’t the first woman, of course, but it was still very much a novelty. Now you’re just a match official, just accepted. Some of the comments were hurtful at first, made me realise why so many kids pack it in, but being a bit older and with more experience of people probably helped them go over my head.

“You’ll never completely get rid of the Neanderthals, but there’s definitely more respect. Some of the players will come back and apologise if they’ve been swearing. Sometimes you can turn being a woman to your advantage. Is that sexist, too?”

She’s also a referee coach, enthusiastic about some of the youngsters coming through. “I know a lot of people in football now, some really wonderful people, and all because I’d stand shouting at the referee all those years ago.”

Mother’s rueing?

“It mightn’t be the Women’s FA Cup final but I’ve had some really good appointments. Whether it’s Wembley or the Wearside League, I’d recommend this to anyone.”