In the first game of its kind, a team of 11 transgender women is taking part in a match today to mark this year’s Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV).
Amongst those making history will be Paula Griffin, a 57-year-old player for TRUK United FC, a team set up to support people in the .
The encounter will see Paula and her teammates take to the pitch to play a friendly against the South East club Dulwich Hamlet Women’s team.
And stepping in to help manage TRUK United FC is none other than former England striker , who joined Dulwich Hamlet FC’s board of directors in June 2021.
In aid of trans support line TRUK Listens, the charity match is also being filmed as part of commissioned by Discovery+ UK, telling the story of the footie legend’s quest to bring the 129-year-old club – which he played for as a teen – back to life.
For South-Londoner Paula Griffin, there couldn’t be a better way to kick off World TVOD than to be taking up centre half position. Speaking from Dulwich Hamlet FC’s home ground, Champion Hill, she tells Metro.co.uk that despite so much excitement and anticipation for the event, there’s been little time to entertain any feelings of nerves.
‘It is so life affirming and brilliant to be accepted as a transgender woman in the world of football and the fact we are actually now playing a professional match is a dream come true,’ she explains. ‘It is the first professional game I have played since I transitioned and I think we stand a really good chance of winning.
‘The other team are so supportive of us and there has been only positive vibes from them. I was always worried I may not be accepted as someone who wanted to play football but that couldn’t be further from the truth.’
For two decades, the UK has championed grassroots LGBTQ+ football, with Britian being the home of the – a tournament for amateur LGBTQ+ football teams across the country.
As the first (and only) national LGBTQ+ league in the world, the GFSNNL has steadily grown since its inception in 2002, having gone from four founding teams to 15, as well as five associate members.
TRUK United FC was first set up last year, after the founder of Trans Radio UK, Lucy Clark, realised there was a huge amount of interest from the community to play.
As a former football manager and the first transgender referee for professional women’s matches (and some men’s), Lucy admits that it didn’t take too much encouragement for her to leap into action and get a team together.
“Football literally has saved my life over the years,’ she says. ‘Many of the listeners of our radio show would tell me they didn’t want to give up their love of the game. I know how important the sport is both for your physical and mental health and I was keen to help our listeners understand they had no reason to give up football.
‘Gender, sexuality, all that – it shouldn’t come into it, as far as I’m concerned,’ adds Lucy. ‘I was hearing most days from people confiding in me that they were desperate to continue to play football and were not sure how to go about it and I just wanted to help. Just because you are transgender does not mean you can no longer play football.’
Determined to help give her listeners the right support, Lucy set about contacting the FA to get the wheels in motion for a transgender team to get the go ahead.
Paula – who already knew Lucy through the community – says that she and several others jumped at the chance of getting involved in.
Having previously played for Goal Diggers FC, an inclusive club for women and non-binary people based in east London, she has been a long standing supporter and volunteer at Dulwich Hamlet FC, working in a variety of roles with the National League South club for 30 years.
‘I have always absolutely loved football but as a closet transgender person it was very hard to follow my passion as I went on the long journey to accept myself for who I was and what I wanted to be,’ she explains.
Since the team was formed, it has played regularly alongside cisgender women in competitive football. However, while usually fully inclusive, today’s historic match will be the first time the squad has consisted of solely transgender women.
When it came to organising today’s groundbreaking match, Paula adds that there were initial concerns about even being able to find a date to play.
‘Transgender people don’t always have it easy and it goes without saying that men’s football match will always go before a transgender one,’ she explains. ‘So from the outset, we presumed every weekend would be taken up with men’s matches. But when we realised Thursday was in fact Transgender Day of Visibility, it was a perfect match date.
‘The fact we have now got a team together and are ready to go, it is a win-win situation whether we are champions or lose on the day.
‘There are a good 18 of us who showed interest in the team and although we are yet to play together in a match I am sure we will all bring our strengths to the game.’
As for Peter Crouch’s support, Paula – who works as an online content manager for an adult website – couldn’t praise him enough.
‘Peter is simply wonderful,’ she laughs. ‘There is no pre judgement working with him. He treats us just like normal people. Of course we get the usual trolls being rude to us but we turn a blind eye to that. The fact Peter just accepts us for who we are is truly amazing.’
So how does it feel to be playing against Dulwich Hamlet FC, a club she loves? ‘I cannot wait to get out there,’ replies Paula with a big smile. ‘Of course there are challenges I will come up against, like will I have enough energy to get through the game, but I’ve overcome many obstacles in my life to get this far. This should be a breeze.”
Also slightly anxious about her stamina, radio presenter Lucy added she was only expecting to get ‘ten minutes play time’ before running out of puff. However, both team mates agree their adrenalin will keep them going.
‘We are here to show the world that football is for everyone and today we will be creating history and hopefully encourage more transgender people to play professional team sports.’
For tickets to tonight’s match and more details of the football club, visit
Peter Crouch: Save Our Beautiful Game, is available to stream on Discovery+
Transgender Day of Visibility takes place on 31 March each year to celebrate trans and non-binary people and raise awareness of discrimination faced by trans people worldwide.
