March 1895: The first women's football match recorded was held between a northern and a southern team. The north won the game 7-1.
April 1920: The first international game was held between two women's teams. Dick, Kerr's Ladies (a Preston-based team) invited a women's French representative team to play a series of games for charity. A crowd of 25,000 saw Dick, Kerr's Ladies win 2-0.
Boxing Day 1920: The biggest ever crowd recorded for a women's game in England took place when 53,000 people watched Dick Kerr's Ladies beat their closest rivals, St Helen's Ladies, 4-0.
December 1921: The Football Association banned women from playing on Football League grounds. Although there were discrepancies to be found in the accounts, the main reason was that: "Complaints have been made as to football being played by women, the council feel impelled to express their strong opinion that the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged." Though the game continued there was a great decrease in interest.
November 1969: The Women's Football Association was formed with 44 member clubs.
July 1971: The FA Council lifted the ban which forbade women playing on the grounds of affiliated clubs.
May 1971: In the final of the inaugural WFA. Cup, Southampton beat Stewarton and Thistle 4-1 at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, London.
November 1972: The first official women's international in Britain was played at Greenock. England beat Scotland 3-2. The first goal was scored by Sylvia Gore of Liverpool.
April 1983: The F.A. invites the WFA to affiliate on the same basis as County Football Associations.
September 1991: The WFA launched a national league. The league began with 24 clubs.
July 1993: The Football Association illustrated its commitment to the female game by establishing a Women's Football Committee and the post of Women's Football Coordinator. The committee's duties include dealing with all matters relating to the development and administration of female football. The Coordinator has the task of overseeing the development of girl's and women's football. At the same time, women's football was assimilated into existing FA departments, offering the women's game access to tremendous resources and expertise. The FA also took over the responsibility for the management and administration of the national squad.
1993/94: The WFA National Cup competition was brought under the control of The F.A. and became the F.A. Challenge Cup. One hundred and thirty-seven teams entered.
1994/95: The Football Association assumed responsibility for the organisation and the administration of the Women's National League and League Cup competition. The league changed its name to the Football Association Women's Premier League (FAWPL) and consisted of 30 teams, 10 in each division.
1997: The F.A. Talent Development Plan for Girls' and Women's Football is launched outlining plans to develop the women's game from grassroots to elite level.
On the Ball magazine is launched - the first English magazine on Women's football.
1998: The first 20 Centre of Excellence for girls are established. AXA announced the first ever sponsorship of the FAWPL and two national cup competitions. Nationwide announced as first ever sponsor of the three women's international sides.
June 1998: Hope Powell is appointed as the first ever full-time coach for the Women's international sides (senior, Under-18 and Under-16).
October 1998: The F.A. hosts the UEFA conference on Women and Football.
1999: The F.A. launches its commitment for women's football to be the top female sport in England in 5 years time.
June/July 1999: The USA hosts the Women's World Cup which sees sell out stadia and over 90,000 at the final. Members of the victorious US team become household names.
2002: The Football Association announces that football has become the top sport for girls and women in the country. This means that the 5-year plan started in 1999 has been achieved three years ahead of schedule.
2003: The FA announces that England will be hosts of the UEFA European Women's Championships in June 2005 and, as such, earn automatic qualification.
2004: The North-West stadia of Blackpool FC, Blackburn Rovers FC, Manchester City FC, Preston North End FC and Warrington Wolves RLFC are revealed as the staging venues of Euro 2005.
Hope Powell's team begin their preparation for the massive tournament with crucial build up games with Nigeria, Iceland, Russia, Holland and a fantastic 4-1 win over Italy.
2005: The 2005 UEFA Women's Championship arrives in England and it was a ground breaking fortnight for Women's Football, with the nation getting fully behind Hope Powell and her England team.
The opening match attracted an unprecedented 29,092 spectators, with a further 2.9m people watching live on BBC2, while the tournament overall entertained 115,816 fans at 15 matches.
England overcame Finland 3-2 in a thrilling opener, but unfortunately lost to Denmark and Sweden in their final two group games and failed to qualify for the knock out stage. Germany won the tournament for the fourth successive time.
England then began their World Cup Qualifying campaign for China 2007, with victorys over Holland and Austria and an all-time record win - 13-0 against Hungary.
2006: England remained on course for China 2007 keeping their position at the top of Group 5 with a 0-0 draw against France at Ewood Park.
In September England made it to the promised land of the World Cup with a heart-stopping draw in Rennes that saw the reward for their incredible run and they leave France with China in their hands.
A 1-1 draw is the short version of the story, but there was so much to a game that lived up to the build up and saw some amazingly dramatic moments.
England took the lead after 64 minutes through an own goal by Hoda Lattaf who was the unfortunate French player who diverted a Rachel Yankey free kick into her own net.
France hit back and levelled the scores with a minute still to play, there were some tense moments as the Three Lions stood their ground and made it to China next year.