3.74°C Long before packed stadiums and Euros glory, women’s football was already drawing crowds, and one of its most remarkable teams came from Dagenham.
Formed in 1917 while men were away fighting in the First World War, the Sterling Ladies were factory workers who built an extraordinary record. Between 1917 and 1919, they did not lose a single game. They became known as the Dagenham Invincibles. Then, when peace returned, they were told to stop playing, and their story quietly faded from view.
Now it is being told again.
As part of Creative Colchester’s First Thursdays, the monthly mini festival held on the first Thursday of each month, football historian Steve Bolton will share the real story behind the Sterling Ladies at The Headgate Theatre on Thursday, 5th March. Steve Bolton has carefully archived their history and was a consultant on the original stage production of The Invincibles. Expect archive material, period props, and a chance to ask questions about the team, Dagenham, and how these early Lionesses are finally getting the recognition they deserve.
The event also links to Headgate Theatre’s upcoming production of The Invincibles by Amanda Whittington.
The Invincibles On Stage at the Headgate
Whittington’s play moves between 1917 and the present day. Alongside the factory girls of the First World War, we meet Maya, a young academy footballer following England’s progress at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. England had won the Euros the previous year. Could they do it again? But after being released through injury, Maya is left wondering whether she will ever play again.
The two timelines sit side by side, connecting past and present in a story about resilience, recognition and refusing to accept limits. It is a reminder that the fight for women’s football did not start in 2022, and it is far from over.
The First Thursdays talk is free to attend, with booking via Eventbrite.
Tickets for The Invincibles at the Headgate are available now via TicketSource.
From Dagenham’s unbeaten factory team to today’s Lionesses, this is a piece of football history that feels more relevant than ever.
