KIM MCGUINNESS: The real goal needs to be funding girls and women’s sports properly

The moment when Kelly scored, that celebration, seeing little girls and boys glued to prime time TV screens across Wearside and the cheers from those lucky to be at Wembley witnessing history being made.

It’s equality in action, right? Sadly, I think we’re not there yet though. These women won for England despite the odds and now we need a revolution in women’s sport and participation. Throughout this tournament it’s been highlighted that girls just don’t routinely have the opportunity to play football at school, that it’s hard to find clubs for girls to play outside of schools.

My friend said the other day that she was offered a place on her school football team, but it was because there "just weren’t enough boys’” And there lies the problem. A young girl needs to hear she’s been handed an opportunity, chosen for her talent and team spirit – not as a last resort to tick off numbers on the team sheet.

Supporting youth sport in general, and making sure kids - both girls and boys, have access to opportunities has long been a passion of passion of mine.

I am convinced, and the research backs it up, that playing sport is one of the most effective ways of keeping teens out of trouble too, often inspiring them and guiding them onto better futures.

This is why I awarded Operation Payback funding to many sports and youth groups across the region last week.

The fund sees cash seized from crime in the Northumbria Police force area re-invested back into communities where it can make a difference for everyone by improving lives and preventing crime.

Girls need to feel believed in and this has to start at the top. The FA and many of the UK’s big clubs just don’t put the money and energy required into woman’s football to build a following and make a change.

How can we call it our national sport if we only back half the population to play it?

We need to fund women and girls sport and activities properly – that’s the real goal.