Alice Cook (née Kell; 24 June 1898 – 2 December 1972) was an

association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

player and the first

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. Dick, Kerr Ladies Football Club was one of the earliest known women's association football teams in England. The team remained in existence for over 48 years, from 1917 to 1965, playing 755 games, winning 682, drawing 39, and losing 34. During i ...

, one of the first prominent female football teams in the world. She played in their inaugural match at

Preston North End Preston North End Football Club, commonly referred to as Preston, North End or PNE, is a professional association football club in Preston, Lancashire, England. They currently play in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English footbal ...

Deepdale Deepdale is a football stadium in the Deepdale area of Preston, England that is the home ground of Preston North End. Built in 1875 and in use since 1878, Deepdale is recognised as being one of the oldest continuously used football stadium ...

on Christmas Day 1917.

Early life

Kell was born in

Preston, Lancashire Preston () is a city on the north bank of the River Ribble in Lancashire, England. The city is the administrative centre of the county of Lancashire and the wider City of Preston, Lancashire, City of Preston local government district. Preston ...

on 24 June 1898 and, during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, worked for

Dick, Kerr & Co Dick, Kerr and Company was a locomotive and tramcar manufacturer based in Kilmarnock, Scotland and Preston, Lancashire, Preston, England. Early history W.B. Dick and Company was founded in 1854 in Glasgow by William Bruce Dick. The company wer ...

producing munitions and other war supplies. During this time she and the other young women who made up the majority of the factory staff (men being largely drafted into the army) used to play football during their meal-breaks.

Club career

Kell was recognised as being a good defender and was often mentioned in the press with glowing reports. She played in the first international against the French Ladies at

and captained the team when they played in a match by searchlight in December 1920. Later that month, she scored a hat-trick in the 4–0 victory against St Helens at

Goodison Park Goodison Park is a Association football, football stadium in Walton, Liverpool, Walton, Liverpool, England, it was the home of Premier League club Everton F.C., Everton from 1892 until 2025. It is now the home of Everton F.C. (women), Everton's ...

when 53,000 spectators watched the match. She travelled to America with the team in 1922. She played as goalkeeper for the team and latterly became the trainer for a while before leaving the team to get married.

Personal life

Alice Kell was christened at Christ Church on Bow Lane in Preston. She lived on Marsh Lane with her parents, four brothers and two sisters. Her eldest brother Tom was killed in action in 1915 during World War I after enlisting with the

Loyal North Lancashire Regiment The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) (until 1921 known as the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was in existence from 1881 to 1970. In 1970, the regiment was amalgamated with the Lancashire Re ...

. She was best friends at school with

Florrie Redford Florrie Redford was an English footballer and nurse. She played for Dick, Kerr Ladies, one of England's earliest professional women's association football teams. She was a leading goal scorer for the club in 1921, when she scored a total of 170 g ...

and the two girls were inseparable. She married Albert Cook and had one son Reg who was born in 1930. She was always a keen supporter of Preston North End and was a great admirer of Sir Tom Finney. Later in her life, she developed arthritis and died on 2 December 1972 after falling and breaking her hip.

References

Women's association football defenders 1898 births 1972 deaths Footballers from Preston, Lancashire Dick, Kerr's Ladies F.C. players Women's association football goalkeepers English women's footballers 20th-century English sportswomen {{England-women-footy-bio-stub