I WOULD never have guessed that one of the biggest games to be watched on our television at this stage of the season would be a women’s game.

Here we are and it is a massive well done first of all to England and their manager, Sarina Wiegman, who has got her team through to the World Cup final.

It is being hosted in Australia and Wiegman and her players had to come through a hard semi-final in front of 70,000 Aussies against their home team.

Full marks to them and I don’t suppose they will get any more support in the final from the locals on the terraces but good luck to Sarina Wiegman in another final.

She has done something I would never have imagined in reaching four international finals in four tournaments with the Netherlands and England. She definitely has the ability.

They will play Spain in the final, who themselves have their own remarkable tale.

Back in September, there was some squad mutiny which saw 15 of their players striking because they were unhappy with their manager’s methods and what they perceived to be a lack of preparation.

That came after they were beaten in the European Championship quarter-finals by England, thanks to a brilliant long-range strike from Georgia Stanway in extra-time.

Since that public fallout, some of their key players, like Aitana Bonmatí and Ona Batlle have returned to the squad.

However, they are still without their star defender Mapi Leon, number one goalkeeper Sadra Paños and Patri Guijarro, who scored twice in the most recent Champions League final.

When it comes to being on the field, good luck to all of our ladies tomorrow morning.

They will need all of their experience to win the Women’s World Cup and for the first time for the country. The appetite to watch the game is so big that it’s being broadcast on both BBC and ITV.

It’s a pity that Southampton haven’t got a player in the England squad as looking back to my early days with Saints, this area was one of those leading the start in the women’s game.

There was a lady called Sue Lopez, who used to ask to come along to the training ground etcetera as she had started up ladies football in Southampton.

Eventually, she helped start the England ladies football team.

I’m sure she should be a guest of honour in Australia, if she was healthy enough to do so, but she has apparently not been very well – and it’s a hell of a long journey to get there anyway.

Southampton’s early success in women’s football saw them reach an impressive eight FA Cup finals between 1971 and 1983.

I’m sure any male players who might have taken the micky can see how women’s football has progressed across the world.

Ella Toone became the first English player, man or woman, to score in a major tournament quarter-final, semi-final and final with her goal against Australia on Wednesday morning.

That’s an even more impressive achievement when you consider that she is still only 23 years old and has only been a part of two major tournaments, this year's World Cup and last year’s European Championship triumph on home soil.

Full marks to Sue for the work she did and good luck to all of the present England ladies tomorrow. Let’s home that they can equal the men’s achievement of landing a World Cup trophy.