THE Eastleigh & District Mini Soccer League has raised the possibility of setting up an offshoot league just for girls who want to play football.

The EDMSL is one of the largest youth leagues in Hampshire, offering clubs in the Southampton and Eastleigh area – and beyond in some cases – the chance to play at under-eight, under-nine and under-ten level.

Set up in 1999, the league has continued to grow in popularity and is well known for attempting new ideas – such as the introduction a few years ago of a white line for parents to stand behind in a bid to stamp out dissent towards referees.

Now league chairman Jim Pearson has told the Echo that they are considering whether to set up a new league for girls to play in.

At present, girls are allowed to play in all three age groups – and they regularly do.

About a third of the league’s teams field female players.

There have previously been all-girl teams in the league, with Southampton Saints appearing in the league’s debut campaign.

Pearson said: “We are always trying to be innovative and offer our clubs something different.

“We have mentioned the idea of a girls league to several clubs, but nothing more than that.

“We just want to make the league open to as many people as we can.”

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