Euro 2022: Remembering the last time England's women played a Euros final in England

Alan didn't come because we couldn't afford it. England's team was made up of people who didn't have a lot of money.

The first European Women's Championship took place in 1984 and Carol Thomas remembers the final between England and Sweden.

It was not the same as it is today.

The clubs in London turned down the chance to host the second leg because they played half of the game instead of 45.

The last time the Lionesses played a Euros final on home soil, just 2,567 watched as they lost on penalties to France.

The event was not covered by television in England.

Thomas, who was England's captain 38 years ago, said that there was little attention paid to it in England.

The Swedish press brought their team with them. They put it in their papers after watching it on TV.

With the Lionesses one win from being crowned European champion for the first time, the events of 1984 contrast with this summer's unforgettable tournament.

'I got permission off work to play in final'

The second leg of the final at Kenilworth Road was played on 27 May, three days before the European Cup final in Rome.

The miners' strike, the biggest industrial dispute in post-war Britain, was under way and the FA Cup had just been won byEverton.

The scene of Aberdeen's famous win over Real Madrid in the 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup final was the scene of England's narrow loss in the first leg.

Thomas had to get special permission from her bosses at Northern Dairies in Hull for time off to play in Sweden, while her husband didn't go because of the costs.

Thomas, a right-sided defender who won 56 caps for her country, said that if they were flying to Sweden, they would have had to pay their train fare and petrol money.

I didn't have to use up any holiday time because my bosses were great to me. Some of my team-mates were not so lucky and had to take time off without pay.

The goal by Sundhage gave Sweden a slender lead.

England had a fortnight to prepare for the return in what was then known as the European Competition for Women's Football final and was coached by Martin Reagan, who served in World War Two as a tank commander.

The group got together on the Friday before the game. It didn't stop raining until just before the start of the game.

The game at Luton is referred to as the battle of the KENILWORTH.

'I had to give £75 TV fee away'

A record half a million tickets were sold before the start of the tournament. It wasn't the same back in 1984.

The four teams that played in the tournament were England, Sweden, Italy and Danes.

After topping a group containing Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland with a 100% record, England defeated Denmark in front of an estimated 1,000 crowd in the first leg of the semi-finals and went on to win the match 3-1.

Around 20,000 people attended the entire tournament.

We were only allowed to play with a size four football for 70 minutes. Thomas thinks that women couldn't manage anything else.

Linda Curl, who had made her England debut as a 15-year-old, was able to cancel out Sweden's lead in the first half. The final was decided on the penalties.

Theresa Wiseman saved Helen Johansson's penalty but both Curl and Lorraine Hanson had their spot-kicks saved by Elisabeth Leidinge as the Swedes triumphed 4-3 in the shootout.

In 1984 she played for the Lionesses in the final and recalls the club using car headlights to illuminate the field.

"There was probably one man and his dog in terms of reporters from England," Coultard told the Guardian about the game at Luton.

The Swedes were at the top of their game and the two-legged final was being shown in Sweden.

Big London clubs declined the chance to stage the return leg in England due to a lack of interest.

Thankfully, Luton Town gave their ground. She says that they produced a great performance.

Getting to the final is a great memory and for me to be the captain as well, that just topped it off.

England's players dispersed to different parts of the country after the presentations on the pitch.

The majority of us would have been at work the next day. I was in London for an interview with Frank Bough and Selina Scott.

"I got a fee of £75 for the interview. I didn't get to keep it. It went straight to the Women's Football Association."