Aliadiere says 'secure' environment at Arsenal Women's games is great for all

A member of the history-making Invincibles side, Aliadiere is a big Arsenal fan and for the last seven years has worked as part of the media department on match days.

He has also enjoyed witnessing the rise of the women’s game and says his positive experiences gave him the confidence to allow 16-year-old daughter Ava to attend matches on her own.

“I’ve been to a few games and my daughter is well into it so I take her when I can,” said Aliadiere, speaking at the Copa del Cure Leukaemia tournament at St George’s Park. 

“It’s good fun and it’s a shame that the manager (Jonas Eidevall) had to resign after a difficult start to the season but we’ve got so many great players with great qualities that I believe they can turn it around and have a successful end to the season.

“It’s a different crowd between the men’s and women’s first team. You get more kids and families and obviously more women too. That’s why I let my girl of 16 go on her own because I feel like it’s a secure and nice environment to be in.

“The stadiums are getting fuller and you get more people attracted to it and it’s well deserved. Why shouldn’t the women get the same reward of playing in front of 60,000 people?”

Arsenal have been at the forefront of developments in the women’s game and this season the Emirates Stadium will host 11 Arsenal women’s matches, making it the main home of the side.

Aliadiere feels that it’s vitally important that young female fans see their favourite team playing on the same stages as the men.

“Being an Arsenal fan doesn’t mean being solely a fan of the men’s team, I support everybody who wears that shirt,” he added.

“I’ve taught my kids to become Arsenal fans as well and they love to watch the women play, it’s brilliant for the community and young girls that admire football.

“Leah Williamson says that when she was younger she looked at us, men, now the young girls have people they can look up to and show them a path of what they can achieve and I think it’s absolutely amazing for young girls to be able to dream and have a dream that is achievable.”

Cure Leukaemia is a UK-based blood cancer charity founded in 2003, working to accelerate the process of bringing life-saving treatments to leukaemia patients by funding specialist Research Nurses across the country