I was absolutely disgusted when I read Philip Harper's letter questioning the quality of girls' and women's football (Oxford Mail, November 3).
Having played in the Oxford Girls' League for six seasons, I can conclusively say that everything about Mr Harper's letter was wrong, and very discriminative.
People do not watch girls' football "just for the fun of it".
There were many occasions when members of the public would stop and comment on the good quality of football being played.
They would often say it was much more enjoyable to watch than boys' football, because the level of skill was as good and you didn't get the arrogance, foul play and offensive behaviour sometimes found in boys' football.
The reason that girls' football is popular isn't because "it looks good in the papers".
Until recently, girls' and women's football had very little press coverage, yet it continued to be the fastest growing sport in the UK.
Mr Harper knows nothing about girls' football, has probably never watched a game and therefore has no right to have such a strong opinion on something he knows very little about.
He is living in the past. It is time he woke up and realised that girls' and women's football is the future, and with the England men's team performing poorly recently, it looks as though the England women's team is our only hope of international success!
If he still feels the same way after reading my letter, I invite Mr Harper to watch a girls' football match and see that we're just as good as the lads!
Laura Sanders (age 16), Carterton
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