Chelsea Pensioners join Faye White and Graeme Le Saux at the Stamford Bridge ticket launch catherine etoe

Published: 24 January, 2013
by CATHERINE ETOE

ARSENAL Ladies skipper Faye White joined forces with former Chelsea star Graeme Le Saux at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday to launch the opening of ticket sales for the biggest club game in women’s  football.

The 2013 Uefa Women’s Champions League final will be held at the home of the Blues on May 23. And 2007 European champions Arsenal could yet play a starring role in the glamour tie if they can progress beyond the quarter finals.

The club are currently without a manager after losing Laura Harvey to the USA but White, who is still on maternity leave, believes the Gunners have enough wise heads and exciting youngsters in the team to get through the double-headed quarters in March and beyond.
“You want to be playing in the big games and they don’t get much bigger than this,” she added.

“We won it when it was the Uefa Cup and we want to put our name on it now when it’s got the glitz and the glamour of the current level it’s at.”

White was joined at the launch by former Parliament School pupil and current Chelsea Ladies boss Emma Hayes, who was assistant to Vic Akers when Arsenal were crowned champions of Europe six years ago.

Hayes, who recently returned to London after a spell managing and coaching professional teams in the US, said she was excited that her new club was playing host to such an important competition in a game that is increasing in popularity and status.

“When we won we were playing in front of 7,000 and now the Champions League final is being played in front of full houses at places like Stamford Bridge,” she said. “That shows not just the progress of the game but how much support clubs like Chelsea invest in a competition like this.”

Whether the final will be sold out now rests in the hands of the fans, but Le Saux says he hopes supporters will turn up in their thousands to cheer the finalists on – whoever they may be.

“It would be great if Arsenal made it to the final,” he said. “To have a home team in any final always adds to the atmosphere and interest, so hopefully they’ll do well.”

Tickets cost between £5 and £10. More infomation at www.chelseafc.com/uefawomensfinal