Amy Fearn has become the first woman to referee a league match by taking charge for the final 20 minutes of Coventry's 1-0 home win over Nottingham Forest in the Championship. Original referee Tony Bates collapsed with a calf strain in the 71 minute and called assistant Fearn into action after deciding he was unable to continue.

Wendy Toms was the first female official in the Football League when she started working as a fourth official in the early 1990s.

Toms also officiated games in the Premier League, again as an assistant referee, with her highest profile match being the League Cup final between Leicester City and Tranmere in 2000.