Emma Hayes: The working-class heroine who has become the First Lady of Soccer

Sunday’s Women’s Champions League final in Sweden will be broadcast worldwide with the potential to move the women’s game into a different league with big money funding coming on tap next season. Allan Prosser looks at the working-class heroine who has become the First Lady of Soccer

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes celebrates with the FA Women's Super League trophy after clinching the title. Picture: John Walton

Emma Hayes knows exactly where she will be if things don’t work out in the Women’s Champions League Final.

After driving over her mobile phone, she’ll be alone on a park bench with a can of lager. Or so she said when asked how she coped with defeat a rare enough occurrence in the past 12 months.