Women’s FA Cup photo essay – road to Wembley, semi-final: West Ham v Manchester City

Having beaten Everton in the quarter-final, it was West Ham who now stood in the way of Manchester City’s bid to complete a domestic cup double. Honours were even in the clubs’ WSL meetings this season, with both sides winning their away fixture 2-0, so the Hammers fans at Dagenham & Redbridge’s stadium would be justified in dreaming of a trip to Wembley.

Match day cook and West Ham fan Jane, posing above with her boss outside the kitchen on a tin of cooking oil, said: “I love working at the women’s games. It can be challenging at times but it’s really good. They [the fans] are a lot different to the Dagenham & Redbridge games, but it’s fun, it’s all fun, all banter, we do have a laugh. Ooh, it’s going to be a tough one, I hope the Hammers win. I reckon it will be about 3-1.”

West Ham memorabilia, retro shirts and a West Ham tie-pin on display outside the ground, West Ham fans browse the retro shirts.

John Chapman, who runs the programme and memorabilia shop at Dagenham & Redbridge as a volunteer, said: “We see what we can do to assist the club financially and provide a service to supporters. We choose to open here prior to the game and have donations here from lots of fans including items for the West Ham women and men’s games. We have shirts and photographs, loads and loads of programmes and other West Ham memorabilia. Shirts are always popular there’s no doubt about that! England and West Ham shirts. We have a variety of others - Spanish, Brazilian and even non-league clubs are popular because they’re unusual and they’re rare.”

Jo Bailey, who is co-chair of Pride of Irons, the official LGBTQIA+ sports group for West Ham United, Pride in Football Women’s officer and part of West Ham’s Women’s supporter’s board said: