Books

Flying the Flag

The Footballing Heroines of the Home Nations who made History Abroad

05 June 2025

Before Mary Earps, Jess Fishlock, and Lucy Bronze, there were the trailblazers who defied the odds. These are the rebels who refused to quit.
Carrie uncovers the untold stories of those pioneering women who paved the way for today’s stars. The original Lioness who started a new life in the Netherlands as a teenager, the first woman of colour to play for England, the girl who gave up the chance of international recognition to play in Italy – through their reflections, Carrie explores their extraordinary journeys, the evolution of women’s football, and the dreams they still hold for the future.

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Woman Up : Pitches, Pay and Periods

The Progress and Potential of Women's Football

26 Oct 2023

"Written with energy, passion and unrivaled insight, Woman Up addresses the phenomenon that is women’s football, past and present, shedding light not only on generations of struggle and often unheard of victories and success, but on the issues that women still face today. I could not put this down, so rich it is and so fascinating, meticulously researched and bubbling with real life. Carrie Dunn’s Woman Up is essential reading of our times!"
- Christy Lefteri, Author

"What's so great about Carrie Dunn's latest book Woman Up is that it's the perfect resource for pretty much anything you've ever wondered about women and football, so you can dip into it and come out fully informed, but it's also a lot of fun to read. It may reflect on some of the most irritating traditions of the game - like disrespect for its female Olympians and World Cup winners and the absence of suitable kit for girls - but you still leave feeling uplifted and optimistic about the future of the sport"
- Kate Mason, broadcaster

"Dunn's meticulous research and careful choice of words leaves the reader entertained and informed in equal measure"
- Matt Davies-Adams, Commentator and Broadcaster

Carrie shines a light on the evolution of women’s football and the gender gaps that still persist – on issues such as injuries, sportswear, period taboos and diversity. Packed with practical advice and first-hand accounts from leading female players, coaches and administrators around the world and across generations, this is a unique approach to telling the global story of women’s football.

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'Unsuitable for Females'

The Rise of the Lionesses and Women's Football in England

01 Jun 2023

"When it comes to women’s football and the history of the Lionesses, Carrie always brings expertise at the back, amazing research in centre midfield and never misses up front when it comes to passion"
- Colin Murray, Presenter and Writer

"It now feels extraordinary how invisible women have been in the history of sport - gaps that are starting to fill like in the insightful work of Carrie Dunn's Unsuitable for Females. She does great job recreating the past, taking us to the present and raising questions. More of that please!"
- Guillem Balague, Football Broadcaster and Expert

"Carrie Dunn's passion for her subject is there on every page. A brilliantly researched and important book"
- Adrian Durham, Football Broadcaster and Award-Winning Author

Shortlisted for Football Book of the Year 2023

'Unsuitable for Females': The Rise of the Lionesses and Women's Football in England tells the story of women’s football in England since its 19th-century inception through pen portraits of its trailblazers. The game was once banned because of its popularity – find out about the subversive women who kept organising their teams and matches despite the prohibition, who broke barriers and set records – the legends of the game who built the foundations of the stage upon which today’s stars flourish."

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The Reign of the Lionesses

How European Glory Changed Women's Football in England

16 Aug 2023

The third in a popular trilogy.

England’s Lionesses are European champions and famous the world over, but other women footballers all across England are fighting a different battle. From training pitches to home stadia, from sponsorship to electricity bills, they want to be treated as footballers, not second-class citizens. This is the story of the season after the summer before.

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The Pride of the Lionesses

The Changing Face of Women's Football in England

07 Oct 2019

Longlisted for Football Book of the Year at the Telegraph Sports Book Awards 2020

One of FourFourTwo's books of the year for 2019

"Insightful, thoughtful, and fascinating"
- Alex Stewart, Tifo Football

"Dunn's meticulous research and careful choice of words leaves the reader entertained and informed in equal measure"
- Matt Davies-Adams, commentator and broadcaster

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The Roar of the Lionesses

Women's Football in England

01 Aug 2016

One of the Guardian’s best sports books of 2016

"Crisp and humane writing. I wish I had the psychic or persuasive powers to push The Roar of the Lionesses up on to the bestseller lists. A book that is rooted in the joy and pain of sport. Not only do 'the girls' know how to play football as well or better than 'the boys'; the best of 'em write about it just as well as the boys do too"
- By The Book Reviews

"Rivetingly insightful and beautifully researched"
- Julie Welch, football writer

"A fantastic and unique insight into the world of women's football in England"
- Jacqui Oatley, sports presenter and journalist

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Spandex; Screw Jobs and Cheap Pops

Inside the Business of British Professional Wrestling

01 Jun 2016

"Perfectly encompasses the world of professional wrestling in Britain; past and present"
- John Ashdown, The Guardian

"Dunn uses her journalistic background to dig deeper into some of the issues plaguing the British scene and asks the kind of difficult questions most are afraid to touch. Sometimes sacred cows need slaying, and Dunn wields her knife with skill"
- The Void

"At times hilarious, and at other times completely heartbreaking, but always captivating, TW gives Spandex, Screw Jobs and Cheap Pops a huge thumbs-up"
- Total Wrestling Magazine

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CARRIE'S BOOKS

Flying the Flag

Woman Up : Pitches, Pay and Periods

'Unsuitable for Females'

The Reign of the Lionesses

The Pride of the Lionesses

The Roar of the Lionesses

Spandex; Screw Jobs and Cheap Pops​

Spandex; Screw Jobs and Cheap Pops