{"id":295620,"date":"2023-10-28T04:18:52","date_gmt":"2023-10-28T04:18:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allmysportsnews.com\/?p=295620"},"modified":"2023-10-28T04:18:52","modified_gmt":"2023-10-28T04:18:52","slug":"mary-earps-reveals-difficulties-with-fan-relationship-following-rise-of-womens-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allmysportsnews.com\/soccer\/mary-earps-reveals-difficulties-with-fan-relationship-following-rise-of-womens-football\/","title":{"rendered":"Mary Earps reveals difficulties with fan relationship following rise of women\u2019s football"},"content":{"rendered":"
Mary Earps\u2019 goalkeeper shirt has sold out after Nike released a limited number <\/p>\n
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Mary Earps was forced to admit it has become \u201creally difficult\u201d to keep all fans happy with the increased attendances and popularity of the sport.<\/p>\n
The England goalkeeper was criticised for not signing an autograph following Manchester United\u2019s win at Everton on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The Lionesses throughout the years have frequently stayed behind after games to meet with the supporters in the crowd, but the increased attendances have meant the fans they do meet become a smaller proportion of the total.<\/p>\n
When asked about the incident, which played out on social media, Earps said: \u201cWe love to interact with the fans but it\u2019s at times becoming really difficult to keep everybody happy and to interact with as many people as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
“We\u2019re obviously so grateful that thousands and thousands of people want to meet us and come and talk to us, but the reality of it is, if that\u2019s the expectation, we\u2019re always going to fall short.<\/p>\n
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“I think the emphasis on it needs to switch now. We love that we can be so connected, but equally we are subject to a lot of comments and unnecessary [criticism]. At times it\u2019s just an addition to the game that we don\u2019t need.”<\/p>\n
When England played Scotland at Sunderland\u2019s Stadium of Light in September, some fans reportedly chanted for the Lionesses to \u201cget off the bus\u201d and meet them.<\/p>\n
Earps made headlines throughout the Women\u2019s World Cup in the summer when she commented that her national team goalkeeping shirts were not available to buy for fans. Nike has since released a limited number of replica shirts, which have sold out.<\/p>\n
Speaking about the shirts she said: “It\u2019s just brilliant for [the young goalkeepers] to have that access and have their own personal shirt,” added Earps. “I know there\u2019s going to be more shirts coming at the end of this year so I\u2019m really excited about that as well.”<\/p>\n