Summertime for women?

Keith Edelman was probably the only person who could not allow himself to enjoy the day, but the 25,000 fans who packed into Nottingham Forest's sunlit City Ground to watch Arsenal trounce Leeds United in the FA Women's Cup final on Bank Holiday Monday had a terrific time, by all accounts.

Edelman took over as president of Arsenal's all-conquering women's team from David Dein, the club's former vice-chairman, who was deposed last year, before Edelman, too, was ditched as managing director only four days before the final. Something of a poisoned chalice, it seems, being the Arsenal ladies' man. Pity, because their women have won Arsenal's only silverware this season.

But the popularity of the final has underlined the determination of executives at the Football Association. Little mention has been made of the fact that the FA's strategic vision, published this week, calls for massive expansion of the women's game. Football is the fastest-growing team sport among women and there is increasing demand for the support and services that the men's professional game has long enjoyed. Alongside the demand for the England men's team to achieve “at least semi-finals” in leading international tournaments is the same requirement of the women.

FA officials have been asked by Lord Triesman, their new chairman, to investigate whether a women's professional league in the summer months would work, so as not to compete with the men's Premier League. At the moment Arsenal's women are dominant - they have just won their third league and cup Double in a row - and the sport needs to raise its public profile if new teams are to grow.

Triesman is said to be enthusiastic about the idea of the new summer league, but discussions will be long and thorough before any plan is given the green light.

Cautionary Storey with a sad ending

A sad footnote to a career gone wrong. Peter Storey, Arsenal's one-time hard man, has sold his medals from the historic 1970-71 Double-winning season on eBay. His nine-carat gold FA Cup winner's medal and Football League winner's plaque fetched £28,000. After leaving Arsenal, Storey fell into a spiral of crime, and served a prison term.

Life's a beach for Nash

Now is the time for footballers to pack their flip-flops and shorts - and Carlo Nash, the Wigan Athletic goalkeeper on loan at Stoke City, can tell his team-mates which beach to head for. Nash, with his wife, Jill, started up Luxury Backpackers, publishing worldwide travel guides, with the first, called Global Adventures in Style, out now. Should be good for Nash is widely travelled, having played for Crystal Palace, Stockport County, Manchester City, Middlesbrough, Preston North End, Wigan and now Stoke. Has Middlesbrough got a beach?

A job for Mosley? Maybe not

A worthy new tome hits The Insider's desk. Haynes Publishing proudly announces the arrival of Hitler's Motor Racing Battles by Eberhard Reuss. But who to review it for us? Someone erudite, preferably with knowledge of the Second World War and with considerable motor racing connections. Whoever said “Max Mosley”, leave the room now.