Latest news with #BethMerrick
Times
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Times
Players furious as Wolves fail to apply for promotion
Wolverhampton Wanderers decided not to submit a promotion application for their women's team this season, with players saying they only discovered their efforts to go up had been futile after the campaign's final game. Players have strongly criticised the club on X and their midfielder, Beth Merrick, has questioned its 'ambitions', as well as its 'honesty and transparency'. Wolves, in the third-tier Northern Premier Division, went into last Sunday's final round with a small chance of overhauling Nottingham Forest at the top. Had they done so, they would have been entitled to promotion to the Championship. Forest's 7-2 win over West Bromwich Albion meant they were promoted in any case, but this result proved academic because Wolves declined to submit a promotion bid. Due in
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wolves players ‘absolutely devastated' club never applied for promotion
The Wolves midfielder Beth Merrick said: 'Imagine fighting for promotion all season, to find out our Championship bid was never submitted.' The Wolves midfielder Beth Merrick said: 'Imagine fighting for promotion all season, to find out our Championship bid was never submitted.' Photograph: Jack Thomas/WWFC/Wolves/Getty The Wolves women's players have said they feel let down by a lack of ambition from their club after learning an application for promotion to the Women's Championship was not submitted, despite the team battling Nottingham Forest for top spot all season. Wolves finished second in the northern section of the third tier in English women's football – the FA Women's National League Northern Premier Division – on Sunday, three points behind Forest, who clinched promotion on the final day to go up to the second tier. Only one team could be promoted. Advertisement Wolves have met all the criteria to play second-tier football but it has emerged the club did not apply, and the players were informed of this during a team meeting on Sunday after full-time in their 6-0 home victory against Liverpool Feds, their final game of the season. Wolves did not wish to comment on the matter when contacted on Monday by the Guardian with a series of questions. Beth Merrick described the situation as 'crazy', before the midfielder said: 'Imagine fighting for promotion all season, to find out our Championship bid was never submitted. As a group we are absolutely devastated to finish the season this way and believe it speaks volumes about the club's ambitions for the women's team. For our staff to have to deliver this news to us moments after is astonishing. 'Our players, staff and fans deserve so much better. The staff have put in hours of dedication, for a bid to never be submitted. It's not about money, it's about honesty and transparency.' Advertisement Any third-tier clubs interested in applying for a second-tier licence, to be ready for promotion subject to their final league position, initially had until 20 December 2024 to express their intent to apply, before the formal deadline to submit a second-tier application, which was on 21 February. The list of criteria included a requirement to provide evidence a club could attract average home attendances of at least 600 spectators, while also requiring clubs to commit to appointing the following staff within one month of next season starting: a head of women's football, marketing manager, head coach, assistant coach, physiotherapist or sports therapist, doctor, a strength and conditioning coach, a goalkeeping coach and several people in specific safeguarding and player-welfare roles, as well as a matchday safety manager. It is also understood that the company running the Women's Championship, Women's Professional Leagues Limited, has proposed to raise the minimum contact hours per week for players up to 20 hours per week, although this proposal remains subject to receiving final shareholder approval. It is understood there was a shocked reaction in the dressing room on Sunday night among staff and players, many of whom are considering their futures at the club. Abbi Jenner, the defender who is on a season-long loan at Wolves from the Women's Championship side Birmingham City, wrote on X that the situation was 'absolutely gutting', accompanied by a broken heart emoji. The midfielder Lily Simkin wrote: 'We feel let down … We took it to the last day to find out it would have all been for nothing anyway. We deserve better.'
The Guardian
28-04-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Wolves players ‘absolutely devastated' club never applied for promotion
The Wolves women's players have said they feel let down by a lack of ambition from their club after learning an application for promotion to the Women's Championship was not submitted, despite the team battling Nottingham Forest for top spot all season. Wolves finished second in the northern section of the third tier in English women's football – the FA Women's National League Northern Premier Division – on Sunday, three points behind Forest, who clinched promotion on the final day to go up to the second tier. Only one team could be promoted. Wolves have met all the criteria to play second-tier football but it has emerged the club did not apply, and the players were informed of this during a team meeting on Sunday after full-time in their 6-0 home victory against Liverpool Feds, their final game of the season. Wolves did not wish to comment on the matter when contacted on Monday by the Guardian with a series of questions. Beth Merrick described the situation as 'crazy', before the midfielder said: 'Imagine fighting for promotion all season, to find out our Championship bid was never submitted. As a group we are absolutely devastated to finish the season this way and believe it speaks volumes about the club's ambitions for the women's team. For our staff to have to deliver this news to us moments after is astonishing. 'Our players, staff and fans deserve so much better. The staff have put in hours of dedication, for a bid to never be submitted. It's not about money, it's about honesty and transparency.' Any third-tier clubs interested in applying for a second-tier licence, to be ready for promotion subject to their final league position, initially had until 20 December 2024 to express their intent to apply, before the formal deadline to submit a second-tier application, which was on 21 February. The list of criteria included a requirement to provide evidence a club could attract average home attendances of at least 600 spectators, while also requiring clubs to commit to appointing the following staff within one month of next season starting: a head of women's football, marketing manager, head coach, assistant coach, physiotherapist or sports therapist, doctor, a strength and conditioning coach, a goalkeeping coach and several people in specific safeguarding and player-welfare roles, as well as a matchday safety manager. It is also understood that the company running the Women's Championship, Women's Professional Leagues Limited, has proposed to raise the minimum contact hours per week for players up to 20 hours per week, although this proposal remains subject to receiving final shareholder approval. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion It is understood there was a shocked reaction in the dressing room on Sunday night among staff and players, many of whom are considering their futures at the club. Abbi Jenner, the defender who is on a season-long loan at Wolves from the Women's Championship side Birmingham City, wrote on X that the situation was 'absolutely gutting', accompanied by a broken heart emoji. The midfielder Lily Simkin wrote: 'We feel let down … We took it to the last day to find out it would have all been for nothing anyway. We deserve better.'
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wolves players 'devastated' club didn't apply for promotion
Players from Wolves Women say their ultimately unsuccessful battle for promotion was "all for nothing" as the club had already decided not to apply to compete in the Women's Championship. Wolves won their final match of the Women's Premier Division North season against Liverpool Feds 6-0 but finished three points off champions Nottingham Forest. Advertisement They still had a chance of earning promotion on the final day had results gone their way, but players said the club had chosen not to submit the necessary application to compete in England's second tier, even if they had achieved the feat. In a statement posted on X, midfielder Beth Merrick said: "Imagine fighting for promotion all season to find out our Championship bid was never submitted. "As a group we are absolutely devastated to finish the season this way and believe it speaks volumes about the club's ambitions for the women's team." The Women's Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) and Wolves have been approached for a response. Advertisement The licence criteria to compete in the Women's Championship encourages further investment and there is an expectation for clubs to build towards a professional model, but there are currently no Wolves players on full-time contracts. Defender Lily Simkin, who previously played for Women's Super League club Birmingham City, said they "felt let down". She added on X: "As a group of staff and players we have been fighting all season and still achieved what some people at the club thought was impossible. "We took it to the last day to find out it would have all been for nothing anyway. We deserve better." Advertisement Sources at the club told BBC Sport that players and staff were called into a meeting after their final match with head of women's football Jenna Burke-Martin and manager Dan McNamara. Some were in tears, one source claimed, as players were informed that they had "played for nothing" and the club "never had any ambition to put a bid in" to play in the Women's Championship. Players felt they had shown they were able to compete on a low budget but had been "lied to" and shown "a lack of respect" by not being made aware of the club's intentions. There were positive signs last summer as manager McNamara, physio Christos Christofides and physical performance coach Nathan Maxfield were given full-time roles. Advertisement Three players were also given contracts but not on a full-time basis. However, the women's under-21s squad was scrapped in the summer and it is claimed a number of players are still not paid salaries, only their expenses. Some staff members are unsure about their future at the club because there are question marks over the long-term ambitions. Players are due to meet at the club on Tuesday, as originally planned, but have not received communication on what the next steps are. Wolves have submitted applications for the Women's Championship in previous seasons and lost in a play-off final to Southampton in 2022. Advertisement Supporter and host of The Wolves Women Podcast, Nick Andrews-Gauvain, told BBC Sport: "After what had been such a great day on Sunday - brilliant atmosphere, good football and a win for Wolves - it was devastating to hear the news break that the club didn't support the players and staff. "The club make a big thing about being 'One Pack' but this now feels like all spin rather than actually something they buy into. "As the game grows, Wolves risk being left behind and it will cost us more in the long run to play catch up."
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wolves players 'devastated' club didn't apply for promotion
Players from Wolves Women say their ultimately unsuccessful battle for promotion was "all for nothing" as the club had already decided not to apply to compete in the Women's Championship. Wolves won their final match of the Women's Premier Division North season against Liverpool Feds 6-0 but finished three points off champions Nottingham Forest. They still had a chance of earning promotion on the final day had results gone their way, but players said the club had chosen not to submit the necessary application to compete in England's second tier, even if they had achieved the feat. In a statement posted on X, midfielder Beth Merrick said: "Imagine fighting for promotion all season to find out our Championship bid was never submitted. "As a group we are absolutely devastated to finish the season this way and believe it speaks volumes about the club's ambitions for the women's team." The Women's Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) and Wolves have been approached for a response. The licence criteria to compete in the Women's Championship encourages further investment and there is an expectation for clubs to build towards a professional model, but there are currently no Wolves players on full-time contracts. Defender Lily Simkin, who previously played for Women's Super League club Birmingham City, said they "felt let down". She added on X: "As a group of staff and players we have been fighting all season and still achieved what some people at the club thought was impossible. "We took it to the last day to find out it would have all been for nothing anyway. We deserve better." Sources at the club told BBC Sport that players and staff were called into a meeting after their final match with head of women's football Jenna Burke-Martin and manager Dan McNamara. Some were in tears, one source claimed, as players were informed that they had "played for nothing" and the club "never had any ambition to put a bid in" to play in the Women's Championship. Players felt they had shown they were able to compete on a low budget but had been "lied to" and shown "a lack of respect" by not being made aware of the club's intentions. There were positive signs last summer as manager McNamara, physio Christos Christofides and physical performance coach Nathan Maxfield were given full-time roles. Three players were also given contracts but not on a full-time basis. However, the women's under-21s squad was scrapped in the summer and it is claimed a number of players are still not paid salaries, only their expenses. Some staff members are unsure about their future at the club because there are question marks over the long-term ambitions. Players are due to meet at the club on Tuesday, as originally planned, but have not received communication on what the next steps are. Wolves have submitted applications for the Women's Championship in previous seasons and lost in a play-off final to Southampton in 2022. Supporter and host of The Wolves Women Podcast, Nick Andrews-Gauvain, told BBC Sport: "After what had been such a great day on Sunday - brilliant atmosphere, good football and a win for Wolves - it was devastating to hear the news break that the club didn't support the players and staff. "The club make a big thing about being 'One Pack' but this now feels like all spin rather than actually something they buy into. "As the game grows, Wolves risk being left behind and it will cost us more in the long run to play catch up." Get the latest WSL news on our dedicated page
