Latest news with #FA Cup
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Telford United's women's football team will no longer pay to play
AFC Telford United has confirmed its women's first team will not have to pay to play next season. The players, who compete in the West Midlands Regional League Division One North, the sixth tier of women's football, previously paid up to £200 each season, in order to cover the cost of training and match venues. The club's Tom Lewis said the team had gained "significant prize money", about £10,000, following their performance in this year's FA Cup run where they reached the first round. He added that their efforts had helped the women's set-up to become "sustainable" and enabled the fee to be removed. Mr Lewis said the team's "biggest financial burden" was the cost of hiring Telford College where they play, and added that it had been "unavoidable" to raise the money through players fees in the past. He said players had previously chosen to play for other clubs which didn't charge, and in recent years the club had encouraged the women to find sponsors to cover the fees."We're fighting in a pool where instantly if you say to them you have to pay, it becomes less attractive."However, Mr Lewis added that in recent years FA Cup prize money had "almost trebled". 'Help to secure promotion' The removal of the charge had made the team "competitive" and "opened up the talent pool", he said. "For a number of years we've been in the same league, we've been second and third fighting for promotion. "Hopefully by opening up interest around the club and strengthening the squad with new players will go a long way into securing us that elusive promotion," he Lewis said the club "looked where possible" to bring footballers in through their youth development programme, however he hoped the new setup had made the team an "attractive proposition". Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
06-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Nottingham Forest news: Opinion - How do the Reds make 'landmark season' a 'building block'?
This season is undoubtedly a success, but nobody is going to really say that until we can quantify what 'success' means. Getting to our first FA Cup semi-final in three decades was a huge moment, but sadly was not an occasion we to rose to. Being in the top four of the Premier League for so long, and safe from relegation by January, is a million miles away from the reality of battling relegation in the previous two seasons. The next three games are obviously huge for Nottingham Forest, yet it is also important to recognise this progress and admire just how far we have come. And, with that in mind, the question - whatever happens in the next few weeks - is how do we build on this success? How do the Reds make this landmark season a building block, rather than just a one-off? Can Wembley visits, European competition and the right end of the Premier League become a regular fixture? Strengthening the squad is clearly key to this future. We do not necessarily need a bigger squad but performing beyond expectations this season has shown up our limitations and, having gone so long without serious injuries, recent weeks have exposed our lack of depth. The signings of Nikola Milenkovic and Elliot Anderson last summer have been the difference for Forest this season, with both players making the first XI a force to be reckoned with. But without real competition for Chris Wood, Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi, we have struggled. Similarly, while low possession and counter-attacking football has been the Reds' trademark - what next? How do we progress to keeping more of the ball, controlling games and creating or converting more chances? These are evidently not questions for the here and now, but in order to build on this yet-to-be-quantified success it is important to recognise progress - and ensure it is lasting. Find more from Pat Riddell at The Famous Club, external
