Latest news with #TylerToland
Irish Independent
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Tyler Toland faces anxious wait on future as Blackburn pull plug on women's pro team
Blackburn Rovers, whose club captain is Donegal's Irish international midfielder Tyler Toland, have withdrawn from the English championship after refusing to meet the league's requirements on facilities, player welfare and staffing.
RTÉ News
20-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Blackburn women withdraw from the Championship
Blackburn Rovers have announced the withdrawal of their women's team from next season's Women's Super League 2. The club cited the "growing financial and operational constraints" required from the league for the decision, adding that other factors were considered, including the need for a full-time professional model and an increase in staffing. Blackburn finished 10th in last season's Women's Championship and picked up 12 points from 20 outings to finish five points above bottom side Sheffield United. They're captained by Republic of Ireland midfielder Tyler Toland, who now looks certain to move on from the club in the next few weeks. A WSL Football statement said the withdrawal came after Blackburn confirmed they would be unable to meet the compliance requirements needed for WSL2 and revealed Rovers intend to apply to enter the women's football pyramid at a lower level. The statement also reaffirmed the intention for WSL2 to continue with 12 clubs next season, while CEO Nikki Doucet said they had been working with Blackburn to "prevent" the outcome. "This is a sad day for women's football and our hearts go out to the players, staff and fans at Blackburn Rovers FC Women affected by this decision to withdraw from the Barclays Women's Super League 2," Doucet said. "We have been working with the club all season to prevent this outcome, and we are disappointed it has come to this. "We will do all we can to help provide current players and staff members at the club opportunities, including those at the Professional Game Academy, so they can remain in the women's game." Blackburn's statement added: "Regrettably, despite all Rovers women's league fixtures being played at Ewood Park last season for the first time, there was no noticeable upturn in home attendances, resulting in the absence of the substantial matchday commercial revenue and sponsorships required to support continued investment at Tier 2. "We acknowledge the disappointment this may cause to our players, supporters and staff, and extend our heartfelt appreciation for their unwavering dedication last season, but this decision has not been made lightly. "To be absolutely clear, Blackburn is not walking away from the women's game. Like other respected clubs with a proud history in the game, we are taking necessary steps and finding a path that is sustainable and responsible for the long-term future of women's football at Blackburn."
Irish Independent
14-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Ireland star facing uncertain future as Blackburn Rovers threaten to pull the plug on women's team
Blackburn Rovers, whose club captain is Donegal's Irish international midfielder Tyler Toland, could be the latest English club to be dumped out of the second tier for financial reasons.
Belfast Telegraph
13-05-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Northern Ireland international faces anxious wait as Championship club hit by cash crisis
Blackburn finished 10th in this season's Women's Championship, avoiding relegation by five points. However, the Lancashire club look set to dumped out of the second tier for financial reasons after the club failed to offer the league the required financial guarantees ahead of Monday's deadline. It's a painful blow for Dugdale, who faced a similar situation this time last year. She was a member of the Reading team when the Berkshire club demoted to the fifth tier when the club's takeover collapsed. The 28 year-old has earned 18 caps for Northern Ireland since making her international debut in 2016. Former Sion Swifts star Tyler Toland is another Blackburn star with an uncertain future. The Republic of Ireland international hails from Raphoe in Donegal.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fears grow that Blackburn will withdraw from WSL 2 due to financial reasons
Blackburn Rovers' captain Tyler Toland speaks to her players as they huddle before the game against Birmingham in this season's Championship. Blackburn Rovers' captain Tyler Toland speaks to her players as they huddle before the game against Birmingham in this season's Championship. Photograph: Craig Galloway/ProSports/Shutterstock There are growing concerns that Blackburn Rovers may withdraw from next season's Women's Super League 2 campaign. No decision has yet been made by the club for next season but multiple sources have indicated that the club are yet to fully commit to the extra funding needed to meet the league's enhanced minimum requirements for the 2025-26 WSL 2 campaign and Blackburn are therefore understood to have been given a deadline to confirm by next week whether or not they wish to participate. Advertisement Related: Hemp, Greenwood and Stanway back in major Euros boost for England Simon Parker's team finished 10th, second-from-bottom, in the women's second tier this term, five points clear of danger, despite operating on what was understood on a comparatively-low playing budget. The second tier – which was previously known as the Women's Championship – was renamed as WSL 2 on Monday. This summer, the minimum requirements to take part in the division are being increased in a bid to raise minimum standards for the players involved, to an extent whereby it is understood second-tier women's clubs will now have to essentially operate a full-time, professional operation. The list of criteria is believed to include requirements for 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. Advertisement Blackburn played all of their home women's matches at Ewood Park this season and their former players include the England internationals Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone and Keira Walsh and have a proud history of developing young players. The league will be keen to avoid a repeat of last summer's situation which saw Reading withdraw from the second tier at the end of June, for financial reasons, at such a relatively late point in the summer there was deemed to not be sufficient time before pre-season to begin a process of promoting a replacement club, which led to the division only including 11 teams this season. A source told the Guardian that one reason Blackburn have been given a deadline of next week by which to make their decision is to avoid another eleventh-hour withdrawal and ensure there is time for a contingency plan, should Blackburn decide to pull out.
