Latest news with #Women'sSuperLeague2
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Player anger as Blackburn likely to withdraw from WSL 2 due to financial reasons
Blackburn's place in the Women's Super League 2 next season is in major doubt after their players were informed on Tuesday morning that the club is highly unlikely to provide the funding to meet the division's new minimum licence requirement. No decision has yet been made by the club for next season but the Blackburn defender Niamh Murphy wrote on X that the players had been warned the club's mind was already '99%' made up. Multiple sources have told the Guardian that the club have been given a deadline to confirm by next week whether or not they wish to participate, or face demotion. Related: Hemp, Greenwood and Stanway back in major Euros boost for England The situation is understood to have left the players and staff anxious, angry and feeling like they are in a state of limbo, while they await a formal decision. Some of the squad have posted their concerns on social media, with the Scotland youth international Murphy writing: 'We, Blackburn Rovers women's first team, were made aware there is a 99% chance that the club's owners won't be financially supporting the team next season. 'Us players and staff deserve far better than what we've experienced in recent seasons. We've once again been left in the dark, waiting to see if the owners will have the decency to do what's best for their players, staff and women's football.' 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 known previously as the Women's Championship – was renamed on Monday as WSL 2. 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. 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 the situation last summer when Reading withdrew from the second tier at the end of June – for financial reasons – at such a relatively late point in the summer that there was deemed to be insufficient time before pre-season to begin a process of promoting a replacement club, which led to the division including only 11 teams this season. Related: Reading Women ask to leave Championship and aim to play in fifth tier 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 11th‑hour withdrawal and ensure there is time for a contingency plan, should Blackburn decide to pull out. The Blackburn goalkeeper Alex Brooks shared the same message posted on X by Murphy, which added: 'Whilst this season may have looked successful to others, we have once again avoided relegation despite having the smallest budget. This group has worked relentlessly hard all season for so little reward.' If they withdraw, Blackburn would not be the only club to decide not to fund a WSL 2 licence this summer, after third-tier Wolves did not submit a bid for promotion despite finishing second in their division. On Monday, the Wolves chairman, Jeff Shi, promised to apply next season instead.
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."
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Blackburn Rovers women's team relegated after owners opt against required funding
Blackburn Rovers' women's team have been relegated from Women's Super League 2 (English football's second tier) after the club decided against meeting the league's requirements on facilities, player welfare and staffing. The Lancashire club was given until Monday to state its intention to the Women's Super League Football (WSL Football) — the organisation in charge of running the top two divisions of English women's football) — to finance their women's team's licensing criteria and retain their tier-two status. Advertisement Rovers finished second from bottom in the Championship, rebranded as WSL2 for the 2025-26 season, ahead of relegated Sheffield United. A meeting with members of the club's hierarchy took place on Monday May 12 and players and staff were left in limbo since being informed of the situation last Tuesday, May 13. Many within the team were said to be 'devastated' by the unfolding situation. But on Tuesday, they were informed by the club that no financing would be provided. Regulations for the women's pyramid state that any club which withdraws from a league can only re‑enter at least two tiers lower. Precedent was set when Reading were relegated to the fifth tier of English football ahead of the 2024-25 season after financial uncertainty and the collapse of an 11th-hour takeover bid. Advertisement Compliance and development reviews are standard across the top two tiers and carried out ahead of each new season. Every club is asked by the league to comply with the participation agreement. Blackburn's demotion follows on from controversy last summer, during which it was reported their women's team's playing budget was constrained to just £100,000 for next season, with their players, who are all semi-professional, receiving salaries of £9,000. The decision to cut the playing budget incurred fierce criticism. Blackburn have significant pedigree in the women's game with a strong academy set-up. The club have produced England internationals and Euro 2022 champions Keira Walsh, Ella Toone and Georgia Stanway. Blackburn's men's team finished seventh in the Championship in the most recent season, narrowly missing out on the playoffs. Advertisement For the 2023-24 financial year, the club reported a profit of £3.3million. However, without the club-record sale (around £22million including add-ons) of midfielder Adam Wharton to Premier League side Crystal Palace, the figure would have been a £17.2m loss which is similar to 12 months prior. Blackburn defender Niamh Murphy wrote on social media last week about the possibility of relegation: 'I have been a Blackburn player for three seasons and the only consistency there has been is the lack of financial support from the club. 'Whilst this season may not look successful to others, we have once again avoided relegation despite having the smallest budget. This is a huge success and a credit to the women's players and staff. 'This group has worked relentlessly hard all season for so little reward. We all earn less than a liveable wage, with many players having to live away from home whilst also having to work other jobs to survive, and this is what we get in return.' This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Blackburn Rovers, Sports Business, Championship, UK Women's Football 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Wales Online
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Outrage as top football club to fold team with raft of Welsh players left to look for new jobs
Outrage as top football club to fold team with raft of Welsh players left to look for new jobs It has been alleged that the players found out about the decision via a WhatsApp message from their teammate Simon Parker, Head Coach of Blackburn Rovers' Women's team Several Welsh footballers are set to be left looking for new jobs amid reports that Blackburn Rovers' owners are highly likely to pull funding for its women's side next season. The team is set to withdraw from the Women's Championship next season due to the owners being unwilling to provide the funding to meet the division's minimum requirements on facilities, staffing and player welfare. While no official decision has yet been made, players have allegedly been told that the club's mind is "99 per cent" made up. The deadline to decide if they want to meet the requirements and keep their place in the Women's Super League 2 next season is May 19, with talks set to be held over the weekend. Without funding, however, they could be demoted to the Women's National League North, while the club's supporters group is concerned that the team is now "days away from ceasing to exist". In the meantime, players have been left in limbo over what the future holds as they wait for an official decision to be made. Eight Welsh players are set to be affected, with senior Wales internationals Georgia Walters, Chloe Williams and Poppy Soper likely to be forced into finding new jobs alongside Orla Howard, Senaiya Knill, Charlotte Salisbury-Williams, Casi Evans and Darcy Lancaster. Article continues below Rovers Women have also produced England stars and Euro 2022 winners Keira Walsh, Ella Toone and Georgia Stanway. Defender Niamh Murphy claimed earlier this week that the first team were told by a teammate via WhatsApp that there is a "99% chance the owners will not be financially supporting the team next season". "Via WhatsApp today we, Blackburn Rovers Women first-team, were made aware that there is a 99 per cent chance that the club's owners won't be financially supporting the team next season," the 22-year-old full-back wrote on X. "We were told by message by a fellow teammate that the club have been given a seven day deadline to state their intention to financially support the team and if this isn't signed then the club will be forced to drop out the Championship/WSL 2. "I have been a Blackburn player for three seasons and the only consistency there has been is the lack of financial support from the club." Murphy added: "Whilst this season may not look successful to others, we have once again avoided relegation despite having the smallest budget. This is a huge success and a credit to the women's players and staff. "This group has worked relentlessly hard all season for so little reward. We all earn less than a liveable wage, with many players having to live away from home whilst also having to work other jobs to survive, and this is what we get in return. "Us players and staff deserve far better than what we've experienced in recent seasons. We've once again been left in the dark, waiting to see if the owners will have the decency to do what's best for their players, staff and women's football." The Blackburn Rovers Supporters Coalition has also issued a statement in response to the "deeply alarming" reports, saying that a withdrawal of funding would leave the women's team "days away from ceasing to exist". Article continues below It slammed the club's owners for "putting their self-interest above and beyond the fabric" of the club, adding that "any move to scale back support is not only a betrayal of [the women's team's] legacy but a disgraceful signal of indifference".
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.
