FA WSL - Pushed Out of the Game

FAWSL – ‘Pushed Out of the Game?’

It’s been a couple of weeks, since the decision. A decision that is likely to not only, change the future of one football club, but an entire football region.

Decision

What decision you may as?.  Well, the decision of Blackburn Rovers FC to opt out (for a second time) of FA Women's Super League (FAWSL)

It’s been a very difficult period for everyone involved with Blackburn Rovers Ladies FC.

We had the terrible news that former player Emma (McDougall) Mincher had passed away, following a lengthy battle with cancer.

Whilst, coming to terms with that, the team was told that the club would not be applying for a place in FAWSL.

Pushed Out of the Game

A couple of days after the ‘decision’, I got a message from a player.

It said “most of those applying are in the South.  I feel as if I’m being pushed out of the game”.

In his post match message, after the unlucky defeat to Nottingham Forest, the Rovers manager (Scott Rogers) said “We cannot sulk, though. We’ve got to fight on right until the end”.

The problem is this: 

The ambitious and talented international players at Blackburn will have to leave the club in search of FAWSL football.

Internationals, like  Danni Oates, Krystal Parker, Steph Marsh and Kim Turner need to be playing at Super League level.  The international managers of Wales, Northern Ireland & England will demand nothing less.

Others, like Danni Cox are unlikely to want to travel long distances to play for a club that can’t progress from the Third Tier of Women’s football. 

In all honesty, the majority of the Rovers 1^st team squad will be looking for new clubs next season. 

Where?  The North West only has 2 clubs in FAWSL, with the prospect of 1 more.

 Manchester City

If City gets the nod will they spend big and bring in star players from overseas?

It’s quite likely that they will and another squad of players will be looking for a new team.

Internationals, like Northern Ireland midfielder Lynda Shepherd, maybe forced out at City.

At the moment, nobody knows, but you see the problem.  It’s likely around 20 players could be looking for new clubs.  

The North West can’t sustain, this number of ‘free agent’ players.  They will have no team at FAWSL level to play at; a level the majority of them can comfortably play at.

Some will, no doubt end up in Yorkshire, playing for Leeds or Doncaster.  One or two may end up on Merseyside.

What about the rest?

They’ll be forced to look down south for Women's Super League football. I can’t see what alternative is on offer to them.  The only alternative is Third Tier football., the Women's Premier League or the regionalised Women's Football Championship (if rumours are true).

It’s no wonder some of them feel that they are being pushed out of the game.

Leeds Carnegie / Leeds United

When Blackburn Rovers opted out of the original Super League process, another team also opted out.

The decision of Leeds Carnegie to opt out of the FAWSL process was met with a lot of media attention at the time. England players, Sue Smith, Carly Telford and Ellen White left Leeds to become semi-pro players in the new summer league.

The ultimate result of the decision:  the loss of it's entire Premier League Cup winning squad and the backing of Leeds Met University. 

Leeds reverted to 'United', as they stayed in the 2nd tier of Women's Football, the Women's Premier League.

.  With the backing of 'United', Leeds will be amongst the forerunners for FAWSL 2 status this time round.

Fans

Lancashire, a county with 7 clubs in the Football League, will have no team in the FAWSL, perhaps for a generation.

So, if I want to watch FAWSL football, I have to travel to Liverpool or Widnes.

The thing is, I don’t support either team. I have no affinity or love for Liverpool or Everton.  I don’t really care if they win or lose.

Do I (a Blackburn Rovers fan) travel to watch teams that I have no connection with, just for the sake of it? 

Lancashire is a massive catchment area and it's very sad that such a traditional and passionate football area, will  probably never have the opportunity of  playing host to the stars of the women's game.

  

“We cannot sulk, though. We’ve got to fight on right until the end”.

That’s another thing, I’ll watch Rovers play until the end (of the season), but it’s not the end for me. 

Whilst for this current Rovers team, it probably is.  Some (if not a majorityl) of them will be playing elsewhere.

But for me, a fan, it can’t be the end, can it?

August brings a new season, new players (certainly), a new league and new challenges.

The future is uncertain.  Do I feel that I’m being pushed out of the game?

Yes…just a little bit.

 I’ve considered the options.

I’ve considered switching to another team.  But, as I’ve said above, I simply can’t do it.

It’s a loyalty thing.   A loyalty -  that only football fans can understand.

 
I do hope, that the players find a level of football that their talent and ambition deserves.

I do hold on to the feint hope that most of them will stay, but it’s unlikely.

They’ll leave, just like last time.

I don’t get that choice.   Roll on August.

March 2013