Vince, I'm confused by the women's leagues. are Durham a stand alone club or have they replaced Sunderland Ladies. I check the WSL and can never find Sunderland Ladies mentioned, or a m i being a bit thick.
It was cup matches today sunderland lost Chester Le street lost Durham won Bit like fa cup Durham in the current state formed 2013
They've got Man Utd in the next round. They've got some canny players there. I said a while ago that the women don't get the respect they deserve, it's improving all the time. They've gone from hoofing it all over and just chasing the ball about, to getting it down and knocking it about and looking very good doing so.
The rules were changed in womens football at the end of last season, so Sunderland ladies were relegated from the WSL down to the 3rd division this season, not because they weren't good enough, but simply because they aren't full time professional. SAFC appealed against the decision but were unsuccessful.
Sunderland Ladies is a reality of the Ellis Short era! A team flying high full of internationals has now become a bit part team where all the better players have gone off to clubs elsewhere.
While that's true, the FA have also put the boot in. Last Season the Ladies finished mid table in the top league but The FA decided that only full time Teams would be allowed to compete at that level in the future. It had been decided that our only successful footballing operation would go part time. So we were dropped to level three rather than level two. Off went our best players. However while this odd decision of the FA looked strange they just MAY have thrown out the baby along with the bathwater. Over a quarter of the squad members of the last England side I looked at started their careers as children with our Academy. By downgrading the Club, rather than supporting it, it is possible(certain had Short remained in control), that less resources will be available and youngsters who might otherwise have had the chance to get to the higher levels will miss out. So will the England Team if that happens, and of course all this happens just as the Ladies Game is becoming popular. The best way to stick two finger up to the FA is to get back up the Leagues through the promotion system, just as the Team did before. It's all going to depend on our current owners and what priority they can afford to give to this successful part of the Clubs operation's. PS I see that Lucy Bronze didn't win the inaugural Womens Ballon d'Or last nigh but was on the shortlist. Another of our former Academy trainee's.
Just another example how the FA will put the boot into us at every opportunity, which makes Powers red card being overturned nothing short of miraculous. I hate the FA with a passion.
The history of the Ladies Game is littered with examples 'Big Club Bias' . I believe that when The FA decided to restructure the Leagues and Man City wanted to join the top league they did so by buying the best players they could get. Fair enough. But to make way for them Doncaster Belles were demoted. This was anything but fair. Doncaster Belles had long supported the women's game and been among the most successful teams. This was THEIR thankyou from the top. Yet without Doncaster Belles it's doubtful if there would have been a Ladies League.
Absolutely spot on. I remember the Belles from when I was a kid. Can’t really think of any other ladies team that stood out.
Great result for Durham. Before today, Man Utd had won 8 out of their 9 games and drew the other game. They'd only conceded one goal, too.
