Wolves players ‘absolutely devastated' club never applied for promotion
Wolves finished second in the northern section of the third tier in English women's football – the FA Women's National League Northern Premier Division – on Sunday, three points behind Forest, who clinched promotion on the final day to go up to the second tier. Only one team could be promoted.
Wolves have met all the criteria to play second-tier football but it has emerged the club did not apply, and the players were informed of this during a team meeting on Sunday after full-time in their 6-0 home victory against Liverpool Feds, their final game of the season.
Wolves did not wish to comment on the matter when contacted on Monday by the Guardian with a series of questions.
Beth Merrick described the situation as 'crazy', before the midfielder said: 'Imagine fighting for promotion all season, to find out our Championship bid was never submitted. As a group we are absolutely devastated to finish the season this way and believe it speaks volumes about the club's ambitions for the women's team. For our staff to have to deliver this news to us moments after is astonishing.
'Our players, staff and fans deserve so much better. The staff have put in hours of dedication, for a bid to never be submitted. It's not about money, it's about honesty and transparency.'
Any third-tier clubs interested in applying for a second-tier licence, to be ready for promotion subject to their final league position, initially had until 20 December 2024 to express their intent to apply, before the formal deadline to submit a second-tier application, which was on 21 February.
The list of criteria included a requirement to provide evidence a club could attract average home attendances of at least 600 spectators, while also requiring 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, as well as a matchday safety manager.
It is also understood that the company running the Women's Championship, Women's Professional Leagues Limited, has proposed to raise the minimum contact hours per week for players up to 20 hours per week, although this proposal remains subject to receiving final shareholder approval.
Sign up to Moving the Goalposts
No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football
after newsletter promotion
It is understood there was a shocked reaction in the dressing room on Sunday night among staff and players, many of whom are considering their futures at the club.
Abbi Jenner, the defender who is on a season-long loan at Wolves from the Women's Championship side Birmingham City, wrote on X that the situation was 'absolutely gutting', accompanied by a broken heart emoji. The midfielder Lily Simkin wrote: 'We feel let down … We took it to the last day to find out it would have all been for nothing anyway. We deserve better.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
9 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Motherwell handed away tie in Premier Sports Cup last-16
Jens Berthel Askou's side travel to Perth to face St Johnstone in their second round tie in August Motherwell have been drawn away to Championship newcomers St Johnstone in the Premier Sports Cup last 16. The Lanarkshire side crashed out of the Scottish Cup fourth round to former player Simo Valakari's Saints in January. St Johnstone have since crashed out of the Premiership, however, and Motherwell will go into the clash as favourites. Jens Berthel Askou's side progressed as Group G winners on 11 points, while Saints' record 8-0 win over Elgin City saw them through. The tie will played on the weekend of August 16/17. The full draw was: Celtic v Falkirk Kilmarnock v Dundee United Rangers v Alloa Livingston v Hibernian St Johnstone v Motherwell Morton v Aberdeen Partick Thistle v Ayr United St Mirren v Hearts
The Independent
10 minutes ago
- The Independent
Oscar Piastri breezes past Lando Norris to claim Belgian Grand Prix victory
Lando Norris' world championship bid was dealt a blow in Belgium after he allowed rival Oscar Piastri to breeze past him and win Sunday's rain-hit Grand Prix race. The start of the 13th round in Spa-Francorchamps was delayed by one hour and 20 minutes due to heavy rain in the Ardennes. But when it eventually got under way – following four precautionary laps behind the safety car – Norris was found wanting when a sloppy exit at the opening La Source corner provided Piastri with a race-winning opportunity too good to turn down. Despite being in Norris' spray, Piastri held his nerve and kept his foot on the accelerator at 170mph up through Eau Rouge and into Raidillon before jinking to his left and sailing clear of his McLaren team-mate on the Kemmel Straight. It was brave and superb in equal measure from Piastri but one Norris will be disappointed after seeing the his rival's championship advantage increase from nine points to 16 ahead of the final round before the summer break in Hungary next weekend. Norris crossed the line 3.4 seconds behind Piastri with Charles Leclerc third for Ferrari. Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished fourth, one place clear of Mercedes driver George Russell with Alex Albon an impressive sixth in his Williams. Lewis Hamilton started 18th and finished seventh following a string of fine moves in the early inclement conditions. At one point, there were fears the race – initially pencilled in for a start time of 3pm locally – could be abandoned after it was suspended following the formation lap due to poor visibility. Verstappen described the decision as 'silly' and 'too cautious'. However, there have been 49 fatalities at this track in the last 100 years – most recently Dutch 18-year-old Dilano Van 't Hoff in 2023. And race director Rui Marques could be excused for taking that grizzly statistic into his consideration. The drivers returned to their respective garages, and as the rain lashed down, memories were cast back to the event in 2021 – one which was abandoned after only two laps behind the safety car. But the grey skies parted, the sun broke through, and at 16:20, pole-sitter Norris emerged on track, albeit behind the safety car, to huge cheers from the record-breaking crowd with 389,000 spectators over the last three days. With visibility quickly improving, the safety car peeled in after four laps, and Norris bunched up the pack before attempting to put distance between himself and Piastri. The advantage was in Norris's hands with Piastri having to navigate his team-mate's spray. But a scrappy exit at La Source from the Briton provided Piastri with the momentum and he soared past Norris and into the lead. Piastri was 1.5 seconds quicker than Norris on the first racing lap leaving the Englishman – who arrived here hoping to claim a hat-trick of wins – facing a mammoth and improbable task. Further back and Hamilton, armed with a new engine, passed both Carlos Sainz and Franco Colapinto in only a handful of corners before breezing clear of Nico Hulkenberg on lap eight for 14th. That became 13th a lap later following a fine move on Pierre Gasly. On lap 11, Hamilton, who had described his Q1 elimination on Saturday as 'unacceptable', was then the first of the major players to move to the slick tyres. A slingshot manouvere on Liam Lawson in the moments after he left the pits promoted him to a net seventh when it all shook out. In came leader Piastri for dry tyres on lap 12, with Norris in on the next lap. Norris took on the hardest tyre compound – the only driver to do so – in the hope that Piastri's medium rubber would not make it to the end. But in a blow to Norris, Piastri's rubber lasted all 44 laps as he claimed his sixth win of the season – two more than Norris – with the championship momentum swinging back to Australia.
Scottish Sun
10 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Premier Sports Cup second round draw in FULL as Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen & more discover last 16 opponents
Five more Premiership clubs have entered the competition at this stage SWEET SIXTEEN Premier Sports Cup second round draw in FULL as Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen & more discover last 16 opponents Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE Premier Sports Cup last 16 draw has thrown up some mouth-watering ties as the rest of Scottish football's big hitters enter the fray. The five clubs competing in Europe - Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hibs and Dundee United - all kick-start their tournament campaigns at the second round stage. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 The Premier Sports Cup has reached the knockout phase Credit: SNS 4 Celtic will begin their defence of the trophy next month Credit: Getty 4 The competition will be Russell Martin's first chance of silverware with Rangers Credit: Alamy 4 Jimmy Thelin will be looking to add the League Cup to his Scottish Cup success Credit: Kenny Ramsay The last 16 draw followed the conclusion of the group stage draw. Of the seven Scottish Premiership clubs entering at the first round stage, six have safely made it through to the knockout phase of the competition. Only Dundee have failed to make the cut, with shock losses in their opening two games against Airdrieonians and Alloa sealing their fate. The remaining teams all come from the Championship with the exception of the aforementioned Alloa. The League One club are the lowest-ranked team left in the competition having impressively topped Group C. The Wasps' reward for their efforts is a mouth-watering visit to Ibrox to face Rangers in the last 16. Holders Celtic will face Falkirk in an all-Premiership tie at Celtic Park. There are three other all-top flight clashes too, while two ties pit Championship opposition against Premiership sides. Those are relegated St Johnstone's clash with Motherwell and Morton hosting Aberdeen at Cappielow. There's also a clash between two Championship clubs with Partick Thistle facing Ayr. Scottish football cult hero Mixu Paatelainen plays Quickfire Questions, Winner Stays On & Career Quiz Premier Sports Cup second round draw in full: Celtic v Falkirk Kilmarnock v Dundee United Rangers v Alloa Athletic Livingston v Hibernian St Johnstone v Motherwell Greenock Morton v Aberdeen Partick Thistle v Ayr United St Mirren v Hearts Ties to be played on weekend of August 16
