Blackburn might withdraw from Women's Championship
They are in discussions with Women's Super League Football (WSL Football) - the company overseeing the top two tiers in England - on whether special considerations can be made.
Meetings are taking place over the next week but it is understood they are in a perilous position, with players claiming they were told by a team-mate via WhatsApp that there is a "99% chance the owners will not be financially supporting the team next season".
Defender Niamh Murphy, 22, said: "I have been a Blackburn Rovers 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 some, 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."
I have been a @RoversWFC player for three seasons and the only consistency there has been is the lack of financial support from the club.We deserve better. @Rovers pic.twitter.com/xKu8kfKCTL
— Niamh Murphy (@niamhmurphy_3) May 13, 2025
She goes on to say the team "deserves far better" and have been "left in the dark" over their future.
It would be the second year a club withdraws from the league because of financial concerns after Reading dropped to the fifth tier in June 2024.
All clubs in the Women's Super League (WSL) and Women's Championship must meet licence criteria to create a professional environment.
The criteria includes minimum standards on aspects such as elite facilities, the number of full-time staff, wellbeing support and contact hours with players.
A compliance and development review is carried out at each club at the start of the season.
Blackburn's women have a rich history of developing talent with England internationals Keira Walsh, Ella Toone and Georgia Stanway among those to have come through the club's academy.
But the news about the women's team comes amid wider issues around the club in recent months, and financial pressures.
While Blackburn Rovers' latest accounts, published in March, showed they made a £3.3m profit, that was because of significant sales of players in the men's team such as Adam Wharton, who joined Crystal Palace for £18m. The club was spending 119% of its turnover on wages.
Blackburn Rovers chief operating officer Suhail Pasha told BBC Radio Lancashire that every year the club was guaranteed to have a £20m shortfall that needed to be bridged by owners Venky's.
In March several fan groups called on Pasha and two other leading officials to stay away from men's matches at Ewood Park. They were also calling on Venky's to sell the club as the men's team fell out of Championship play-off contention and lost manager John Eustace to Derby.
The women's team have played matches at Ewood Park this season in an attempt to grow the fanbase, and in turn matchday revenue, but average crowds remain under 1,000.
The repercussions of Blackburn's situation - should they withdraw from the second tier - are still unknown.
However, one option could be to reinstate relegated Sheffield United to the Women's Championship. As is stands, it is understood the Blades have been given no indication of a change to their league status.
Women's Championship renamed WSL2 from next season
Get the latest WSL news on our dedicated page
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Sixers legend gives statement on Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took over the NBA in the 2024-25 season. He led the league in scoring, took home the MVP, Western Conference finals MVP, and finals MVP awards, led the Thunder to their first championship in franchise history, and announced himself as the clear best player in the league. Gilgeous-Alexander has thrown the Thunder on his back and has taken the league by storm at this stage of his career. He deserves a lot of credit for being able to lead OKC to the mountaintop as he delivered a big performance on the game's biggest stage. Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson delivered his own statement on Gilgeous-Alexander as he continues to praise the talent coming into the league: You have to practice to become whatever you're trying to become in life. You think Shai didn't practice? Become the MVP, the best player in the world? You have to practice. Iverson was able to win the MVP award in 2001 and lead the Sixers to the finals before they fell to the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led Los Angeles Lakers. He was an elite scorer during his time and has his number retired at the Wells Fargo Center. The Thunder are likely to do the same when the time comes for Gilgeous-Alexander. This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers legend gives statement on Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Young seizes five-stroke lead at PGA Wyndham Championship
Cameron Young fired a five-under par 65 to grab a five-stroke lead after Saturday's third round of the US PGA Tour Wyndham Championship. The 28-year-old American seeks his first PGA title after seven runner-up finishes, including the 2022 British Open at St. Andrews. Young made six birdies, four in a row early in the round, and a bogey to finish on 20-under 190 after 54 holes at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina. "Just played some really nice golf there for about an hour," Young said. "Had some opportunities on the back nine, too, just didn't make as many putts. Kind of cruised along with hitting some average shots through the middle of the round and nice to finish up the way I did." Colombian Nico Echavarria was second on 195 after shooting 64 with defending champion Aaron Rai of England and Americans Mac Meissner and Chris Kirk sharing third on 198. No player in more than three years has lost after leading by five or more strokes entering the final round of a PGA Tour event. World number 44 Young finished off a bogey-free eight-under par 62 in the morning completion of Friday's lightning-halted second round to claim a three-stroke lead. In round three, Young reeled off four consecutive birdies early and opened an eight-stroke edge on the field through eight holes. Young made an eight-footer to birdie the par-three third, rolled in another from just beyond 32 feet at the fourth, reached the green in two at the par-five fifth and two-putted from 21 feet for birdie and sank a 15-foot birdie putt at the sixth. Young made a bogey at 14, finding a left bunker off the tee and needing three to reach the green, but answered with a tap-in birdie at the par-five 15th, his third shot landing inches from the hole, and also curled in a birdie putt from just outside 10 feet at the 17th. Sunday's final round marks the end of the PGA regular-season with the top 70 golfers in points advancing to the playoffs. js/bb
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Three amateurs vie for Smyth Salver honors at AIG Women's British Open at Porthcawl
The list of recent Smyth Salver winners is packed with stars. The award, given to the low amateur at the AIG Women's British Open, has served as a strong indicator of future success, with names like Lydia Ko, Danielle Kang, Georgia Hall, Leona Maguire, Jeeno Thitikul and most recently, Lottie Woad, receiving the honor. Three amateurs made the cut this week at Royal Porthcawl, and two of them were paired together on Saturday, with Paula Martin Sampedro and Jeneath Wong playing alongside each other while Carla Bernat, known as Carla Bernat Escuder prior to this week, was just a few groups back. Spain's Martin Sampedro carded five birdies in a 2-under 70 on Saturday to take a three-shot lead in the amateur race, moving to even par for the championship. A 73 from Bernat, the Augusta National Women's Amateur champion, moved her to 3 over for the week while Wong's 77 put her at 7 over for the tournament. It's been a massive summer for Stanford's Martin Sampedro, who won both the British Women's Amateur and European Ladies' Amateur Championship in Germany. She currently ranks third in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. "I try to stay consistent, especially when a mistake comes," she said after the third round, "just not trying to do too much and accept that and just walk out with a bogey, and that could be good. Just not trying to make like big numbers on this course." Bernat noted that every part of her game has improved since she won the ANWA in April, though the scores might not show it now. She's also learned how to prepare for a major, something she knows many amateurs don't have the opportunity to do. This is Bernat's fourth major championship start of the year, courtesy of that Augusta victory. "I mean, it sounds crazy, but for me, (this is) the beginning, I haven't started yet," said Bernat. "It's cool to win on amateur tournaments, but what I want, it's in the future." This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Three amateurs vie for Smyth Salver honors at AIG Women's British Open
