It’s been a while since I last wrote a women’s football blog so I thought I’ll do one now, albeit not in great circumstances. I did plan on writing one in the coming months on who Notts County Ladies should sign in the summer ready for the season switching to the winter calendar, sadly I’ll never get the chance to do that now. Today marks a sad day in the women’s game and for fans like myself who have been lifelong Notts County fans and have embraced the Ladies side ever since their controversial move from Lincoln three years ago. The club started off with huge optimism with a number of various signings of international quality. These included goalkeeper Carly Telford, which some would argue (including myself) is the best in the league and forwards Ellen White and Jess Clarke (who have both moved on recently), all of whom are England international. In addition to this over the recent seasons we have Laura Bassett, who proved a great leader on and off the pitch, Rachel Williams who’s a workaholic on the field of play, as well as recent additions Jade Moore and Jo Potter who would’ve helped the club push on. Then you had the likes of younger players like versatile defender Amy Turner who to no one’s surprise will become an established England international in the future. The list goes on as every single player who has put on the black and white jersey over the last 3 years has done by always giving 110% every time. Sadly, the journey for these players ends today as some will try to find a new club in pursuit of building up match practice ahead of Euro 2017 in the summer, while others may have to take a long hard think and wonder whether being a professional women’s footballer is a viable option anymore. My deepest sympathy goes to the many players and backroom staff who today have found themselves unemployed, where some will be much more affected than others. Also, condolences to fellow fans who unlike myself attend every game, home or away, whatever the weather to cheer on this great club and invested a lot money buying merchandise and built up great friendships with fellow players. The question remains now, what next for women’s football in Nottingham? The club folded with a debt of nearly £1 million with relatively new owner Alan Hardy stating that for the club to continue it would have been ‘financial suicide’ with the upcoming season costing £500,000 in wages for playing staff just for a measly income of £28,000 from sponsorship. You can see and understand his logic as a smart businessman, it is just a shame it has had to come to this. In my view, there is an appetite for women’s football as seen over recent seasons with attendance figures for the Lady Pies, achieving one of the highest averages in the league. Despite a slight decline last year, did still manage to average 1,100 fans which is great bearing in mind the team finished in the lower half of the table. Furthermore, Notts County Ladies were one of only a couple of clubs to play at the same ground as the men’s team which is something to be proud of. This is why I believe a new is a viable option and should be seriously looked into. My proposal would be to create solely a women’s club which is not dependent on the success of a men’s side and able to function by themselves. I would suggest a meeting between representatives of Notts County, Nottingham Forest, Nottingham University, Trent University and Nottingham city council to discuss a way forward to make this a viable option. It is also worth noting that Nottingham Forest Ladies does still exist so essentially, they could act as a feeder club for the new Nottingham FAWSL club, notwithstanding players from the University sides. By creating this link, it would help create a bridge from grassroots football to professional football and provide many girls an opportunity to play. Why do I believe this can be a success? Firstly, Nottingham is the city of football and would have a great USP if it were to form a club unlike most FAWSL 1 & 2 teams (Durham being the stand-alone exception) to have solely a women’s team. Some fans may be uncomfortable with the link between to rival men’s clubs but let me say this, the structure I am proposing works well in the Netherlands (where I’m currently living) with PSV and FC Eindhoven forming a partnership, as it’s for the greater good of women’s football. A similar model to follow would be that of Glasgow City in SWPL, whom have built a successful model over the last decade. Secondly, by joining forces with various parties it makes it more financial viable compared to a 4th tier men’s side trying to run 1st tier women’s team, thanks to various partners and sponsors the 2 Universities may have. In order to represent the city, I would propose a Green strip (represents the city's origins), thus being neutral to both Notts County and Nottingham Forest and call the team Nottingham City (although this should go to a fan vote). Concluding I am passionate about making this work and returning professional women’s football to the city of Nottingham for future generations to enjoy, so if you like my proposal and wish to discuss it further, please feel free to contact me.
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