United finally setting up a women's team | Championship application successful

Even though the women haven’t had a team for years United girls have more England youth internationals than any other club.

The talent that has left United at 17 and gone on to be professional is astonishing.

We will be competing for top honours within 3 years.
 
United are sending out fan surveys on the women's team at the moment. It looks like they're targeted at season ticket holders - asking how much you'd be willing to pay for a season ticket to the women's matches, how many games you might go to etc. Anyway, as expected, the club currently expects their games to be at Leigh Sports Village - the same place the U23s play.
 
Announcement expected today. As revealed earlier Stoney to be the womens team manager.
 
11:03KEY EVENT
United Women announcement
The FA’s Head of Women’s Football Baroness Sue Campbell said:

“Today’s announcement is the result of two years of planning and a milestone within our delivery of The Gameplan for Growth strategy. The revised competition structure will positively impact on the delivery of the women’s game across all levels, both on and off the pitch.

“Such is the strength of women’s football in this country, there have been some difficult decisions to make but they’ve been made with the sport’s best interests at heart. This is a hugely exciting time for the game and I am hopeful that we will look back upon this as one of the most significant decisions made in its history.”

We are in.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...ootball-news/man-utd-news-women-team-14714706
 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44279069

  • Manchester United have been awarded a licence to join next season's Women's Championship
  • West Ham United will move straight up to the top flight
  • Charlton, Leicester City, Lewes and Sheffield United will join Man Utd in being added to the second tier
  • But current top-flight side Sunderland and second-tier Watford and Oxford are to drop out of England's top two tiers
  • Southampton, Crystal Palace and Derby County were among the other sides to bid to join the new second division, but were unsuccessful
  • BBC Sport understands Sunderland, who finished seventh in the top tier in 2017-18, Watford and Oxford will all be offered spots in the third tier, the new Women's National League
 
DomesticTadpole said:
11:03KEY EVENT
United Women announcement
The FA’s Head of Women’s Football Baroness Sue Campbell said:

“Today’s announcement is the result of two years of planning and a milestone within our delivery of The Gameplan for Growth strategy. The revised competition structure will positively impact on the delivery of the women’s game across all levels, both on and off the pitch.

“Such is the strength of women’s football in this country, there have been some difficult decisions to make but they’ve been made with the sport’s best interests at heart. This is a hugely exciting time for the game and I am hopeful that we will look back upon this as one of the most significant decisions made in its history.”

We are in.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...ootball-news/man-utd-news-women-team-14714706
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Great news, has it been confirmed that they will be called Manchester United Women ? Or will they come up with something more original ?

United will face Aston Villa Ladies, Doncaster Rovers Belles, Durham Women, London Bees, Millwall Lionesses, Sheffield FC Ladies, Tottenham Hotspur Ladies, Charlton Athletic Women, Leicester City Women, Lewes Women and Sheffield United Ladies.
 
Really happy about this.

Whilst if I'm honest I probably won't follow the side much, I'm glad that the opportunity is there for any young girls who support United and want to play football for us one day has that opportunity.
 
There are things to criticise the club about but this is great news that they've finally addressed this and look to be serious about becoming one of the top sides. Stoney should be a very good appointment and her reputation and the size of the club should mean that United can build a strong side.
 
Class of 63 said:
Great news, has it been confirmed that they will be called Manchester United Women ? Or will they come up with something more original ?

United will face Aston Villa Ladies, Doncaster Rovers Belles, Durham Women, London Bees, Millwall Lionesses, Sheffield FC Ladies, Tottenham Hotspur Ladies, Charlton Athletic Women, Leicester City Women, Lewes Women and Sheffield United Ladies.
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Yes, the club have confirmed it. Here's the twitter account they'll use: https://twitter.com/ManUtdWFC
 
11:19
Ed Woodward reacts to United Women application
“The board is delighted that the FA has approved the application. The new women’s team will build on the success of the Girls’ Regional Talent Club and have the same philosophy as all Manchester United sides, creating a pathway from academy to first team.

“We will be making some exciting announcements in the coming days and weeks. Starting a professional team from scratch is challenging but rewarding and we will make every effort to provide the support and experience for the new women’s team to be successful and to uphold the fine traditions of our great club.”

GettyImages-919424810.jpg
 
Will make effort to watch them regularly.
Hope they play attacking football.
 
Great news am so pleased about this. I have a four year old daughter who's nuts about United and she has already said she wants to play for them one day. This is the real beauty of us finally doing it....little girls can dream too.

So pleased.
 
redflash said:
Great news am so pleased about this. I have a four year old daughter who's nuts about United and she has already said she wants to play for them one day. This is the real beauty of us finally doing it....little girls can dream too.

So pleased.
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That’s great. Happy this has finally happened.
 
horsechoker said:
We used to have a woman's team until 2005, no idea when it was founded. People can keep shitting on us though, even though practically nobody was talking about it until we announced the new women's team.
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We'd had a thread on it every few months for a couple years before hand, I think.
 
horsechoker said:
We used to have a woman's team until 2005, no idea when it was founded. People can keep shitting on us though, even though practically nobody was talking about it until we announced the new women's team.
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Actually I just looked it up. Manchester United Supporters Ladies Club was founded in the 70's but only taken under the wing of the club in 2000ish. Was killed when the Glazer's took over.
 
Really pleased that this is happening. I always felt it was strange that we didn't have a woman's team while all the other big clubs seemed to do it. Hope the matches receive good coverage and build a following.
 
horsechoker said:
We used to have a woman's team until 2005, no idea when it was founded. People can keep shitting on us though, even though practically nobody was talking about it until we announced the new women's team.
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Yeah had just been reading that United had a female team up until 13 years ago, and as for people as you say shitting on 'us' maybe the club should take some of the blame because to my knowledge(stand to be corrected)there was never any mention, or very rarely, of a Ladies team in either the match-day programme, or official magazine when they were representing the club..

When it comes to United I want to know the ins and outs of a fart, but I couldn't name one Woman that has played for Manchester United prior to 2005, and i'm guessing most other posters couldn't without googling first, and that's on the club.
 
Class of 63 said:
Yeah, just replied to @horsechoker' post above yours
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Just read it, yeah. I also followed up. Seems we shut the team down in 05 because we were focusing on the men's team as that was a core business and saw the women's team as a sideshow. Apparently they were treated fairly terribly too when it came to training gear and the winding down.
 
Damien said:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44279069

  • Manchester United have been awarded a licence to join next season's Women's Championship
  • West Ham United will move straight up to the top flight
  • Charlton, Leicester City, Lewes and Sheffield United will join Man Utd in being added to the second tier
  • But current top-flight side Sunderland and second-tier Watford and Oxford are to drop out of England's top two tiers
  • Southampton, Crystal Palace and Derby County were among the other sides to bid to join the new second division, but were unsuccessful
  • BBC Sport understands Sunderland, who finished seventh in the top tier in 2017-18, Watford and Oxford will all be offered spots in the third tier, the new Women's National League
Click to expand...
At this rate, it seems that making an application is as much a barometer of success than on field merit. What’s the fecking point of the game when the league table is given lesser precedence than the longer term pound signs? When the Women’s game finally looks like a carbon copy of the men’s then I guess people will be happy.
 
limerickcitykid said:
Why have Sunderland been moved to the third tier?
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The top tier is basically on track to be fulltime professional players, the next tier has rules about minimum paid hours and facilities which will allow a lot of players to treat as a job. Plus there are rules about running an academy and similar responsibilities. Clubs that can't meet the new rules are in the amateur/semipro leagues - it's meant some of the teams with lower budgets have lost their places.
 
I suspect there will be a Womens team forum? Considering there is one for FCUM.
 
TMDaines said:
At this rate, it seems that making an application is as much a barometer of success than on field merit. What’s the fecking point of the game when the league table is given lesser precedence than the longer term pound signs? When the Women’s game finally looks like a carbon copy of the men’s then I guess people will be happy.
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Would assume it's the same reason some teams in men's football get demoted. They don't have the means to continue at that level. Has happened to mens teams in Italy and Spain.
 
Nick7 said:
Would assume it's the same reason some teams in men's football get demoted. They don't have the means to continue at that level. Has happened to mens teams in Italy and Spain.
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Yes, in Spain you often see it when clubs get promoted. Suddenly a new set of rules applies increasing minimum wages for the players, or other financial provisions like mimimum capitalisation - some of them have run appeals, sold shares etc to raise the cash. Clubs with debts they can't cover get relegated as the rules kick in. The most common English equivalent is when clubs get ordered to make changes to their stadiums to be eligible to participate in a particular league.

The FA's been bringing new rules in for English women's clubs over the past few years, basically with the intention of having more professional coaches and players at the top level and more training places for junior girls.
 
So happy to hear we are going to have a women's team again.

At some point last season or before we were the only or at least one of only two clubs in the league or possibly championship as well that did not have a women's team which was kind of embarrassing in my opinion. It was the one thing about our beloved club that nagged me, women's football is gotten so much more popular and a lot of women and young girls who play football root for Utd, how awesome for them just like boys to now be able to actually dream of playing for Man Utd.

I for one am excited and very happy about this.
 
Glad we are setting up a woman’s team. When do we get to the excited muppetry bit of picking teams and who we should sign and stuff. Like any good muppet I headed straight to YouTube and put my research hat on.
There is this CB who plays for France and in all honesty she from the looks of it could replace Jones no problem, looks a hell of a player. I didn’t catch her name but I’ve decided we should sign her. There was also someone from the USA Heath I think her name was. Saw her do a rainbow flick over someone and then she did that Berbatov thing at the byline so I was sold instantly.

In all seriousness tho I do wonder how they are going to fill the team. Are they going to go full bore at it and sign from other clubs or have a more organic build. Are the players going to be full time proffesionals as well or still be working other jobs.

Edit: Renard is that French footballers name. She looks like a really good player.
 
This is great. Hope the people (fans included) pushing for it aren't just doing so because it sounds right in theory and actually have plans to support/follow the women's team or it could eventually get folded for a lack of interest and/or disproportionate financial losses
 
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