I teach & coach many girls who wish they could grow up and play for Newport County, I completely disagree.CathedralCounty wrote: February 9th, 2024, 10:42 amI don’t see it as a 'shame' 'County are not prioritizing this at all - we're a [men's] professional football club – there are plenty of women’s teams in the area to play for whether independent or attached to [other] men’s clubs.DT1892 wrote: February 8th, 2024, 8:39 pmWhat bandwagon? I doubt there are many eyes on the division that we'd have to enter into. I think that the only professional club in Wales not to have a women's side to commit to putting out a side would be a positive step forward, particularly for the women and girls who support the club anyway. I'm sure they'd love the chance to represent the County.CathedralCounty wrote: February 8th, 2024, 10:58 amThose women's teams are very much amateur and player funded they'd pay 'subs' to play - not to get into the whole debate around women's football but its not a good option for 'County at this moment - there are more than enough pathways for aspiring women and girls we'd be adding nothing to the landscape and it'd look disingenuous bandwagon jumping.DT1892 wrote: February 7th, 2024, 7:23 pmDepends on where they're playing. We'd likely be in the Welsh system, with the second-tier hosting teams like Caldicot Town and Cwmbran Celtic, who aren't semi-professional. If they can maintain their own women's side, then surely we'd be able to do the same?Taunton Iron Cider wrote: February 7th, 2024, 11:48 amI can tell you from Yeovil’s experience that running a semi professional woman’s team is an absolute money pitrncfc wrote: February 7th, 2024, 9:41 am I wonder what funding is available within the women's game at the minute? With all the cash flying around from somewhere, there would surely be a way to tick a few boxes here:
1) Form a ladies team.
2) Direct any subsidies towards RP Ltd.
3) Use this to reduce our own rent.
4) Be seen to be doing the right things in the process.
Regardless, I can't imagine that it's among the top priorities for the club at the moment, which is a shame.
We'd only be doing it because everyone else is and we risk looking like we’re on the 'wrong side of history' or bad PR if we don’t have a women’s team, we’d add nothing to the women’s football landscape or pathway as there are already plenty of far better routes for talented players and we wouldn’t have any success on the pitch either as we wouldn’t be able to commit funds to it - a waste of everyone’s time and patronizing and insulting to the women and girls who play the game.
As I said, I think it's a shame we aren't putting a women's team among our priorities. I completely understand why and agree that there are many areas for us to develop as a club, but I still think it's disappointing that we're the only professional team in the country without one.