Page 9 - Keynsham Town Ladies v Chichester & Selsey

KEYNSHAM TOWN LADIES 9
Reserves get promotion
been planted it is only natural a more equal footing for clubs in discussion-making
will be needed.

Fan representation and ownership are often cited as key checks, preventing rogue
ownership and keeping club and community interests above profit. In the women’s
game there are clubs that champion fan involvement (on more than a superficial
level) and run or have run independently but they are a dying breed, viewed as
necessary sacrifices in search of quick growth. Perhaps it is time to rethink that
strategy and bring fans into women’s set ups before it becomes impossible.

It is generally accepted the FA will not run the women’s game for ever, with the
governing body forced to balance building a profitable league as a not-for-profit body
with other commitments. So this board and form of governance is a stopgap on the
way to it being handed on, likely either to the Premier League or, scarily, to
private-equity investors (as Sky reported recently). The FA is exploring options
through an ownership review. However, it has the power to set up the women’s game
as something better.

The moral of the Euro Super League debacle story is that short-term gain comes at
a price and that price is usually detrimental to the heart and soul of football.

Front cover photo:
Laura Williams holds the ball up against Plymouth Argyle
(Women’s Soccer Scene).