[Archived] Do Rovers Ladies team have a future?

[TOMSDINER]

Venky's have said they plan to SHAKE THINGS UP at Ewood and have brought in 'independent' people to look at every department and see how it's run. This says to me that they are only interested in 'cost cutting' and that impacts every aspect of the club not just the 1st team but also the Ladies set-up.

What I won't to know is this.

(1) Are Venky's going to invest the Ladies set-up (from Centre of Excellence to 1st team)?

(2) Does the club have a long term future and are they willing to invest (around) £400,000 a season to enable a bid for the new FA WSL (Women's Super League?

(3) Are they going to keep funding at current levels, which will enable the club to keep at it's current level in the FA Women's Premier League?

(4) Are they going to pull the clubs funding altogether at the end of the season?

Work commitments mean that Saturday afternoons at Ewood Park don't happen anymore, so I watch the Rovers Ladies team play on a Sunday. The club is an important part of the club with teams playing from U10's to the 1st team.

To me it would be an absolute tragedy if the new owners just suddenly stop the funding and the club was to fold. If that was to happen I can't say I would ever step foot in Ewood Park again. These players get £30 a week travel expenses..NOT £30K a week.

BRLFC is an important part of Rovers, to me it is anyway.....other people may not care if this part of the club dies...but I would.

Of course, the players will find other clubs to play for, that's what players do.....

But, what do fans do when there club DIES.

[Majiball]

I would like to think that if said events were to transpire, there would be a substantial number of people on your side.

[roversmum]

Not questioning your sources, but can anyone see any logic behind a decision like that?

My only comment would be, you could regret saying you would never set foot in Ewood again. You could say 'whilst the current owners are in charge'.

It would certainly be a travesty if the Ladies Team is disbanded.

[Mattyblue]

I'm not going to pretend I have any interest in womens football, however a football club is about so much more than the 1st team on a Saturday afternoon.

[Kelbo]

I would like to think that if said events were to transpire, there would be a substantial number of people on your side.

Maji,

Correct me if I am wrong, but without the Ladies team and community status, would Rovers lose funding from the FA?

[TOMSDINER]

Yes....while the clubs is in the hands of the 'current' owners. It'll be hard to walk away from a club you've supported for 25 years, but guess I'm not the only one, who feels like this.

We'll just have to wait and see, but I don't think that Venky's are a big enough company to invest the kind of funds required to take Rovers forward (as a club) in a proper manner.

In Premier League terms, the finance required to fund the women's set-up is relatively small (£80k-£100k), but will be the easiest to cut, as they'll do it on the quiet (in the summer) and nobody will really notice.

I was never really happy about the club going into 'overseas' handsand to be honest I fear the worst.

[JC4LAB]

http://services.parliament.uk/hansard/Commons/ByDate/20101103/writtenanswers/part009.html

On Talksport Adrian Durham was ranting about how 2.4million about to be input into the developemmtnt of ladies football in the UK is a total waste of money..Seen Rovers ladies team once at Clitheroe.(after a visit to the carboot).Very Watchable...Apparently the best English league teams like Arsenal Ladies are losing all their best players to America where they earn megabucks

[T4E]

As a small Town club with minimal turnover trying to compete in a land occupied by giants, I'm of the opinion that every penny spent by BRFC should be with the ultimate goal of maximising the success of the first team.

I suspect the owners may not see the ladies team as fulfilling this goal. If they decide to disband it then so be it.

[slough_rover]

To be fair how many of us really care if the women's team is around or not. Thats not me being sexist in any way, but all that matters is the first team. If it was the youth team then yes I would be worried, but the ladies? I wont be losing any sleep.

[philipl]

From the offer document to the minority shareholders:

will continue to support, promote and extend the Club’s local community and CSR activities

I'd say the Ladies fall within that remit these guys and gal have signed up to.

[Whyoy]

As a small Town club with minimal turnover trying to compete in a land occupied by giants, I'm of the opinion that every penny spent by BRFC should be with the ultimate goal of maximising the success of the first team.

I suspect the owners may not see the ladies team as fulfilling this goal. If they decide to disband it then so be it.

Got to disagree. If you take just 5% of the first team wages for this week and give it to the ladies it would fund their entire season accoding to the posting above. to be honest 5% is the minimum I'd deduct for that performance on Saturday

[T4E]

Or we could put that 5% towards some better players.....

[AggyBlue]

Or we could put that 5% towards some better players.....

Yeah, the ladies would stroll the league then:tu:

[Steve Moss]

http://services.parliament.uk/hansard/Commons/ByDate/20101103/writtenanswers/part009.html

. . . Apparently the best English league teams like Arsenal Ladies are losing all their best players to America where they earn megabucks

Excellent. Go USA!

[T4E]

Yeah, the ladies would stroll the league then:tu:

+1

[Drummer Boy]

Venky's have said they plan to SHAKE THINGS UP at Ewood and have brought in 'independent' people to look at every department and see how it's run. This says to me that they are only interested in 'cost cutting' and that impacts every aspect of the club not just the 1st team but also the Ladies set-up.

You make a big assumption in saying that "looking at every department to see how it is run" equates to "cost cutting" - they may simply want to understand the club and its structure and commitments so they are best positioned to run it effectively. Let's see what they actually do rather than speculate about what they might do and how we might react.

[AggyBlue]

You make a big assumption in saying that "looking at every department to see how it is run" equates to "cost cutting" - they may simply want to understand the club and its structure and commitments so they are best positioned to run it effectively. Let's see what they actually do rather than speculate about what they might do and how we might react.

Why meddle. we already had the best run club in the PL.

All that was lacking was a decent transfer fund needed to kick on, not a major overhaul of how the club was run.

[TOMSDINER]

The League in the USA pays players about $35,000 a year, so hardly mega-bucks. The Ladies club from U10 - 1st team is run on a yearly budget of around £80,000 - £100,000 a year (with 1 full-time member of staff). Not being in the Super League next year means that the club has lost alot of it's better players and is having to re-build with kids. They are having a decent season and certainly are watchable.

The club needs the support of the fans, these players get £30 a week expenses and wear the Rovers shirt with pride. Don't criticise it until you've watched it. Over the last FEW years 4 Rovers players have got sholarships to play football at University in the USA. Football has led to a life changing experience for these kids.

There were rumours (under Hughes) that the 1st team squad were going to chip in £5k each to help the Ladies team, but that never happened.

Women's football is great to watch and at £3 a game it's affordable for all the family. These girls can play, give it a chance.

Take your daughter(s) to the games, they'll love it.

[cletus]

Where do the Rovers ladies team play their home games?

Some of the girls used to visit my local pub on a night out after playing. Some good lasses there lol.

Can you give us a bit more info about the ladies set-up? How many teams? How many players? What sort of crowds? etc...

Hopefully Venky`s won`t pull the plug on the ladies team, but if they did, you should use the publicity of ther 'pull out' to its maximum. Maybe somebody might step in & help the team survive

[TOMSDINER]

The Rovers Ladies set up is as follows: Centre of excellence teams from U10 to U16's, Reserve team and 1st team. The 1st team squad has about 17 players (with support from the Reserves).

Home games are played at Radcliffe Borough FC.....Radcliffe is between Bury and Bolton.

Since the club opted out of the new FA WSL (Women's Super League) they play in the Women's Premier League National Division.

The squad has changed dramatically this season with the experienced players leaving (11 in total) to join Super League teams. Nicola Twohig (the captain) has stayed loyal and a number of youngsters have been recruited....Kim Turner (NI International)has arrived from Man City and Amanda Goodwin (from Curzan Ashton) to bolster the midfield. Nicola Twohig is being targeted by Liverpool, so will probably leave before the start of the Super League season in April (Rovers season will have finished by then).

Rovers have 5 games left to play and are currently in 3rd place in the table...4 points behind leaders Sunderland.

Crowds are usually between 30-60....mainly made of players parents and friends. Actual, regular Rovers fans is about 4 or 5.

Extra support would be great, especially for the Sunderland game which could be a title decider. So, if you want to see a decent level of football played in a very competative league then make the trip to Radcliffe.

Next fixture...Jan 9th 2011 v Millwall at Radcliffe Borough FC (ko....1.00pm)

For more info on women's football...www.shekicks.net

[cletus]

The Rovers Ladies set up is as follows: Centre of excellence teams from U10 to U16's, Reserve team and 1st team. The 1st team squad has about 17 players (with support from the Reserves).

Home games are played at Radcliffe Borough FC.....Radcliffe is between Bury and Bolton.

Since the club opted out of the new FA WSL (Women's Super League) they play in the Women's Premier League National Division.

The squad has changed dramatically this season with the experienced players leaving (11 in total) to join Super League teams. Nicola Twohig (the captain) has stayed loyal and a number of youngsters have been recruited....Kim Turner (NI International)has arrived from Man City and Amanda Goodwin (from Curzan Ashton) to bolster the midfield. Nicola Twohig is being targeted by Liverpool, so will probably leave before the start of the Super League season in April (Rovers season will have finished by then).

Rovers have 5 games left to play and are currently in 3rd place in the table...4 points behind leaders Sunderland.

Crowds are usually between 30-60....mainly made of players parents and friends. Actual, regular Rovers fans is about 4 or 5.

Extra support would be great, especially for the Sunderland game which could be a title decider. So, if you want to see a decent level of football played in a very competative league then make the trip to Radcliffe.

Next fixture...Jan 9th 2011 v Millwall at Radcliffe Borough FC (ko....1.00pm)

For more info on women's football...www.shekicks.net

Thanks for the info Tom

It`s a pity they don`t play their home games in Blackburn itself.

Surely there`s a ground within the borough that they could move in to?

Maybe then they could attract bigger audiences (ie...advertise around local secondary schools etc...)

Good luck with the team

[True Blue & White]

Didn't know they had a past, let alone a future, to be honest...

[TOMSDINER]

Radcliffe is the cheapest option at the moment, Darwen has rejected by the FA as not being good enough. Lancashire HQ in Leyland was rejected because Bolton reserves play there. . There isn't a local ground since they left Clitheroe. Most of the players are from Manchester so it's better for them. It's not ideal but is the only solution available at the moment.

The club needs it's own ground

This is the only long term solution as the Men's reserves and youth teams need a proper ground to play in (2,000 capacity). It needs someone to look long-term with a proper vision to develop a 2nd Rovers facility in the Blackburn area.

A local ground for Reserves, Academy and Ladies teams to play in on a weekly basis. Watch Academy on Saturday morning at a decent non-league size ground and then to Ewood in the afternoon. Another facility will enable fans to watch the clubs junior teams on a regular basis, in the locality.

Does anybody really like watching Rovers play in Leigh? The clubs pays thousands to LSV, to play in front of 400.

There has to be a long-term vision - yet not one Premier League club owns another small 'non-league' size stadium, yet it's quite common in Spain (Barca 'B').

If fans watch Reserves, Academy and Ladies teams in a local 2nd ground it'll pay for it's self, especially if they build a indoor arena and 3G pitches which can be rented out.

[tony gale's mic]

Does anybody really like watching Rovers play in Leigh? The clubs pays thousands to LSV, to play in front of 400.

There has to be a long-term vision - yet not one Premier League club owns another small 'non-league' size stadium, yet it's quite common in Spain (Barca 'B').

Fundamental difference here though.

When it comes to the elite league the Premier League might be a bit behind La Liga, but when it comes to the lower leagues England arguably has the strongest football pyramid in the world.

The Championship is one of the most watched leagues in Europe and League Two games get crowds that fourth tier teams in Spain or Italy could only dream of.

Instead of that more football fans get behind these elite clubs, which leads to Barcelona being able to be effectively owned by the fans, and which means their B team is basically a club in its own right which competes in cup competitions etc like reserve teams here never could.