Campaign launched to stop FA cutting Women's Premier League and West Ham Ladies funding

West Ham Ladies are fearing for their future after FA plans to withdraw funding from the Women’s Premier League were revealed.

Blowing Bubbles understands that under the new proposals, dubbed the ‘Game Changer’ strategy, the FA’s focus will be primarily on the top flight of women’s football, the recently-created Women’s Super League.

This strategy will be at the expense of the Women’s Premier League, which will be merged with the South West, South East, Midland and Northern Combination league and would mean likely financial and footballing disaster for West Ham Ladies.

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But last week a campaign was launched to try and stop this from happening. A spokesman for the Save Our WPL campaign said: “In December 2012, the FA invited all the Premier League clubs to a meeting to discuss the new League structure where [FA Director of the National Game and Women’s Football] Kelly Simmons delivered the FA’s devastating fait accompli.

"Either the current WPL clubs (29 in all made up of National, Northern and Southern divisions) would have to agree to become amalgamated with the Combination clubs from the leagues below and formed into a new, less supported Championship League, or the WPL would simply cease to exist altogether.

"The meeting was labelled ‘consultation’ but this was the first time all clubs had the chance to look at the new structure and therefore were denied any opportunity to fully consider all its implications.

"A vote was then undertaken in part by at least half the clubs who now belong to the WSL and also one or two now relegated clubs.

"But what was not fully understood at the time was how the clubs, and indeed the entire women’s game, would be affected when the new Championship league lost its Premier League stature and the level of funding substantially decreased.

"This means that 36 clubs per league will get a share of just £45k instead of 22 clubs accessing £140k, therefore less funds to help towards the cost of running teams at this level.

 "The league will be downgraded from Premier to Championship level so clubs will find it hard to attract players and there will be less players coming into the game in the lower leagues because the FA isn’t strongly supporting them.

"When funding is cut, Men’s clubs that have Women’s team may not continue to support them either; therefore there is a real risk to their future survival.

"The FA are building a top down strategy rather than a bottom up one which will create an elitist sport rather than a sport for all."

Save Our WPL are demanding a Special General Meeting with the FA to debate ‘Game Changer’ against their alternative strategy for women’s football, ‘Every Player Counts’.

 The spokesman added: “It’s clear from Women’s Premier League (WPL) players’ reactions so far, the absence of promotion from WPL to Women’s Super League (WSL) in the Game Changer strategy is a huge demotivating factor in their development and may even cause some to leave the game.

"Rather than throwing the Women’s Premier League under the bus, the FA should, in fact, be looking to retain the WPL and invest more in its growth both in finance and management, as they have learned already how necessary it is to support the lower leagues in the men’s game.

"Ours is an approach that will be a more effective and cost-efficient way to achieve a more widespread player development route and create pathways for new players.

"In short, it will respect and deliver on the women’s game as a national, grassroots movement and not an elite sport for the wealthy few. And it will ultimately better serve the England national team by helping to develop many more English players. The FA have also moved to distance themselves from the FAWPL by claiming their previous collaboration was a “mistake”.

The news was announced on the influential independent FAWPL News Twitter account which has done much to promote the women’s game in England. The FA were unavailable for comment.

Injured midfielder hoping to give West Ham Ladies a New Year boost

Midfielder Stacey Little has set herself a target of returning to action by January in a bid to give the West Ham Ladies a huge New Year boost.

The 26-year-old has been highly praised by her teammates this year for her performances which has also seen her receive two player of the match awards in seven league and cup games.

But Stacey is currently enduring a frustrating period on the sidelines after chipping a bone in her ankle and sustaining ligament damage during the Ladies draw with Tottenham Hotspur last month.

Mikey Cartwright/Ponderosa Pix

“I don’t know exactly when I’ll be returning yet and I don’t have a timescale in place but I’d love to be back by the New Year,” the midfielder told Blowing Bubbles. “I had a cast on my ankle for a week after the Spurs game to give me some pain relief and to stop me putting any weight on my ankle but now I have an air cast which allows me to walk on it.

“It has been really frustrating not being able to play because I’m injured but what’s worse is not having a realistic return date to work towards. I have been going to training and do keep asking when I can come back but at the moment I’m just working on upper body stuff.

“I thought I had been playing well this season too. I really feel I had come on leaps and bounds since the manager [Mark Saunderson] has come in and I’ve had two player of the matches. I’ve even stepped in at centre back because we’ve had injuries and I felt I didn’t do too badly.

“The other motivation for me to get back soon is that I’m not guaranteed my starting place because there is so much competition for places.  For me now it’s a case of starting all over again that’s what I find frustrating. Going through pre-season again really. Someone has got my shirt now and it’s my job to get it back off them.”

She added: “I really didn’t want to come off during the Spurs game but I’ve had ankle injuries before and I knew something bad had happened. It happened after a tackle and I can remember actually screaming in pain which I never do unless I have really hurt myself.

“I think when I get back to playing again, I’ll still be putting in the same tackles. After every injury, it’s all psychological and I’m sure I will be worried about my ankle but going in for tackles is part of my game – I can’t change that about my game.”

Following the draw against Tottenham Hotspur and without Stacey, the Hammers have lost against Keynsham Town, Coventry City and Cardiff City but did get a brilliant draw against a Gillingham side performing well in the FA Women’s Premier League South.

Stacey continued: “I’m extremely disappointed to be missing out but I was really pleased that they got a point against Gillingham. When the girls are at home, I will go to support them but to travel and watch them from the sidelines is pretty hard.

“I think we’ve had a very difficult start to the season. We got through pre-season and a few players left like Rosey Sullivan and then the players who filled in got injured and our back four has been constantly changed. I think it’s really important to have a solid starting XI to gel together at the start of the season especially with the new players coming in. Regardless of all this, the team has got on with it and morale is high.”

The former Charlton Athletic player added: “My personal aims for the season have changed now with the injury. I’m just focused on getting my shirt back and playing in my position and playing my game. I know what the manager expects of me and I’m happy to fill in wherever I’m needed.

“As a team as a whole, there’s no-one in the league that should be beating us – that’s how much confidence I’ve got in our squad. We were unlucky not to get a point against Charlton and we’ve beaten Portsmouth and got a good point against Gillingham bearing in mind their start to the season. As long as the girls can kick on now, there’s no reason why we can’t be pushing into the top half of the table.”

The Ladies host Gillingham on Sunday, November 24. Kick off at 2pm at Thurrock FC, Ship Lane, Aveley, Essex, EM19 1YN.

West Ham Ladies defender Hayley West hoping for charge up FA Women’s Premier League South

West Ham Ladies defender Hayley West has called on her teammates to have more self-belief and confidence to help drive a push up the table. 

The centre half was the standout performer for the Hammers during a 1-1 draw with league leaders Gillingham last month - a game the centre back believes could prove to be the catalyst for an unbeaten
run in the FA Women’s Premier League South.

Reflecting on the result, she said: “We didn’t know if the Gillingham game was going to be on or not when we travelled there because of the weather but once we got the all clear after the pitch inspection, we were just all up for it.

Mikey Cartwright/Ponderosa Pix

“They are at the top of the league and we wanted to give them a good game. We hadn’t really hit our best
form and it hadn’t really happened for us this season even though we had been playing well so it was great
to get the result we did.

“They had put a lot of pressure on us in the first half and Toni [Anne Wayne] had to make some really good saves to keep us at 0-0 at at half time. Our talk at half time was how well we were doing and how we just needed to keep going and put a bit more pressure on them and we could hear their manager ripping into his players and it gave us a boost.

“And even though we came out in the second half and went a goal down, we didn’t give up and kept pressing and then Cherelle came on and scored pretty quickly. From that moment on we started to win everything, first and second balls, and even though it poured down
in the last 10 minutes, we didn’t give up.

“The morale at the end of the game was amazing. To have come from 1-0 down against the league leaders and not give up was great. We were all buzzing after the game and the manager was really pleased with us – it was such a great feeling.”

She continued: “This season our aim was – and still is – to win the league. With our bid to join the women’s super league rejected, we want to try and promote ourselves and get
more recognised this season. There is no better way of doing this then winning games, leagues and trophies. We all have that goal in mind.

We have got brilliant players who are starting to really combine with each other. We know how we want to play and I think we will kick on from here. If winning the league is not on, then getting as close as we can at the end of the season must be our aim.”

Hayley joined the Hammers in the summer and admits she is enjoying her football again after falling out of love with the game at Colchester United.

“It’s a whole new team this season with Mark bringing in new players like me but the team dynamic is so much better,” she continued. “It’s just the whole set-up and everything that’s going on behind the scenes which has really impressed me. The team has also bonded really well and we have a lot of banter.

“Before this season, I hadn’t played centre back before but I’ve learnt quickly and I’ve learnt a lot.
“What has also helped me is that the back four is more settled now. We lost a few players through injuries and leaving the club altogether but the last few games we’ve had the same back four and we have got a much better understanding. Sophie and I at the back work well together and both Jade and Lindsey are great full backs.”

The centre back also picked out centre forward Natalie Crinean, winger Kelley Blanchflower and ‘keeper Toni-Anne Wayne for their impressive performances recently.

“Natalie has been one of our standout players this season,” the former Colchester United player said.
“I’ve got no idea how she can hold the ball up for so long. The ball gets up to her and she just holds off other players until laying it off. Also if we have to go more direct, she wins nine out of ten headers in the air.”

She added: “Kelley has made quite an impact in recent games and is more attacking and has more confidence. Toni is a quality ‘keeper just from her talking and decisions she makes. It’s great having her behind me especially being new to the centre back role, she has been great at talking me through games.”

The Ladies host Coventry on Sunday, November 3. Kick off at 2pm at Thurrock FC, Ship Lane, Aveley, Essex, EM19 1YN

Why West Ham Ladies forward Natalie Crinean is delighted with her "amazing" return

It has been a difficult time for the West Ham Ladies with only one win in their last six games but the Hammers are determined to keep working hard to get the success they crave.

That’s the view of Natalie Crinean, who joined from Gillingham Ladies during the summer and is likely to be a key part this season.

The striker, who has already bagged two goals this season, added: “I feel like I have settled in really well and I just want a successful injury-free season.

Mikey Cartwright/Ponderosa Pix

“I know that’s a very sad ambition but it’s true. I want to be a consistent and a key player for the team. I want to finish the season knowing that, as a squad, we have done everything to ensure that we are playing to our maximum potential.”

And with games against Coventry and Portsmouth fast approaching, the Ladies hope to pick up some valuable points and move up the FA Women’s Premier League Southern Division table.

Playing football in the claret and blue shirt is also something that Crinean is familiar with after a stint at the club back in 2007.

She continued: “I signed for West Ham back in 2007 because things at Charlton, my club at the time, were not going well and I wanted to be playing at a better level. I also liked the idea of being part of such a great club. I had played against them so I knew they had a great team and I liked the way they played.”

Crinean played first-team football for West Ham, while continuing to be part of the Charlton academy, but a serious injury meant she had to choose to stick with the Addicks full-time.
But after an injury-plagued season she joined Gillingham.

However this summer, she felt the need for a new challenge and asked Ladies manager Mark Saunderson if she could move back to West Ham.

She concluded: “The club has come on massively since 2008. I was full of praise for the club last time round and this time it is amazing.

“They have built a strong link with the men’s side and the new management and all the staff within the club are great. It’s a nice friendly place to be for sure.”

The Ladies travel to Gillingham and Portsmouth next in the league before playing Coventry at home on November 3. All games kick off at 2pm.

The West Ham Ladies play their home games at Thurrock FC, Ship Lane, Aveley, Essex, EM19 1YN.

Determination of West Ham Ladies rewarded with positive start says manager Mark Saunderson

West Ham Ladies manager Mark Saunderson is in confident mood after his side’s promising start to the season, racking up seven points in their first four games of the league campaign.

Saunderson, having been appointed the Hammers first team manager earlier this summer, has done much to stamp his own mark upon the club.

“I tend not to say too much to the team before the game as I believe that this is the time where the players will go through their own rituals to ensure that are physically & mentally ready for the game ahead,” he said.

Mikey Cartwright/Ponderosa Pix

“The majority of the information that the players require for the game will have been communicated in the squad briefing during the last training session and the players will have worked on this aspects during the session.

“I may reinforce some of information points from the briefing prior to the game but I tend to leave the squad to prepare themselves which usually involves some slightly dodgy music choices and ear shattering volume levels!”

Reflecting on preseason and the campaign so far, he continued: “I have been impressed by the way in which the squad has embraced the direction and objectives that the management team have set.
The squad and coaching staff undertook an off-season and pre-season schedule that focused on ensuring that each individual was at their optimum performance level going into the opening fixture.

“The coaching staff also focused on the detail and when combined with the squad’s work ethic and eagerness to learn, has resulted in the progress that we have collectively made. The pre-season friendly schedule was designed to pose different scenarios and questions to the squad whilst providing a platform to progressively improve team performance and the squad have overcome each challenge with confidence.

“The squad have over achieved the pre-season objectives set for them but without losing focus or drive on the task in hand.”

Last season, West Ham Ladies didn’t reach their full potential and failed in their bid to win the league title. Since taking the job, Saunderson is determined to improve the squad, identifying four key areas.

“The squad has focused on the four main areas of performance: technical, tactical, fitness and psychological,” he continued. “I have seen major improvements, both on individual and collective levels, in each of the elements. From a management perspective, we have refocused on the detail and brought in the right people to support the players both on and off the pitch whilst providing the right environment for the players to excel within.

“I also believe that we have captured players during the summer that have enhanced the playing squad in all areas whilst increasing the squad depth. I have also been impressed by the progress of players in the development squad and this is providing a valuable competitive element in training.
“I am expecting several players from the development squad to progress into the first team fold over the course of the season and strongly believe that we have the foundations of an extremely competitive team.”

Over the summer, women’s football has gone through a restructuring stage which has pitted West Ham up against several higher placed teams this season, but Saunderson thinks that their league opposition shouldn’t underestimate his team.

“Because of the league restructuring this season, we will be coming up against teams that believe that they have greater resources at their disposal then us, whether it be players or financial due to their involvement in the national league last year.

“For me, this has the added pressure of increasing expectations of players, managers and supporters alike whilst they will come up against teams who will naturally raise their game for these fixtures. I also believe that the league restructuring has also impacted upon player movement in our league as players are looking to secure moves to teams involved in the Super Leagues.

“I feel that we were sensible to secure the services of the majority of squad from last season from day one whilst conducting the majority of our transfer business early. We have introduced the right support functions for the squad in the background and when combined with the other factors, I am confident that we will be competitive this season.”

Earlier this month, Saunderson announced that Bex Merritt will take over as the club’s new first team captain from defender Rosey Sullivan, believing that Merritt can take his mind-set on onto the pitch.

He added: “Firstly, I have to recognise the performance of Rosey Sullivan whilst in the role of first team captain over the last few seasons.For someone of such a young age, she has displayed great leadership qualities and has represented the club in the true spirit of West Ham United.

“I did, however, feel that Rosey, whilst undertaking the role of captaincy and looking after other player interests, sometimes neglected her own to a certain extent and it was impacting upon her development as a player.The captaincy of any team should be used by the manager to be an extension of themselves upon the pitch.

“The captain should understand the playing philosophy, the game plan and the objectives of the team and be able to inspire those players around her to achieve these elements without distracting from their own individual performance.

“They should also shape and drive the team spirit, work ethic and mentality of the squad whilst embodying the spirit of the club and represent the club with the class that it deserves. Finally, they should be able to balance and enhance the unity of the playing squad by their leadership style regardless if the individual player is a senior player or a member of the junior teams.

“I considered several individuals over the course of preseason and took my time with the decision. Upon reflection, Becky Merritt demonstrated all of these elements and I am confident that she will excel in this role because of the support of not only the management team but the playing squad.”

West Ham Ladies take on Keynsham Town in the League Cup tomorrow. The game kicks off at 2pm at Thurrock FC. The postcode for the stadium is RM19 1YN.