Barnsley Women’s team ‘scrapped’

Taken off FB. an open letter from the Chairman.

Following weeks of discussions both internally as a board and externally with The Football Association (The FA), it is with great sadness that we can confirm that Barnsley FC’s Women’s team will be withdrawing from the FA Women’s National League ahead of the 25/26 season.

Whilst as a Club we applaud the efforts of The FA to provide financial backing to the WSL and the Women’s Championship, that funding does not trickle down sufficiently to the Women’s National League and the financial restraints put upon the Club this summer has driven us to make this difficult decision.

Despite our Men’s Academy teams being able to play competitive League fixtures on both our Showcase and 4G pitches, under EFL and Premier League regulations, we have been informed by the FA that these facilities do not meet the criteria for the fourth tier of the Women’s game and therefore the full operation would need to be moved either onto Oakwell Stadium or a local grassroots club, both are financially and logistically not possible with resources available.

It may have been possible to obtain temporary dispensation from The FA, however this would only delay the inevitable decision around the additional costs of playing at a different venue.


Whilst this was not an easy or unanimous decision at board level, and we are devastated to have made this tough decision, it remains important that Barnsley FC continues to be a viable business and incurring further significant losses would be irresponsible and reckless, impacting on both the Club and Community and putting the entire Men’s and Academy operation at risk.

Many clubs have recently had to undertake detailed reviews of their financial positions, and we hope that the female game at all levels overcomes financial fragility in the short, medium and long term.

Whilst we are unable to continue operating with a team at this level, we do remain committed to our investment into the Women’s and Girl’s game, and therefore we will continue to support the Barnsley FC Community Trust who will invest into the grassroots game for women and girls in our local area.

Yours sincerely

Neerav Parekh

Chairman – Barnsley FC

 

Absolute f@cking disgrace

 

Cost cutting due to previous years of financial incompetence.

 

One way of getting white shorts back...

 

Crazy that they can't play on the 4G but keeping them on the main pitch just isn't realistic or financially viable.

 

I bet Auntie Julie's not happy

 

So it was drawing funds from the men's team then?

 

Correct decision. We lose enough money so it would be financial suicide to continue something that isn't profitable. From early on our club didn't seem too bothered about the team anyway. The official website was useless for updates from games or build up to games.

 

Spot on Sir. Wonder if something similar will happen regarding cost cutting in the Academy?

 

Tough decision and won’t have been an easy one.

I’d say it seems more like a league issue here - and the club have indicated this too.

How can the Academy and other male teams play on the showcase pitch and 4G, but not the ladies teams? What are the differences in requirements?

There’s plenty of changing rooms - and all done out nicely.

I’d be asking more questions about the league requirements than that of the club.

 

Good .. a club of our size could never incorporate a women's team.
Now scrap the worthless academy, same applies. It costs more than it's brings in.. Just a ego trip.. you can still sign young players and bring towards the first team. And it
actually makes in difference to the Girls and their team. They were playing and doing fine long before they were taken under the clubs wing..And they'll be fine and carry on after.
Both are just virtus signaling nonsense...

 

Also, there can't be two women's team in a town the size of Barnsley. Surely would have been easier for the club to just have supported from a far that other side

 

Not in their first season it wasn’t. Because it was something I took on, aided by a great lad called Adam. There was a match preview, a match report and numerous interviews pre and post match. We had the women’s squad page on the website too. They had goal graphics, goal-cam footage, in-game social updates, we launched a separate women’s twitter etc. It was so busy/frequent that fans complained that the club cared only about the women’s team.

I can’t speak for last season obviously, and I don’t visit their social accounts or website to know what the coverage has been like since. So if you’re referring to 24/25, then fair enough. But I was proud of the focus we gave that brand new team/setup. I was at the end of my ropes in that final year, but never wavered when it came to getting content out there. And it was worth it, seeing the girls lift the trophy; staff (volunteers) celebrating a year of hard graft from the ground up.

On topic - an extremely disappointing decision and a real blow to the local community, young girls and their aspirations.

 

One of the selling points on the season ticket promotions for next season was "free entry to the women's fixtures". Do we get a part-refund now that's been taken away?

 

This is what I'm confused about, I'm sure when asked previously, we were told they were run as separate entity's and the women's had its own funding, perhaps it did but they've chosen not to fund it any longer.

 

I disagree.

Barnsley Council and Barnsley FC constantly push out the ‘place of possibilities’ mantra. It’s even on town signage. To reduce the aspirational opportunities of young boys and girls in the community isn’t something that would sit well with me.

Virtue signalling? Giving people something to aim for? To be healthy, active, participate in sport is hugely commendable. Taking away that route for young girls is massively disappointing and your suggestion to do similarly for young boys in the town would be equally sad.

 

I might get my ironing done now then.
Just a joke, calm down, just a joke.

 

Except they won't. As a standalone club, they reached the 4th tier through their own hard work. Now they don't appear to have a team at all.

 

Two ways of reading that article,
1) it was drawing money
2) it wasn’t and for some reason now would

 

I understand this view, however the club is bleeding money and the academy costs upwards of a million pounds. And when was the last time it produced anyone? Vimal, Bland, Jalo are all fine players however none of them have come through the ranks. Sometimes you have to be brutal.