It seems unbelievable that in 2017, a club the size of Manchester United don’t have a women’s senior team to represent them.
Sadly, that has been true for a while now – but why?
They used to have a team…
Yes, it wasn’t always this way. Back in 2000 it looked as though United were getting with the times, absorbing long-standing women’s team Corinthians.
However, in 2005 the Glazer family took control of Manchester United and ended United’s arrangement with Corinthians almost immediately - three months before the north west was due to hold the 2005 Women’s Euros.
They described the team as “not being part of the core business”. Hmm.
What do they have?
Congratulations to Alice and Grace from the Under-17s. Both players have been called up for the latest @FAWales training camp ?? #manutd pic.twitter.com/XIGUuFSQIZ
— Man Utd Foundation (@MU_Foundation) January 11, 2017
United do have a focus on women’s football at some level – anything less would seem negligent – with their girls’ football programme awarded Tier 1 status by the FA.When United announced the decision to no longer support a senior female team, club director of communications Philip Townsend said: “Our aim is best served concentrating on youngsters.”It’s only right that United continue to support youth, but the fact is, when the girls reach adulthood, they have to find another club – and perhaps more damagingly, look to other countries for a career.
Should they have a team?
Women’s football in 2017 is thriving more than ever in the UK – the latest boost to ticket sales for the Women’s Super League came when England managed third place at the 2015 World Cup in Canada, the country’s second best World Cup finish in history.For Manchester United, arguably the biggest club in the world, to be absent from that growth is unacceptable – and it’s not like money is a problem, either.United regained top spot in the Deloitte Football Money League recently, boasting turnover of £515.3 million across 2015/16. The top players in the WSL earn around £80,000 a year, which we don’t need to tell you is substantially less than some of United’s stars earn in a week.
It’s not for lack of political pressure
Several have tried, and failed, to apply pressure on the Old Trafford side to support a women’s team.In 2015, sports minister Tracey Crouch suggested United should rectify that anomaly, while Labour MP Barbara Keeley told Sky Sports News: “The size of a Premier League club like Manchester United should think about having a women’s team because these girls in future need to have a club.”Furthermore, FA head of women’s football, Sue Campbell, has perhaps unsurprisingly urged the club to re-evaluate their commitment to a women’s team as well.
The public want it
It’s not like the public aren’t asking for a women’s team either – it seems the fans would welcome one with open arms.
manchester united dont have a women's team????????
????
just found out
— Crisp (@bobodinho) March 8, 2017
This is as good time as any as a lifelong @ManUtd fan to remind the club we still need a women's team.
— Sam Vuchenich (@samvuchenich) March 8, 2017
There was a petition calling for Manchester United to form a women’s football team recently too, which gained 4,596 supporters.
@ManUtd I have played football for club and county, but to play for man united is a dream,however why is there no women's team to make this?
— Meg Dav!es (@megdavies14) February 2, 2017
And more recently, there has emerged an obvious reason for the club to return to the women’s game.
Could a rivalry draw them out?
There surely couldn’t be a better time to invest in a women’s senior team for United, given the emergence and dominance of their closest rivals, Manchester City.
City’s 2016 season could almost not have been better – the side won the WSL undefeated (13 wins and three draws) as well as claiming the WSL Cup against Arsenal.
That all means United are falling behind City every day they don’t invest in a women’s team – might that bring about a change of heart?