SUFC Women - worth a watch?

[Lightsoot]

I see that SUFC Women have leathered Coventry 8-0 at the Lane in front of just over 1,000 fans.

Just wondered if anyone has been to watch them and whether you think they could get promoted to the WSL this season?

Personally, I’ve really struggled with the saturation of women’s football on TV and in the mainstream media. I still think the standard is largely mediocre and yet increasingly the women’s game gets more coverage than the men’s EFL, which I find infuriating.

For me, the worst thing possible was England women winning the Euros as womens football would be rammed down our throats even more. I’m just being honest…

However I’m prepared to change my view and I am starting to take note of the SUFC Women’s team. Honest ex-pro Neil Redfearn is at the helm and I was very impressed by the captain Courtney Sweetman-Kirk who has bagged some great goals recently. She looks a talented player and was doing some punditry on Sky Sports News last week.

SUTV are doing a good job of promoting the women’s team without it feeling too overbearing. They had one of the SUFC women player’s in the studio for one of our recent league games. Forgive me, I forget her name but she spoke extremely well and had excellent knowledge.

I’m not sure how I feel about the women playing at BDTBL potentially clogging the pitch up. But I accept my view might be shortsighted and clearly women’s football is set to flourish further.

Im starting to take more of an interest and there seems to be a feel good factor right throughout the club at the moment. Just wondered if anyone like me is prepared to reconsider their preconceived opinions?

 

[Aston max]

I did apply to be the one who gives the towels out as they exited the showers but my mack and wellies were considered unacceptable work wear

 

[Richeee]

Am all for the women's game but one thing I hate is the BBC fawning over man utd. On Saturday they were the only match played in the wsl but the beeb featured 2 reports on them on the red button text

 

[Hamandcheese]

Sky today had the women's game on all 3 main channels with not even a red button option to watch the bundesliga games

YOU. WILL. WATCH. WOMEN'S. FOOTBALL.

 

[Gavlar]

The standard is not as good as the men's game, that's a fact. But it's great that they have improved a lot and I really appreciate the lack of diving, shithousing, cheating, moaning at the ref, timewasting and other shite that we get in the men's game.

Oh and they are better looking than the men.

I would love the blades ladies to do well.

Yes, I appreciate it is being promoted to death at present, part of the brave new world we live in really, brilliant watching the women's team win the euros as well though, get in!

 

[Wards]

Not for me at all. No edge to it and the standard isn't good. Imagine it's worthwhile if you have young kids as the atmosphere is definitely more family friendly.

Personally I'd rather go watch a decent Sunday league game. To each, their own I guess.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

There's so much high quality football about I don't see why I would want to watch a lesser form tbh

 

[Flumps]

There's so much high quality football about I don't see why I would want to watch a lesser form tbh

Not talking about the women's game but in general I quite like lesser quality football for its entertainment factor. You get daft mistakes and it's fun to watch. Going lower, I refuse to believe there's anything much more entertaining than watching a bunch of out of shape hungover lads taking a footy match super serious on a weekend morning.

Womens games alright, don't know who she was but the commentator throughout the Euros was fucking awful, if they kick her out and just get normal footy commentators it would be better. Every other word out of her mouth was "stunning this" "brave that" "world class" I remember one goal was just a run of the mill tap in and according to her it was "a moment of brilliance" she can fuck off.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

They had one of the SUFC women player’s in the studio for one of our recent league games.

I didn't see it, but it was probably Courtney Sweetman-Kirk, does alot of work on Sky and is one of the better ones.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Not talking about the women's game but in general I quite like lesser quality football for its entertainment factor. You get daft mistakes and it's fun to watch. Going lower, I refuse to believe there's anything much more entertaining than watching a bunch of out of shape hungover lads taking a footy match super serious on a weekend morning.

I've watched men's football from the premier league to the ryman league division one south and west ressies so I know there's various levels of football and enjoyment can be found in them all but I've personally reached my limit and I just can't add a second gender to the amount of football I watch!

 

[Nesh Blade]

My perspective as a woman who follows both women’s and men’s football.

I’m not particularly interested in the discussion about the standard or whether it’s being “rammed down our throats” because I don’t think these discussions ever go anywhere.

What I will say though is that you don’t need to worry about the pitch- there’s 12 teams on the Women’s Championship, so it’s not a lot of extra games to be played on the ground. Venue for the cup competition is also unconfirmed thus far, but I’d hope the Blades confirm it will be played at the Lane. I didn’t hear the concern about the pitch when England U21s were announced to play there, or the rugby World Cup, or when our mens youth levels play at home. Wonder why that was…

I’ve got a season ticket for the women at the Lane this season, both games have been good. Come if you like, it’s affordable and friendly for new fans as I think football should be. If I was bothered about always watching the highest standard of football I wouldn’t support Sheffield United and the Scottish national teams, but that’s the way life goes.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

... increasingly the women’s game gets more coverage than the men’s EFL, which I find infuriating.

I'm grateful they get more coverage - it's infinitely better than the EFL programme on ITV.

 

[Katzenjammer]

The argument about the quality being of a lower standard is irrelevant to me. If you have two teams of comparable ability playing against each other - whether it's Real Madrid v Bayern Munich or Handsworth v Stocksbridge - then you've got a contest, which is the primary reason why I watch football.

I wouldn't say that I'm super emotionally invested in the women's side of the game, mainly because it wasn't a prominent feature for most of my life. But I have been a couple of times to watch our women's team, why? Because it's our team, and any team bearing the name 'Sheffield United' will have my backing. It's pretty straightforward.

It would be nice however, if there was a bit less sneering and dismissiveness from some quarters towards our women's side. That team might just be the entry route by which some young girls eventually fall in love with Sheffield United as a whole, because they will feel like they have a place here, and that can only be a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Flumps]

My perspective as a woman who follows both women’s and men’s football.

I’m not particularly interested in the discussion about the standard or whether it’s being “rammed down our throats” because I don’t think these discussions ever go anywhere.

What I will say though is that you don’t need to worry about the pitch- there’s 12 teams on the Women’s Championship, so it’s not a lot of extra games to be played on the ground. Venue for the cup competition is also unconfirmed thus far, but I’d hope the Blades confirm it will be played at the Lane. I didn’t hear the concern about the pitch when England U21s were announced to play there, or the rugby World Cup, or when our mens youth levels play at home. Wonder why that was…

I’ve got a season ticket for the women at the Lane this season, both games have been good. Come if you like, it’s affordable and friendly for new fans as I think football should be. If I was bothered about always watching the highest standard of football I wouldn’t support Sheffield United and the Scottish national teams, but that’s the way life goes.

How much was a season ticket for the lasses?

 

[Nesh Blade]

How much was a season ticket for the lasses?

£48, they did a discount for mens season ticket holders. Tickets for single games have been £7 this season for adults and a fiver for concessions I think. Cash only on the day or you can buy them online in advance.

Anyone interested in seeing us play away or want to watch at home before forking out £7 can follow games for free on the FA Player website and app: https://www.thefa.com/womens-girls-football/leagues-and-competitions/the-fa-player

 

[Tythblade]

After England won the Euros which I watched from the start and enjoyed, BBC and Sky both started promoting womens football, but all they talked about was WSL, forgetting the leagues below. To me, typical of what is wrong with football, glory boys or in this case; girls

 

[Bladesman]

After England won the Euros which I watched from the start and enjoyed, BBC and Sky both started promoting womens football, but all they talked about was WSL, forgetting the leagues below. To me, typical of what is wrong with football, glory boys or in this case; girls

Yep not seeing Women's Championship football getting TV time. Maybe it will eventually?

You know where women's football is going with the WSL when you look at what happened to Doncaster Belles being denied entry at the expense of Man City. Now money is finding its way into the women's game it will be the top PL clubs with women's teams that will dominate. Now Liverpool got promoted just look at the WSL and its almost a replica of the current Premier League in terms of clubs bar Reading.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Cash only on the day or you can buy them online in advance.

So if I want to buy tickets on the day, I can get them from the ticket office, but they'll only accept cash, no card payments. Did I understand it right?

 

[Nesh Blade]

So if I want to buy tickets on the day, I can get them from the ticket office, but they'll only accept cash, no card payments. Did I understand it right?

Today there appeared to be a new little box by the 'Legends of the Lane' entrance in the car park where tickets were being collected and sold, cash only. According to the club Twitter they were meant to be sold at the grey gate which is adjacent to turnstiles 68-73 on the south stand from an hour before kick-off, which was the case at the first home game a couple of weeks ago. I suppose they will change with demand. Tickets are also available online which I think you could then collect before the game too: https://tickets.sufc.co.uk/en-GB/categories/Womens Tickets. Bars inside still card only though

 

[BelgianBlade]

I went to the game earlier and I thought we looked pretty good value for money. Yes, Coventry having to sub what was presumably their first-choice keeper ten minutes in and generally being unable to defend for toffee played a part in the scoreline, but we played some nice, slick football and there were some great goals -- the two Maddy Cusack got from long range were pretty spectacular.

It's the first women's game I've been to this season, but I went to the couple of games the United women played at Bramall Lane last season too, and I went to all four Euros games at the Lane, plus a couple of the Rotherham ones earlier this year.

The crowd at women's games is entirely different: more diverse in terms of gender (obviously, I guess), but probably more diverse in terms of race, sexual orientation and class/social background too -- and I think that's a great thing. Much as I love a boisterous, predominantly male/working class matchday crowd at men's games, I think football is a game to be enjoyed by everyone, and everyone should be allowed and able to enjoy football in their own way, instead of there being one particular 'matchday experience' that's presumed to be superior to all others.

As I see it, that's one of the reasons why moving the women's team back to Bramall Lane is a genius move: just by virtue of it being easier to get to for a larger number of folk than Chesterfield, it opens the door for so many more people who might be put off by the 'usual' matchday crowd to have their first taste of live football, which might over time cause them to become as invested in the club we all love as we are.

On that last point, I think it's also worth nothing that anyone inspired to try women's football at club level after the Euros only really has one option in Sheffield -- the blue and white equivalent the other side of town play as far down as the seventh or eight tier of the women's football pyramid, I believe. I'm fairly sure that the potential that opens up for United as a club, as a whole, to dominate this city also played a role in the decision to have these games move back 'home', and surely that's another reason to give the women's team the backing they deserve...

All in all, I was plenty entertained by the game itself, I enjoyed seeing so many different faces inside the ground sharing an interest in the club I follow (though there were quite a few familiar ones too), and I can't argue with the price at £5 for season ticket holders, so I for one will be back as often as I can.

 

[El Volví]

I see that SUFC Women have leathered Coventry 8-0 at the Lane in front of just over 1,000 fans.

Just wondered if anyone has been to watch them and whether you think they could get promoted to the WSL this season?

Personally, I’ve really struggled with the saturation of women’s football on TV and in the mainstream media. I still think the standard is largely mediocre and yet increasingly the women’s game gets more coverage than the men’s EFL, which I find infuriating.

For me, the worst thing possible was England women winning the Euros as womens football would be rammed down our throats even more. I’m just being honest…

However I’m prepared to change my view and I am starting to take note of the SUFC Women’s team. Honest ex-pro Neil Redfearn is at the helm and I was very impressed by the captain Courtney Sweetman-Kirk who has bagged some great goals recently. She looks a talented player and was doing some punditry on Sky Sports News last week.

SUTV are doing a good job of promoting the women’s team without it feeling too overbearing. They had one of the SUFC women player’s in the studio for one of our recent league games. Forgive me, I forget her name but she spoke extremely well and had excellent knowledge.

I’m not sure how I feel about the women playing at BDTBL potentially clogging the pitch up. But I accept my view might be shortsighted and clearly women’s football is set to flourish further.

Im starting to take more of an interest and there seems to be a feel good factor right throughout the club at the moment. Just wondered if anyone like me is prepared to reconsider their preconceived opinions?

Slightly off topic, but I watched a bit of a women's Rugby League game on TV here in Oz last night and bloody hell they didn't hold back with the tackling and they weren't all beasts either!
Not as good as the women's beach volleyball I had to endure at Manly beach though

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Went to see them in their first game at the lane. As I suspected we are nowhere near as good as those wonderful players we saw in the Euro’s (goalkeepers especially). But I did enjoy it as something different. Sadly I think the future of woman’s football lies in it being sold as a loss leader and a perk of the existing mens season ticket…like the reserves used to be. Take the early rounds of the FA and league cups for example, when people are asked to shell out extra money outside their ST commitment, the crowds drop off significantly. So as a stand alone entity, the women team can’t really expect the blind support of the existing fan base, just because they wear the red and white stripes. People have only got so much time and money to go round…But I will go again sometime.

 

[William Carey]

Not interested in womens football personally myself, but it’s good that other people enjoy watching it. More tickets sold = more money for the club

 

[blade too long]

they are asking for equal pay
there is no equal pay in football
those that play in front of 60000 plus get 200k a week or more
those in league one get 2000 a week
womens games struggle to get a few thousand in, so theyd be on a par with the national league, in stature and pay

none of our players will get 50k a week in the near future
womens football just doesn't bring in the money
viewing figures for the wsl on sky are dismal

harsh but reality

 

[Snowflake]

I see that SUFC Women have leathered Coventry 8-0 at the Lane in front of just over 1,000 fans.

Just wondered if anyone has been to watch them and whether you think they could get promoted to the WSL this season?

Personally, I’ve really struggled with the saturation of women’s football on TV and in the mainstream media. I still think the standard is largely mediocre and yet increasingly the women’s game gets more coverage than the men’s EFL, which I find infuriating.

For me, the worst thing possible was England women winning the Euros as womens football would be rammed down our throats even more. I’m just being honest…

However I’m prepared to change my view and I am starting to take note of the SUFC Women’s team. Honest ex-pro Neil Redfearn is at the helm and I was very impressed by the captain Courtney Sweetman-Kirk who has bagged some great goals recently. She looks a talented player and was doing some punditry on Sky Sports News last week.

SUTV are doing a good job of promoting the women’s team without it feeling too overbearing. They had one of the SUFC women player’s in the studio for one of our recent league games. Forgive me, I forget her name but she spoke extremely well and had excellent knowledge.

I’m not sure how I feel about the women playing at BDTBL potentially clogging the pitch up. But I accept my view might be shortsighted and clearly women’s football is set to flourish further.

Im starting to take more of an interest and there seems to be a feel good factor right throughout the club at the moment. Just wondered if anyone like me is prepared to reconsider their preconceived opinions?

If you avoid direct comparisons with the men’s game, it is good to watch
Certainly the England semi final was a great atmosphere

 

[Nicesheffielder]

Those girls in that lingerie NFL 7 a side is well worth a viewing

 

[Nesh Blade]

they are asking for equal pay
there is no equal pay in football
those that play in front of 60000 plus get 200k a week or more
those in league one get 2000 a week
womens games struggle to get a few thousand in, so theyd be on a par with the national league, in stature and pay

none of our players will get 50k a week in the near future
womens football just doesn't bring in the money
viewing figures for the wsl on sky are dismal

harsh but reality

Equal pay is quite a popular narrative on here and I’m not really sure why. To my knowledge, no women’s club team has asked for equal pay. The two teams who have quite famously achieved equal pay are USA and Republic of Ireland Women’s national teams. I don’t know too much about the USA, but ROI women used to have to share tracksuits with the youth teams and meet up in airports to swap over kit. They don’t really want to be paid to play for their country, they just want to be respected by the Irish FA, and pay is one part of that. Their male teammates (our Irish Blades included) agreed to take a pay cut so that they would all be paid the same.

Equal pay is just one issue, I think all female footballers want is respect. Yes, money is an issue particularly if you look at the cup competitions where the incentive for the clubs to win for financial reasons just isn’t there.

Lots of female footballers have degrees to enable them to go and have a career after football- England captain Leah Williamson was studying to be an accountant. For players in the Women’s Super League at the top 4 or 5 teams, they earn a decent wage. That’s not the case lower down the league and down the pyramid. Personally I think the money male footballers make is pretty immoral, and I like that the Women’s game is more in touch with reality. But I would like them to be full time and have proper training time to really show what they can do.

 

[biggiesablade]

I'm considering taking my 7 year old girl to help her catch the bus, at the minute she thinks football is stupid. She's stupid.

 

[Bath Blade]

Sky today had the women's game on all 3 main channels with not even a red button option to watch the bundesliga games

YOU. WILL. WATCH. WOMEN'S. FOOTBALL.

Sky don’t have the rights to show Bundesliga matches in much the same way that the BBC can’t show Premier League matches just because they’re on!

 

[Bath Blade]

I'm considering taking my 7 year old girl to help her catch the bus, at the minute she thinks football is stupid. She's stupid.

I’ve taken my daughter (now 11) to watch numerous (men’s) matches, both United and England, and she’s shown little enthusiasm or desire to get into football. She then watched the England women’s team on the telly over the summer and has since joined a girls’ football team and wants me to take her to a women’s match.