SUFC Women - worth a watch?

[Sean Thornton]

says the one trick pony armchair troll.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Respect your opinion but I think this merits as much attention as it can get. United Women went full-time last summer which for many of these players will have been the first time they could realistically think they could make a career out of the game we all love; now that's potentially being thrown up in the air again.

Totally understand that it's the same situation as the men, where the club is kind of on an administrative pause. But would it really have been that hard to have at least the bare-minimum of operations continuing? I should also say it's five months since we sacked Jonathan Morgan as manager and we still haven't hired a permanent replacement - perhaps if we'd moved that along more quickly then decisions on contracts would have been made before this takeover even reared its head.

I can see some people aren't interested in the women's game but I am, particularly at my club, and it's a pretty depressing situation.

Who doesn't require stability? Seems those who administer affairs are immune to this most basic of needs. A right royal fuckup that could get worse.

 

[FriethBlade]

says the one trick pony armchair troll.

The problem is that trick is correct, not just relegated but absolutely humiliated, a 2 point deduction for not paying transfer fees on time, 20 plus players left and not 1 come in with 5 weeks to the start of the season. And not a word of communication from the club.

It might be boring but what are posters meant to do? Pretend it's all fine because our 3rd attempt at a takeover is on-going, especially after the shit show of the last 2?

I'm not having a go at you but we should all respect t everyone else's opinion...apart from Rocket/Rifle/Baltic of course !

 

[reytblade]

Do we really have the resources to be doing side quests.

 

[Sean Thornton]

The problem is that trick is correct, not just relegated but absolutely humiliated, a 2 point deduction for not paying transfer fees on time, 20 plus players left and not 1 come in with 5 weeks to the start of the season. And not a word of communication from the club.

It might be boring but what are posters meant to do? Pretend it's all fine because our 3rd attempt at a takeover is on-going, especially after the shit show of the last 2?

I'm not having a go at you but we should all respect t everyone else's opinion...apart from Rocket/Rifle/Baltic of course !

My point isn’t that the opinion isn’t a justifiable one, but when day in day out, several times a day even, the same point is bludgeoned down everyone’s throat. Nothing else. What can anyone take from that level of negativity and live a normal life?

If you had a child as obsessed as that over something you’d be wondering if they needed help.

 

[The Fox]

Whilst I'm happy that sufc have a women's team , if they didn't I wouldn't care either .
It's not a sexist or misogynistic view I'm just being honest . I wouldn't care if we had a basketball or volleyball team either of any sex .
I'd be more than happy for the both clubs in the city to contribute to the development of women's football by offering coaching and funding run by Sheffield FC for example and being Sheffield FC women playing in Red White and blue.
At least it would be something perhaps more accessible and supported by all Sheffield football supporters.
Don't shoot me just how I see it . Womens ,/ girls football is underfunded and undersupported in the city , having a single club supported by the two clubs may give it a better chance that's all .

 

[Rodders]

Given the sad events at the beginning of this season, it seems even more callous to have this situation happen to the women's team.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Whilst I'm happy that sufc have a women's team , if they didn't I wouldn't care either .
It's not a sexist or misogynistic view I'm just being honest . I wouldn't care if we had a basketball or volleyball team either of any sex .
I'd be more than happy for the both clubs in the city to contribute to the development of women's football by offering coaching and funding run by Sheffield FC for example and being Sheffield FC women playing in Red White and blue.
At least it would be something perhaps more accessible and supported by all Sheffield football supporters.
Don't shoot me just how I see it . Womens ,/ girls football is underfunded and undersupported in the city , having a single club supported by the two clubs may give it a better chance that's all .

I think they would be better off in a smaller stadium in Sheffield. Crowds of 1000 for a relatively new set up are pretty impressive tbf. Granted the ticket price isn't huge but shows potential for something even if it isn't necessarily for me after all it was only a few years back the euros semi final was played there and was well attended . That ship has probably sailed if Sheffield FC/eagles get that joint stadium but that's the kind of thing in an Ideal world we should have been involved in ( McCabe's plans were pretty much that at don valley)

 

[FriethBlade]

My point isn’t that the opinion isn’t a justifiable one, but when day in day out, several times a day even, the same point is bludgeoned down everyone’s throat. Nothing else. What can anyone take from that level of negativity and live a normal life?

If you had a child as obsessed as that over something you’d be wondering if they needed help.

Agreed but it's hard to change the narrative until something 'happens'. In the meantime there will be more and more of this and let's really hope neither Arblaster or Hamer go or we will all be suicidal

 

[Sean Thornton]

Agreed but it's hard to change the narrative until something 'happens'. In the meantime there will be more and more of this and let's really hope neither Arblaster or Hamer go or we will all be suicidal

Totally agree. But this particular point isn’t about the takeover, it’s non stop and goes back to even the Wilder years.

If those two go then even us car park lickers will be livid.

 

[brownblade]

Star striker sold today, for a record fee for the league. Can't be good news, won't be able to get a replacement of equal ability.

 

[Zero dark thirty]

Whilst I'm happy that sufc have a women's team , if they didn't I wouldn't care either .
It's not a sexist or misogynistic view I'm just being honest . I wouldn't care if we had a basketball or volleyball team either of any sex .
I'd be more than happy for the both clubs in the city to contribute to the development of women's football by offering coaching and funding run by Sheffield FC for example and being Sheffield FC women playing in Red White and blue.
At least it would be something perhaps more accessible and supported by all Sheffield football supporters.
Don't shoot me just how I see it . Womens ,/ girls football is underfunded and undersupported in the city , having a single club supported by the two clubs may give it a better chance that's all .

Great Post mate

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

Get them gone

 

[JohnDenver]

Star striker sold today, for a record fee for the league. Can't be good news, won't be able to get a replacement of equal ability.

I’m amazed she didn’t go to the top tier. Young, tall, quick and scores goals. Why no takers?

Anyway, having watched the rebuilt team for the first time today, not surprisingly they looked a bit like strangers when approaching Charlton’s penalty area. But individually they did look decent. Especially Maria Farrugia, who played as a wide forward in a three, and showed real quality.

Also, not sure if the lack of pre-season explains this, but after edging the first half, once the opposition scored in the second, there was nothing left to give.

Pretty sure they’ll improve in the coming weeks.

 

[brownblade]

I’m amazed she didn’t go to the top tier. Young, tall, quick and scores goals. Why no takers?

Anyway, having watched the rebuilt team for the first time today, not surprisingly they looked a bit like strangers when approaching Charlton’s penalty area. But individually they did look decent. Especially Maria Farrugia, who played as a wide forward in a three, and showed real quality.

Also, not sure if the lack of pre-season explains this, but after edging the first half, once the opposition scored in the second, there was nothing left to give.

Pretty sure they’ll improve in the coming weeks.

Yeah - though is it possible Newcastle offered the most cash?!

Seems they're headed to the top due to cash.

 

[robbiez666]

I see the women are once again struggling after the terrible off the field stuff last year and seemingly being starved of funding this season.

We seem to have one good players, a few other permanent senior players, a few loans and the rest are kids.

Another player has left today (one back on loan and one out injured for the season) and are being replaced by 3 loan signings.

No idea what attendances are now but we were getting over a thousand a game last season.

It looks like another relegation battle. The new owners really need to sort this out. Both finding somewhere for them to play where stadiums can be mostly full and investing in bringing players in permanently. There's a huge risk of relegation again.

And I know many won't care about the women's team but they're Sheffield United and there's a huge potential supporter base, which can flow other into the men's team if managed properly.

 

[Cappy]

First women's football watchalong I've stumbled across. Good to see the efforts to grow fan accessibility

 

[Beans]

First women's football watchalong I've stumbled across. Good to see the efforts to grow fan accessibility

Nice. Loads of Geordies there today, hard to gauge when you're sat in the middle of the same stand but looked a good couple of hundred at least.

Mixed feelings about this as Newcastle women have essentially bought two divisions with Saudi money already and are attempting to do the same in the Champ (this is their first season at this level after back to back promotions), but hats off to the fans who've embraced the team following the investment into the women's side. Can't be too pious about it because I'd unashamedly love United to be in the same boat.

Very good performance today and a valuable point. And an absolutely hilarious own goal.

 

[robbiez666]

Looks like we've been thrashed again today.

There must be a real prospect of us getting relegated?

Does anyone go regularly and how is it?

 

[NewyorkBlade]

Nope and nope should be ground sharing with Sheffield fc or Hallam fc instead of ripping up a million pound pitch

 

[Houston_Blade]

Looks like we've been thrashed again today.

There must be a real prospect of us getting relegated?

Does anyone go regularly and how is it?

Beans is your man

 

[wak1889]

Looks like we've been thrashed again today.

There must be a real prospect of us getting relegated?

Does anyone go regularly and how is it?

Never been but would imagine its crap I've seen highlights of "elite" women's football, and the majority of goals they concede would be saved by most u16 academy goalkeepers

 

[Beans]

Looks like we've been thrashed again today.

There must be a real prospect of us getting relegated?

Does anyone go regularly and how is it?

Relegation is a possibility but I think we'll get away with it. There's only one relegation spot after Reading pulled out on the eve of the season, occupied by Portsmouth who got promoted to the Champ last season and are yet to win a game. United have a 3 point lead over them and a GD that's 14 better off. They still have to play Portsmouth (and Blackburn, who are only two points ahead of United) at home, so while it's cutting it finer than I'd have liked they should get away with it.

Championship is weird this season and definitely due a restructure. There's 6-7 teams who have really invested in the women's side, whereas we took a pretty disgraceful approach to it over the summer (can read about it here if you wish for more detail: https://womenofsteel.substack.com/p/left-in-the-lurch). So there are real haves and have-nots - and United are emphatically a have-not. You've got an absurd 7 out of the 11 teams within four points of each other at the top, and three who are trying to avoid relegation (and Southampton chilling in actual midtable):



After losing virtually every player over the summer because of our own incompetence, staying up and just building from that next season would be at least a moderate success. The squad is incredibly young (the manager was the U21s boss last season - the U21s won what was essentially the "academy cup" which included all the big teams, Chelsea etc) so it's really just about holding on this season and seeing some of those develop.

 

[robbiez666]

Relegation is a possibility but I think we'll get away with it. There's only one relegation spot after Reading pulled out on the eve of the season, occupied by Portsmouth who got promoted to the Champ last season and are yet to win a game. United have a 3 point lead over them and a GD that's 14 better off. They still have to play Portsmouth (and Blackburn, who are only two points ahead of United) at home, so while it's cutting it finer than I'd have liked they should get away with it.

Championship is weird this season and definitely due a restructure. There's 6-7 teams who have really invested in the women's side, whereas we took a pretty disgraceful approach to it over the summer (can read about it here if you wish for more detail: https://womenofsteel.substack.com/p/left-in-the-lurch). So there are real haves and have-nots - and United are emphatically a have-not. You've got an absurd 7 out of the 11 teams within four points of each other at the top, and three who are trying to avoid relegation (and Southampton chilling in actual midtable):

View attachment 202854

After losing virtually every player over the summer because of our own incompetence, staying up and just building from that next season would be at least a moderate success. The squad is incredibly young (the manager was the U21s boss last season - the U21s won what was essentially the "academy cup" which included all the big teams, Chelsea etc) so it's really just about holding on this season and seeing some of those develop.

I was kind of hoping the new owners, being American and women's football being much bigger over there, would invest in the team more.

Although, I think we've signed a couple of loanees and someone from Scotland so far!

In a perfect world, we'd have somewhere more suitable to play but I don't think that currently exists inside the city.

 

[Beans]

I was kind of hoping the new owners, being American and women's football being much bigger over there, would invest in the team more.

Although, I think we've signed a couple of loanees and someone from Scotland so far!

In a perfect world, we'd have somewhere more suitable to play but I don't think that currently exists inside the city.

Maybe they will, but maybe there is an expectation that we'll have enough to stay up this season and then we can have a more normally-budgeted summer. The team was pretty decent last year - as evidenced by the amount of players who left to join teams who are better than United this season! - and that wasn't exactly with huge investment. (I think that overall they were better than their final league placing, but had some awful circumstances to deal with - Maddy Cusack's passing and the investigation and subsequent sacking of the manager).

We also sold our top scorer for big money (for the women's game) right at the end of the last transfer window which hasn't been spent apart from maybe on a couple of contracts for the season. It was undisclosed but widely reported as six figures, which is obviously huge for this level. My guess is that we're holding that until the summer when we can potentially use it to hoover up some of out-of-contract players. Just have to make sure we're still in this league first

 

[robbiez666]

Maybe they will, but maybe there is an expectation that we'll have enough to stay up this season and then we can have a more normally-budgeted summer. The team was pretty decent last year - as evidenced by the amount of players who left to join teams who are better than United this season! - and that wasn't exactly with huge investment. (I think that overall they were better than their final league placing, but had some awful circumstances to deal with - Maddy Cusack's passing and the investigation and subsequent sacking of the manager).

We also sold our top scorer for big money (for the women's game) right at the end of the last transfer window which hasn't been spent apart from maybe on a couple of contracts for the season. It was undisclosed but widely reported as six figures, which is obviously huge for this level. My guess is that we're holding that until the summer when we can potentially use it to hoover up some of out-of-contract players. Just have to make sure we're still in this league first

I was kind of hoping the club would see the potential fanbase the women's team. From the outside, it seems not that many (given how many fans we have) Blades go to these games and a fair few people who would never go to our games, do. We're the only decent team in a large city. The club spent a lot of time pushing the women's team around the success of the Lionesses but seems to have gone quiet now.

It seems like we have one quality player (Farrugia) and a bunch of kids?

 

[Beans]

I was kind of hoping the club would see the potential fanbase the women's team. From the outside, it seems not that many (given how many fans we have) Blades go to these games and a fair few people who would never go to our games, do. We're the only decent team in a large city. The club spent a lot of time pushing the women's team around the success of the Lionesses but seems to have gone quiet now.

It seems like we have one quality player (Farrugia) and a bunch of kids?

Pretty much! Farrugia is very good at this level but the majority of the rest are very inexperienced (several literally in their first senior season). Even the three players they've signed on loan this week are 17/18. The captain Satara Murray is an actual adult but was injured for the first half of the season which hasn't helped. And Ellen Molloy, who looked like a really good attacking midfielder, left by mutual consent earlier this month to return to Ireland for personal reasons. So it's been a bit of a perfect storm of bad luck and self-inflicted problems.

 

[The Bear]

How do they feel about playing at BDTBL? I would have thought somewhat soul-less.

 

[More Bladier than thou]

I may be wrong , but it seems as though the women’s game has been stagnant for a couple of years now and the crowds in England are much the same- very poor. Theres no atmosphere whatsoever, Uniteds team are awful to watch. The level of skill is terrible, its painful to watch. As such, I wouldn’t attend even if it was free entry. On the other hand, perhaps that’s what they may need to do- free entry ? Maybe kiosk profits would bring in more money than ticket sales.

 

[Carlton Blade]

I may be wrong , but it seems as though the women’s game has been stagnant for a couple of years now and the crowds in England are much the same- very poor. Theres no atmosphere whatsoever, Uniteds team are awful to watch. The level of skill is terrible, its painful to watch. As such, I wouldn’t attend even if it was free entry. On the other hand, perhaps that’s what they may need to do- free entry ? Maybe kiosk profits would bring in more money than ticket sales.

I went to the Newcastle game with my niece. It's much slower than men's pro football but the skill level is much higher than you're making out.

If you go expecting pro football, you'll feel like that. But it was an entertaining game, nothing 'painful' about it