Barnsley Women’s team ‘scrapped’

Being in the local kids football scene l can tell you now that already happens because our academy is *****. Very rare to see a scout from Barnsley, Chesterfield and the Blades are snapping up all the talent at the minute. Barnsley also has an academy training pitch out Huddersfield way, it's run down as hell.

There's kids in the age group l deal with playing in the Barnsley Schools team that reached the semi finals this year that are tens times better than the players in the same age group at Barnsley Academy. But you have to be in the BFC Academy clique, l know of one child who's dad started going to church to get him and his kid involved in the academy. They're missing out on loads of talent, but let them crack on....

 

I'm not sure there would be to be honest. Let's be fair, what do we have which would make us attractive to prospective new owners?

 

That's my take on this too, based on the article.

Essentially, inconsistent application of rules between the academy and the women's team which makes one able to use the academy pitches to play matches on but which forces the women's team onto the Oakwell pitch (costly, and would impact the overall quality of the surface) or into an unnecessary ground share.

The FA has forced the club's hand into how they react to this, and the club have weighed up the cost/benefit of such to reach this conclusion. Yet another 'unintended adverse consequence' from those running the game, rather than those running the club.

 

"Whilst this was not an easy or unanimous decision at board level..."
Ther's your answer in the Chairman's words.

 

I think this sums us up perfectly. We either have mismanaged this whole topic where we didn't do any due diligence in the viability, funding and resources needed long term or we just don't really care and this was easy to cut.

With this only being a few seasons in to the BFC reign its sad and pathetic. I would have much more respect if the club chose not to even handle womens football in the first place after evaluating the demands of this rather than abandoning ship so early.

 

Disappointing. I'm sure we could have kept them going with the money spunked on Sam Cosgrove's wages.

 

It would be interesting to know how much the losses were/are per year. Obviously we'll never be told, but when thousands are wasted each week on horrendous players for the mens team, it would put it into perspective.

 

you only missed out "woke" for a full house. please explain what part of running an academy producing footballers for the first team is virtue signalling?

 

At the start of last season, I asked why the women’s home fixtures were being played on the grass pitch rather than g. I was told the g pitch’s dimensions weren’t big enough for the league they’d been promoted to. Sounds barmy but was the reason given

 

I'm just looking for the document that matches up the women's game to the non league gradings (that's the correlation) basically at tier 4 of the women's game this would align with a level / standard of ground at non league,

here there would be things to consider and a basic standard such as entrances, toilets, seats/standing under cover, turnstile access, light brightness, size of changing rooms etc to consider.

none of which are applicable to academy football.

 

I don't think this was ever viable there was a cost to it however big or small football just doesn't make money. The women's game is positive thing great to see young girls playing grassroot football but let's face it the product is not very good. The fa insisting on the ground is just silly the women's game is in it's infancy trying to make it run before it can walk is plain stupid

 

Define "non-league", there are at least 11 levels of mens football starting with the premier league so non-league runs from level4 to level 11 - big difference between playing at level4 and playing at level 11 non-league. women's level 4 has 4 leagues:

Level 4:

• FA Women’s National League Division 1 North
• FA Women’s National League Division 1 Midlands
• FA Women’s National League Division 1 South West
• FA Women’s National League Division 1 South East

Mens level 7 looks similar:

Level 7, Step 3:
Northern Premier League Premier Division
Southern League Premier Division Central
Southern League Premier Division South
Isthmian League Premier Division

Example of Northern Prem League contains 2 levels in itself, teams like Guisely are in the top league, they have a ground with a capacity of 4k and normally get about 500 fans a week. So if the FA are expecting this level of infrastructure you need 500 fans paying probably a tenner to make it viable?

 

yea that's what i said, the women's league levels are aligned with a specific non league level. i cant find the document that maps them across just now however, until you find exactly what the correlation is and standards set at you'll be guessing...either way the showcase and academy pitches aren't up to the spec and we don't want to let the women use oakwell.

 

Financial suicide to continue something that isn`t profitable you say. Bye,bye Barnsley FC.

 

Surely the amount saved is small in the scheme of the losses, looks to me like testing the water for part of or all of the academy to go in the future.

 

What is being tested?

Having now scrapped the women's team, what will be measured that will indicate the that the Academy also needs scrapping?

 

In and of itself, i couldnt really give a monkeys about this. I never went to see them play as it never sat right with me that they usurped the 'other' Barnsley women's team - who i do occasionally see if they're over this side.

But the questions it begs are:

1) Where does this leave the involvement of JAQ, whos been a visible cheerleader for the women's team.

2) We know the rough quantum of our losses, but just how short of cashflow are we to be making such an unpalatable decision?

3) How credible is the statement that the womens team can't use the Academy facility? I'm not saying i don't believe it, but having been to some 4th tier womens games, the showcase pitch is likely to be comfortably the best facility in the league. Alright - i admit it - I *am* saying i dont believe it.

 

The reactions from the fans.

 

White shorts back again I guess, or maybe not as I know for a fact that the red shorts were nothing to do with the womens team and their "monthly differences" !

 

Is there a correlation between supporting the women's team and thinking the academy is a good thing?

From my perspective - I don't care at all if we have a women's team or not. I feel for the players who were in the team on a personal level (I know some) and I think the opportunity for anyone to play sport of any kind is a good thing, but I don't think a men's football team needs a women's football team. And I don't think a women's football team needs to be attached to a men's team.

I do think we should have a youth setup for our men's team. (I also think any women's football club should have youth teams.)

I don't see scrapping the women's team being detrimental to the men's team, the team I care about. I do think scrapping the academy would be. My reaction would correlate to that. I don't see any relationship between the women's team and the academy.