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women's team axed

Charlton Athletic are to announce the shock closure of their women's team.

The club's entire women's section - senior teams, academy and centre of excellence - are to be scrapped.

The decision is part of drastic cost-cutting measures being carried out following the club's relegation from the men's Premier League last season.

Women's team manager Keith Boanas confirmed to BBC Sport: "All the staff involved in the women's set-up have had their employment terminated."

An official club statement is to be made next week but on Friday, Charlton chief executive Peter Varney released a statement outlining a "significant level of cuts" at The Valley.
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Comments

  • Sounds harsh, but I couldn't give a monkeys.

    Women's football is crap to watch, it will never be a decent sport, they must have been costing the club money that they weren't recouping and, to be honest, I would rather they got shot of them than us carry on funding something which is doomed to failure anyway. Obviously pretty grim for the players, but to start saying 'we're the only ones who have won trophies in the past few seasons' is, frankly, a ludicrous argument. Those trophies were worth no more than something my Sunday team would have won.

    Be honest - when was the last time anyone on here mentioned the women's team - other than taking the piss?
  • edited June 2007
    Makes those parading of the women's team's trophies in the past etc seem a bit of a hollow gesture.

    Savings obviously have to be made, and this sort of thing brings home the reality of relegation and the effect it has on people other than our 'superstar' players, many of whom will be retaining their Premiership wage packets.
  • It does seem strange to close down a successful part of the organisation.

    Alongside Arsenal Charlton has the highest profile in the ladies game.

    Madness. Marcus Bent probably earns more in a week than the cost of the women for a year. Make him redundant!!
  • I'd rather the women's team than the academy. Having said that it's about time we started producing first team players again or Reg might get ideas.
  • indeed, while I couldn't give a monkey's about women's football, in community terms it encouraged kids to get involved, which is clearly A Good Thing.
  • According to the official site, "Charlton Athletic Football Club is committed to the development of the women's and girls' game and believes in developing players from a young age."

    Not that committed, obviously.
  • Remember the grief the Club got for taking over Croydon Ladies in the first place?

    Oh the irony.
  • Trouble is, when we do make our storming chaps' Premier League comeback next year, we'll have pissed so many people off by scrapping our ladies' team after its league has already had its AGM, etc, that it'd be very hard to come back once we find our commitment again.

    (what's the odds on the Tango one "rescuing" them to bring them back home to Croydon?)
  • I support the decision and i don't think many of you are concentrating on the main issues.

    The fact is running a ladies team drains our club of cash, over £100k plus every year, with no real return other than a bit of a PR exercise. The men's side is the sole focal point of our club, its what 20k+ people pay there money on. The vast majority of those paying supporters have zero interest in the women's side.

    In business terms, our set up is having to be streamlined. By axing the womens team we will probably keep in a necessary job 8-10 other club staff. What is valued to the club is the community work, which is largely self-funded, and is crucial to not just local presence, but getting boys and girls involved in Charlton. That won't, and musn't be changed, but dropping a loss-making women's team is a sacrifice that can be lived with.
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  • Sad really from my point of view as this was how my daughter first got into football at an early age, i used to take her to see the womens team play she really enjoyed it, i never imposed footy on her but from seeing the womens team play she asked me to take her to see the mens team play, "dad can you take me to see the men play on a saturday",so i did.Her fist game was Johnny roobo's testimonial against FC Porto,manged by mourinho and featuring jorge costa and the rest is history, still wants to go has now got a scarf and tells everyone she supports her local team, also thinks the 3blokesfrom f block featuring the herberts cd "proud to be an addick is brilliant.so at least some good has come out of this.
  • Totally disagree AFKA Bartram - I personally have no axe to grind but if this is true, it is a stupid, stupid decision. A serious own goal, this a classic bungling corporate decision made without thought of the consequences to its corporate profile and its market relationships, so much for the clubs service to the community and the game.

    The standard of the game and its ability to self finance are irrelevant. In playing terms it maybe comparable to closing a Conference or even lesser league club but in profile terms it is significant. CAFC took over a major name in the women’s game and benefited from the profile of many of its players representing their country. How much will this save?

    Corporate double standards never cease to amaze me. The club has promoted itself as a champion of the women’s game promoting itself across educational and community programs and now it appears it just decides to walk away. You can hear the comments - Poor Charlton cannot even afford a women’s team anymore? Just how bad are finances? They introduced all those training & career development programs, what happens to all those people? What happens to the girls football camps? What will these girls do now?

    This decision calls into question the integrity of the club and its board. I can see Murray wringing his hands and hear his expressions of sadness supported by Varney’s cries of financial necessity, tough times call for tough decisions but the club has promoted itself as one of integrity playing its part in all aspects of the game.

    This a fundamental breach of trust by the club. They set a standarda and an expectation. The club has moved a very long way from its goals. If I were Simon Jordan I would be writing out the cheque now.

    Grapevine49
  • it's a real pity that this has happened but i totally agree with AFKA's view.
  • Obviously it comes down to money, but it's not something that will be easily reversed if we get promoted next May.

    Could they not have downsized it as part of the overall cuts so that the basis of the women's section would still be there in a year's time - especially from a PR point of view, given that some of our now ex-players are going to be playing for England in the Women's World Cup this year. The board will be praying they get knocked out early, and certainly that they don't go on to win it...

    I have no axe to grind, but on the face of it it seems a big decision for a club so keen on playing the whole 'community card' and is probably indicative of the other cuts being announced next week.
  • I have to say I find myself falling into Grapevines camp

    The Women's team may well cost 100k to run, I wouldn't want to (or couldn't) fund it out of my pocket, but you have to put that in the context of a club turnover of many millions.

    The Club have made great capital, albeit not financially, from the successes of the Women's team over the year. This decision will portray the club in a very poor light.

    When things improve after we are promoted this year do the Club think they will be able to reinstate the Women's team? I'd think that they'd have trouble attracting any players to a Club that has such little regard for their position.

    How about this for a solution: Instead of having a big media campaign to get premiership footballers to give up a days wages for Nurses (who I think should be paid properly by HM Government, not from charitable donations) that the fist team players at the club could get together and fund the Women’s team. Maybe we could even get a donation from Herman’s singing on fee at Portsmouth.

    Rant over.

    Love and peace, Alex
  • How many people from this site went to see the womens team play, it was a great day out for me and my daughter and was actually reasonably well attended.
    sadly all down to money again.
  • Have to confess I haven't been to a women's game although, as an Addick, took pride in their achievements.

    Watched the cup final on TV, but then I'm only a Johnny come lately.

    As you say; all down to bottom line on the balance sheet. The 'intangibles' don't count
  • edited June 2007
    [cite]Posted By: InspectorSands[/cite]
    (what's the odds on the Tango one "rescuing" them to bring them back home to Croydon?)

    I wouldn't put it past him.

    This is a shame but lets face facts. If we fail to recover our Premier League status, the club cannot afford such luxuries as a womens team. If we keep or sign a player who can gets us back there by saving the womens team costs then it probably has to be done.

    What would worry me more is if we dispense with our scouting staff including those working in the local community. Avery old friend of mine used work as a teacher in the Greewich area in the late fifties/early sixties and he told me that the local scouting staff who used to watch the lads at his school were dispensed with. Small wonder the club failed to get back for nearly thirty years.
  • edited June 2007
    I have never been to a women's game but this is an awful, clumsy, myopic decision that is a kick in the face for a the club's community profile. I am shocked that our club could make such a decision, I honestly thought we more integrity than many clubs. This suggests we actually have less because the commitment to women and girls was a lie, we've been pretending to be something we're not. Better to have never had the pretence.

    $hame.
  • edited June 2007
    I think it was Victor Kayam (the Remington man who liked the company so much he bought it) who said 50% of my advertising expenditure is wasted. The problem is that I don't know which 50%.

    I think an analogy can be drawn with the Womens Section. Even after 7 consecutive seasons in the Prem we were still often the afterthought on Match Of The Day or ITV equivalent. The success of the ladies gave the Club publicity which it otherwise wouldn't have got.

    The marketing strategy has been largely based on the image as a family and Community Club making sport (and football in particular) accessible to all especially those who otherwise wouldn't get involved.

    Badger is absolutely right. My own daughter's Charlton interest has been sustained in part I think because she aspired to play for Charlton Ladies. I came home earlier to be directed straight to teletext by an annoyed daughter. My earlier Marcus Bent comment was in fact hers! My daughter plays on a Sunday and two other members of her team had links with Charlton Ladies.

    It's easy to say oh it's only the women but the repercussions and ripple effect are more than you might think.
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  • Do we know for sure that the costs of running the ladies team was only around £100k? If it turns out it actually cost a lot more, it would make the decision much easier to understand.
  • What was the reason for man utd getting rid of their women's team a couple of years back?
  • edited June 2007
    Thought I'd throw in my twopennyworth on this one .... no, not all that interested in women's football myself but does that give anyone the right to stop them playing it ? No, it doesn't, my daughter has her name down for football rather than netball at school when the season starts again (she's 12) so if she wants to do that then good luck to her and if she ends up being good enough to play for a women's team then even better - what I wouldn't want is for her to be that good and then have someone take it all away from her because of something that is way beyond her control.
    If Charlton Women was losing money then maybe an issue, but to shut down the whole shebang cos of relegation pangs a little of 'jobs for the boys' but 'none for the girls'
    Personally, I agree with 'Len Glover' - too many Charlton players let us down last year, JT, JFH and MB to count three and the board chucking money at a variety of managers, maybe they should all dib into their oversize wallets ?
  • In all honesty I couldn't really give a monkeys about the womens team. If costs need to be cut then I'd rather it be in that area than anything that jeopardises the first teams chances of doing well next year. After all, what's the point in ploughing money in to support a successful womens team that play in front of how ever many - does anyone actually know? - each week when 17,000+ people have stumped up hard cash in advance to watch the first team.

    It really is a no brainer and there is no room for sentiment in the harsh economic world we are in these days.

    Having said all that, if the cost is truly "only" £100k per year just think what a fantastic gesture it would be if our first team squad were to each forego a tiny percentage of their weekly salary in order to keep them afloat, even if just for one year. Then again, these are footballers we are talking about here .........
  • according to some Woman's Footie site the cost saving is around 250k. Personally I've no time for womens football just as I've no time for Mens netball. I'm sorry for those that have lost their jobs and wouldn't wish that on anyone. No of us know the full financial implications of relegation but those who think that selling Bent for 16m means that we will invest millions on players are, in my opinion, going to be severely disappointed and only then might they realise what relegation really meant. Look at Palarse. Similar sized crowds, got relegated, sell prize asset, invest next to nothing on players. Why ? Relegation costs. FACT. Given the choice of scrapping the Womens team and saving 250k or buying a promising right back for 400k I know what I'd choose. People don't come to The Valley to watch the women, they come to watch the first team. A few people are going to be disappointed but it's only a few. Those whinging now should perhaps have supported the Women in the past in one way or another. Sorry but I'm not sad to see them go. Oh, by the way, where are the all conquering Professionals of Fulham now. Yep, you got it.
  • Large and AFKA. I have met you both and like you both. In fact, I met you when I was a woman playing football. I can share no sentiment with you on this. Charlton claims to be a leader in community issues which includes encourgaing girls and women to play as well as watch football. That is critical in a non-sexist society. I was too old to be fortunate enough to have the chance to play for Charlton, but I so wish I had. I'll admit I'm not a big follower of the women's team, but this is a completely disgraceful decision. M Bent's salary for 5-10 weeks versus genuine football in the community. What has happened to the Club is not their fault in the least. THIS DECISION STINKS.
  • I think the comment about what would you rather a promising young full back or the womens team in a season that is absolutly critical to the future direction of the club .... well its a shame but we need to give ourselves every chance and obviously that money will be useful somewhere else.....
  • I'm sorry but why the fuss??

    Can't they just reform as a new team under a different name, find a ground to play at & get on with it? Why do they need such strong links with us? Why should CAFC continue to give them monry - if they are so good & demand to see them is so high - they'll be alright.

    Storm in a teacup about a team that evidently only a miniscule % of our fans bothered to go & see on a regular basis.

    I draw analagies to CIFC - a supporters team from a few years back, playing nationally against other supporters teams - we got a little bit of support (some kit) from CAFC - but by & large we got on with it off our own bat without badgering for or expecting to recieve money from CAFC, and this was one hundred times more of a Charlton thing than the women's team - we were real Charlton fans representing the club.
  • The thing is Weegie that girls will still be able to play football, that will continue to be provided through the community scheme courses, but we just won't be running adult and academy women sides. But don't think there is going to be a sudden void in the area of girls being able to play football, there are hundreds of jounior and adult ladies teams in the area now.

    Every who is saying it is a disgraceful decision, apart from Badger has also included 'i admit i've never seen the women play / i haven't got much time for the women's team'. If it comes to December and we've an injury crisis and Pardew moans in the press he wasn't able to bring that extra pro in because the salary set aside for that went towards running a womens team that 42 people watch, then i know what the reaction will be.

    Although i have no interest, i want womens football to continue to grow and evolve. But it must also be able to stand on its own two feet and support itself. And if it can't currently do that, then it is attempting to grow too much to soon.
  • Just read that Bristol Ladies has also recently been shut down, while Fulham Ladies went the same way not that long ago.

    Arsenal Ladies are the biggest and best ladies set up in the country, dominate the game, yet crowds are normally below 200 despite it being just £2 entry (£10 a season ticket). To the level where it wants to be, the game just simply cannot support itself at the moment.
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