For all the kudos and feel good factor that has been around women’s football lately, beneath the surface lies many a murky tale.
The WSL keeps moving from strength to strength, attracting the world’s biggest stars and playing in some of the country’s biggest stadiums. The Lionesses keep making big strides on and off the field. Wales too are taking steps in the right direction, as they try and make their first major tournament.
For all the hoopla surrounding these organisations, others in the world of women’s football are not reaping the same rewards. In the Championship, both Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United are in a state of major flux, with players still not knowing if they’re wanted by the club or are finding out they will be playing on minimum wage.
Even in the WSL, Manchester United are seen as a laughingstock with the way they treat their women’s team. The Red Devils’ new overlord, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has said he’s prioritising his focus on the “first team” rather than the women’s team. In another sign of incompetence from above, United’s women’s team are being forced to use portacabins at the club’s training ground, as Carrington undergoes a major redevelopment. For a club who boast a world leader status, this is nothing short of abysmal.
However, the club that has been through the hardest of hardships is Reading; a club who were once a symbol of stability across the UK, now being dropped into the fifth tier of English football. How can a team who were a cornerstone of the WSL fall so far?
Wales international Charlie Estcourt is a Reading native and started her youth career with the Royals, before having two separate stints with the club. The versatile Estcourt has been able to call Berkshire home for so long, but now, is without a club.
“For a lot of us at Reading, we’ve been there for a number of years, we’ve grown up at the club, and it’s close to our hearts. That makes the whole situation more upsetting and difficult. A lot has come out about it now, but it doesn’t make it any easier for us.”
It’s been no secret in the football world that Reading are in some deep financial problems, but the lack of clarity and communication from those at the top of the club has been nothing short of embarrassing, according to Estcourt. This was further epitomised when leading women’s football journalists reported that the club were about to drop down the divisions. Yet, the players only found out the same time as the rest of the general public.
“We got told two days before our contracts were up what was actually going on with the club. I think it was already announced on Twitter what was happening before we were told of anything. The communication from the club has been one of the things a lot of us have been the most disappointed with.
“We’re finding out information at the same time as the public, which shouldn’t happen. The information coming out is upsetting and it’s affecting our livelihoods. To find that information out at the same time as everyone else is unacceptable.
“I had people messaging me if I was ok before even finding out myself what had happened at the club. There’s been whispers about this sort of thing happening. The whole club isn’t in a good situation, it isn’t just the women’s side, but I never actually thought that it would get to this.
“In an awful situation that this is, the only thing you can do is communicate the best you can. Even if there’s no news, that is also something that needs to be communicated. The longer there’s no news, the more it tells you something. A lot of times, we were told that there was nothing to tell you, but that’s not good enough.”
Experimentation time over for Wales head coach Rhian Wilkinson
From a Welsh standpoint, Reading has played a crucial role in the development of so many players. Six of the current squad have played at the Select Car Leasing Stadium in the past, and Estcourt says she’s had countless messages from her Cymru teammates.
“Everyone has been really good. I’ve had messages from a lot of the girls at Wales and from former players who are checking if everyone is alright. Those players are really sad as well, because they’ve been at the club and have had a career there.”
It does feel like the Championship at the moment is at a crossroads. While instability is rocking the likes of Blackburn and Sheffield United, the same can’t be said for other clubs in the division.
London City Lionesses have the backing of American businesswoman Michele Kang, who has just brought in Jocelyn Prêcheur from PSG as their new manager, while also adding women’s football icon Kosovare Asllani to their playing squad.
Newcastle United, on the other hand, are attracting players from across the country, and with their backing from Saudi Arabia, are investing heavily into their women’s side. Seeing what can be achieved in the Championship is a source of frustration for Estcourt and many others who have now left Reading.
“It’s incredibly frustrating seeing what other clubs are doing. Especially at a club like Reading that has such an amazing history in the women’s game and has always been known as having a great women’s setup, from the first team to the academy.
“It’s frustrating because Reading does have all the infrastructure there, it’s just that the people at the top don’t want to fund it. The club right now is in a really unfortunate position. The whole club is in trouble and they’re looking at prioritizing the men’s team, which always happens.
“The club have, for so long, had things in place to be a stable team in the WSL, not even just the Championship. That’s one of the hardest things to accept as well.”
So, what can be done to make sure another club don’t become the new Reading? Estcourt believes the league should bring in some requirements, to make sure the league meets the standard it needs to.
“This might be something the Championship needs to look at. The WSL is a full-time league, and I think there are enough clubs around that have the support and infrastructure within the National League, that maybe the league needs to put in some minimum guidelines.
“It’s not fair on the players that year on year, there’s all of this uncertainty about where you’re going to be able to play full-time football. If there’s these minimum requirements in place, then all of that worry goes away.
“If you can’t do it, you can’t be in the league, and there’s another club ready to take your place, and then there’s enough opportunities for everyone.”
Thankfully for Estcourt, she has a new club lined up, and we should know her next destination over the coming days. However, Estcourt knows not everyone will be as lucky as her. The developments at Reading are a cold and stark reminder that women’s football still has a long way to go for it to be the success that we all so desperately want it to be.
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