FA Mothersmucker's

[purpleronnie]

Taken from another forum:-

 

"Doncaster Belles won’t be in the top division next year. Not because of relegation, not because of liquidation, not even due to rebranding. They will not be in the top division next season simply because the FA has decided they will not be. In 2014 the FA have elected to further build upon the Women’s Super League with the introduction of a second tier FAWSL2. All current Super League teams have retained their seat at the top table for the new FAWSL1 except one, Doncaster Rovers Belles, who will be replaced by Manchester City.

The FA announced this decision via a news story on the FAWSL website on Friday 26th April. No fanfare, just a curt 120 word article which outlined the two divisional make-ups. There was no reasoning given (indeed a fortnight on there still has been none) just a token disclaimer “The FA will make no further comment until this process is complete.†Twenty two years of top-flight football ended via a press release that could have been written on a postcard."

Some of ours have emailed the FA only to receive stock answers.

 

Essentially, the Doncaster Rovers Belles team have been dumped from a division they've never finished bottom of because they're not "fashionable enough", and were replaced by Man City because they're a better brand. It's about money, and it's wrong. 

 

So please sign the petition - 

http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/doncasterbelles

 

[davieG]

Signed.

[daib0]

Hi guys. It's getting big publicity now.

 

 

This is what Fuzzy Duck - a super Donny fan and great poster on the old BBC 606 says:

 

"Hi

After being ever-present in the top-flight of English Football, Doncaster Rovers Belles FC have been effectively relegated after playing just one match of the Women's Super League season. The reason for this decision is that like all WSL teams, DRBFC were asked to re-apply for membership of the WSL just 19 months after being successfully admitted.

Of the 8 teams currently in the Super League, only one has been excluded from the top flight after the re-application process. Their place will be taken by Manchester City Ladies.

The assessment criteria for admission are:

- Financial and Business Management
- Commercial Sustainability and Marketing
- Facilities
- Players, Support Staff and Youth Development

As the Belles share facilities with Doncaster Rovers (both training and match day) this is not a problem.

The team contains England Internationals and is coached by ex-Doncaster Rovers winger John Buckley. Kids and youth teams are supported so this isn't a problem.

That leaves the financial and business aspects.

I'm sure you guys as sports fans believe sport should be decided on the playing field rather than by committees assessing non-sporting criteria.

This is an occasion where the decision could simply be made by forming a second division and operating promotion/relegation between the two divisions. The FA have decided that a committee can make the decision in a better way. They are not prepared to comment on the decision or discuss it in any way.

If, like me you think this is not correct, please sign this petition.

http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/doncasterbelles

Fuzzy"
 

 

 

Reading's Royals Rendezvous forum are pleased to help him all we can on this ...

[daib0]

and Spike of Sports 262 says -

"That's right. One of the top ladies teams in the country, between 1978 and 1993 they only lost 1 league game(yes, ONE), always been in the top division by merit of never being at the bottom of the league at the end of the season, the top womens club for many seasons, won numerous titles and now the FA decide in their infinite wisdom the Belles will be relegated from the FA Womens Super League before a game has been played this season. Why? Because they have to make way for a team that has never won anything, always been in the lower leagues of womens football, never been good enough to get promoted and they are called.............Manchester City Ladies FC.


If a team has to give way why not the team that finish bottom of the FAWSL last season? That was Liverpool Ladies FC. Maybe the FA should put the Man City team into the Continental Cup to take Donny Belles place and see how they perform in that this year. Are City replacing Donny because the only time Donny played them all those years ago in a cup game Donny only beat them 23-2.

I wonder if the FA will do something similar in the mens game? How about demote Man Utd and replace them with Frickley Athletic in the prem."

[Captain...]

Thunk... thunk... thunk...

 

Another nail in the coffin.

[ADK]

I'm guessing their reasoning is that they want the womens game to shadow the mens game in terms of who the big clubs are. This might make it easier to encourage a few fans to take an interest or something?

[Alexikokopops]

Probably time to mention this again

 

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/02/lincoln-ladies-notts-county-fans

[daib0]

Now on the BBC -


Doncaster Rovers Belles to appeal against 'relegation' from top tier
By Alistair Magowan


Doncaster Rovers Belles will appeal against the Football Association's decision to demote them from the FA Women's Super League top tier in 2014. The club has been a mainstay in the top flight for 22 years, in the newly-formed FA WSL since 2011 and the women's Premier League since 1991.

But next season they will be replaced by Manchester City Ladies. "To say we are disappointed might be the understatement of the year," Rovers chairman Alan Smart told BBC Sport. "We've had support from all over the world and people are angry and bemused at the decision. But we are built on a wider fabric than one big benefactor. Doncaster Rovers Belles are a massive community club. We are made of strong stuff and we will fight on."

As one of the founding members of the national women's league, Doncaster have twice won the league and FA Cup double and were synonymous as women's football grew in the early 1990s. But from next season the summer league will expand to two divisions, with Manchester City joining seven other teams in FA WSL 1. Having finished second from bottom in the first two WSL seasons, Doncaster will drop down a division to FA WSL 2 and compete against nine other sides.

The FA made its decision via an independent panel where clubs were assessed on their financial sustainability, where factors such as management, marketing and the quality of their coaching staff and facilities were considered. Doncaster discovered the news after one game of this season, with boss John Buckley calling the situation "farcical".

The decision to split the league into two tiers, with relegation and promotion between both, is part of the FA's five-year plan to make women's football the second most-played sport in the country behind men's football.

 

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Petition has passed 3,000 signings now …

[Voll Blau]

I'm guessing their reasoning is that they want the womens game to shadow the mens game in terms of who the big clubs are. This might make it easier to encourage a few fans to take an interest or something?

 

There's no sporting merit to it. The FA claim to be custodians of the game and their hypocrisy in making this decision is frankly astounding.

[theessexfox]

Signed, knowing the FA it will make little difference but I live in hope.