[retired_dalilatrb]

I knew I would get that from you

I don't care, we made a commitment to a lot of people and to cancel it now is not fair. I couldn't actually give a damn about womens football if i'm honest, but since we made that commitment I find it leaves a bad taste that weve pulled out at the earliest opportunity. Our community work with youngsters doesn't make us any money, should we stop that to?

[retired_Nikelesy]

Originally posted by RedRob:
I knew I would get that from you

I don't care, we made a commitment to a lot of people and to cancel it now is not fair. I couldn't actually give a damn about womens football if i'm honest, but since we made that commitment I find it leaves a bad taste that weve pulled out at the earliest opportunity. Our community work with youngsters doesn't make us any money, should we stop that to?

Mate Im not giving it the "rubbish supporters" line, im just saying none of us actually support the womens team.

If they dont get rid of, then we still need to make the cuts, and it will be people who actually effect the first team. And Im sure everyone would rather the womens team to go, than to have cuts that effects the team we actually support

[retired_Nikelesy]

and no our cumminty work isnt making money, but then if its between that and the womens team, then we get rid of the womens team all day long. Its not even a jusitifed comparison.

The people on our board, are amazing, they have been there since that day against Portsmouth, and all I can say is everything has been great since then. Im sure they didnt want to get rid of the womens, but if thats the choice they have gone to, then Im sure they have got it right, and done it for the right reasons

[retired_Nikelesy]

Oh and we stole the womens team from Croydon in the first place ffs, so they can all just set up back there with no problem

[retired_dalilatrb]

Originally posted by ZanteMatt:
<BLOCKQUOTE>Originally posted by RedRob:
I knew I would get that from you

I don't care, we made a commitment to a lot of people and to cancel it now is not fair. I couldn't actually give a damn about womens football if i'm honest, but since we made that commitment I find it leaves a bad taste that weve pulled out at the earliest opportunity. Our community work with youngsters doesn't make us any money, should we stop that to?

Mate Im not giving it the "rubbish supporters" line, im just saying none of us actually support the womens team.

If they dont get rid of, then we still need to make the cuts, and it will be people who actually effect the first team. And Im sure everyone would rather the womens team to go, than to have cuts that effects the team we actually support </BLOCKQUOTE>

I know you weremn't, just thought that i'd thought youd be of the opinon that you are. I've just read New Yorks Addicks piece on it and it sums up my feelings exactly.

I don't care much for women's football (or women's sport in general to be honest). There are plenty of things I enjoy watching women do, but playing football isn't one of them. However to declare little interest in watching them is not to say that I don't strongly support their participation. Ditto, Charlton Deaf FC and numerous other CAFC initiatives.

Living here in the US, football (soccer) is generally considered a 'women's sport', and the so-called 'soccer Mom' is an electoral phenomenon not dissimilar to 'Essex man' in the UK. Cultural barriers in the UK however ensure that women's football will always be seen as little more than a pastime, but the community benefits are very positive. Presumably, anyone with a teenage daughter would rather her be enrolled in a professionally organised football program, than loitering at the bus stop.

When Charlton's women's team was set up in 2000, it was not surely with the expectation of it delivering a financial return in the long-run. There must however have been several indirect benefits, and it was just another example to the good people of South East London that here was a friendly inclusive football club that you would be welcomed at, man or woman, black or white. The team also provided that rare phenomenon....a team called 'Charlton' winning a match televised by Sky.

So to scrap the team now, having built it into a successful operation, seems almost unfathomably clumsy and myopic. It also suggests to me that the club's finances are in worse shape than the Board might have us realise, even with the sale of Darren Bent imminent. We all know cuts have to be made, but where do you draw the line? How much have Kevin Lisbie's wages drained from the club in the past ten seasons? And what about our famed Academy which, in the past five years or so, has done everything except the one thing it was set up to do?

Those that disagree with my point of view here will argue that the club is about the men's first team and nothing else. But Charlton is different, and has only managed to build a brand which has sold 17,000+ season tickets in the Championship by selling itself as the 'community club'. It has led to plenty of mickey-taking (I enjoy satirising our self-righteousness on a regular basis) but what would have been the alternative? To compete with Millwall for nastiness and play to 7,000 fans?

And those who won't spare a thought, let alone shed a tear, for the women's team in the name of focusing on the first team, are also being hypocritical. That free Premiership season ticket offer that was so hungrily snapped up, will be a drain on resources that could be used for new players. The club's cheap matchday ticket pricing generally is not typical of a true profit-maximising entity, nor are the wages and bonuses paid to the players and executives that were responsible for the shambles previously known as 'Season 06/07'. If football was only about seeking to win trophies, and not being part of something broader that we can all be proud of, wouldn't we all be Chelsea fans by now?

[retired_Nikelesy]

I agree with some of that artical. However we didnt "build the team" We took over Croydon Ladies.

And blaming players wages is stupid, you cant compare womens football team to a single player in the first team.

Though he summed up the reason the womens team is getting closed down, with his very first sentence

[retired_stesska]

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=473683&CPID=8&...ifies+Bent+situati on

Still saying only West Ham agreed a fee for Bent.

[retired_mom3wings]

Alright all, SSN were saying one of the papers reckon we (Hull) are about to sign Bryan Hughes. Did you release him then? Is he much cop, always seemed like a decent enough squad player at Prem level.

[retired_edsel25]

Originally posted by steveohill:
Alright all, SSN were saying one of the papers reckon we (Hull) are about to sign Bryan Hughes. Did you release him then? Is he much cop, always seemed like a decent enough squad player at Prem level.

Hull look like they might do alright this year...but out of interest do you ever sign anyone under 30!?

[retired_mom3wings]

we won't do alright, the problem is the signing of old people, we've already got Windass, then bringing in another 2 apparently this week most likely Alan Thompson and Chris Lucketti. We do have a bit of money to spend though by all accounts so here's hoping.