Sadly, there’s been no League opener for Wor Lasses today as Halifax Ladies pulled out of the fixture, stating they could not raise a team. Massive disappointment for all on Tyneside without doubt.
With England in World Cup final action earlier today, ALL clubs had been given the option to postpone games or move kick-offs to allow players, officials and fans to watch The Lionesses take on Spain at 11am.
Some did and then some didn’t. NUFC Women wanted to play their game. I’m not sure what order the sequence of events followed but the facts are this. Halifax wanted to postpone and Newcastle didn’t.
Because both sides couldn’t agree, a compromise had to be reached. NUFC arranged a private room at Kingston Park for Halifax Ladies, where they could watch the game in private with free refreshments and even offered to delay kick-off for an hour.
That was unacceptable to Halifax, who issued a statement advising that their players were standing together and wouldn’t travel to United for the game. The statement was pretty damning and never mentioned the alternatives United offered.
It meant that the game had to be postponed, much to United’s dismay. There’s no doubt in my mind had the fixture been the opposite way around and Wor Lasses had been offered a private room and a later kick-off, they would have taken it.
That, of course, is conjecture and can only be an opinion but I know the hierarchy at NUFC Women and I’d be amazed if my opinion was wrong. So all in all it’s left a bitter taste on Tyneside.
Becky Langley’s Lasses have worked tremendously hard in pre-season and after last Sunday’s 9 – 0 thumping of Chester-le-Street Town Ladies in their final friendly, were undoubtedly ready for the game against Halifax.
Sadly they do not have the chance to unleash the energy and commitment they’d built up to channel into an opening fixture they’d spent seven weeks preparing for. It doesn’t feel right that they have to now wait another week.
It remains to be seen what view the FA will take. Many have called for sanctions against Halifax and even The Lady Mags being awarded a forfeit win. Knowing Becky Langley, she’ll definitely not want a forfeit. She’ll want to play Halifax and exact revenge that way.
The Lionesses reaching the World Cup Final was a wonderful thing and who knows may be a once in a lifetime achievement. Everyone that follows Women’s football wants to watch the game and indeed the FA offered up alternatives in case of such an event.
It’s just a real shame that opportunity has been tainted by the postponement of the game. NUFC Women stood their ground and have not broken any rules or proposals. Halifax on the other hand…
Now we wait and see what the ramifications are. Wor Lasses will now face Burnley at Kingston Park next Sunday in the FA Women’s National League Cup (2:00pm kick-off).
A Burnley side that will have a competitive advantage over United, having agreed a delayed kick-off with Liverpool Feds in their opening League game today!
