Blackburn Rovers, a club where Lionesses Keira Walsh, Ella Toone, and Georgia Stanway all played earlier in their career, have dominated news headlines recently for their treatment of their women’s team. They currently play in the Women’s Championship and the Daily Mail revealed that they are set to pay their women’s players salaries of just £9000 a year. The owner Venky’s is currently under investigation in India over a tax dispute.
What does this look like for Blackburn’s women’s team?
The Daily Mail article stated that the club are struggling financially, partially due to the alleged tax dispute, and this has contributed to the club’s decision to pay their players the UK minimum wage. The Mail Sport revealed that the club has a player budget of £100,000 and will pay their squad the UK minimum wage, which is £11.44 an hour for aged 21 and over. The report also states that it is understood players will operate on contracts of 16 hours per week, with training taking place from Wednesday-Saturday, with games on Sundays. However, the Mail Sport also understands that the 16 hours will not factor in travel for away fixtures and possible overnight stays for games further afield.
What are the consequences for Blackburn?
The club saw 10 players depart following the expiry of their contracts at the end of the 2023/24 season, including Lucy Shephard, who won Rovers Player of the Year last season and their top scorer Megan Thornby. Shanell Salgado, Helen Seed, Milly Robertson, Lauren Thomas, Faith Nokuthula, Hannah Coan, Emma Doyle and Nicola Worthington have also left the club.
Former player, Georgia Stanway, shared her thoughts on the reports, writing:
“Myself and so many others are indebted to the opportunities Blackburn gave us when we were younger. Very sad to see the club choosing not to back their women’s team. Football and people in the North West need Blackburn to continue to properly support the game.”
It’s fair to say that Stanway’s words echo the disappointment that many feel at Blackburn’s decision, especially after they recorded their highest-ever league finish (sixth) in the Women’s Championship last season, and recorded a new record attendance of 1,500 at Ewood Park for their game against Southampton. A decision like this appears to be a huge step back for a club making progress, and will only further the disparity between the different teams in the Women’s Championship, as well as the disparity between the Women’s Championship teams and the WSL teams.
Looking to the future:
Unfortunately, over this summer period, Blackburn Rovers are not the only example of a club reducing their provisions or funding for their women’s team, with Manchester United coming under fire for their changes to the women’s team’s training facilities, and Wakefield AFC disbanding their women’s team completely.
Figures show how much support for women’s football has grown exponentially in the past two seasons alone, so it is vital that more work is done to ensure that women’s football can continue to grow across all the leagues, not just in the WSL.
Photo – https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2021/may/ladies-player-of-the-year-2020-21/
Daily Mail Article – https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-13592121/Blackburn-Rovers-set-pay-womens-players-just-9-000-year-salaries-season-amid-clubs-precarious-financial-position-owners-Venkys-investigation-India-tax-dispute.html
