Charlton shut down Women's team

[TheArsenal]

Charlton Athletic are to announce the shock closure of their women's team.

The club's entire women's section - senior teams, academy and centre of excellence - are to be scrapped.

The decision is part of drastic cost-cutting measures being carried out following the club's relegation from the men's Premier League last season.

Women's team manager Keith Boanas confirmed to BBC Sport: "All the staff involved in the women's set-up have had their employment terminated."

An official club statement is to be made next week but on Friday, Charlton chief executive Peter Varney released a statement outlining a "significant level of cuts" at The Valley.

Boanas was at the helm from the time Charlton took the hugely successful Croydon women's team under their wing in 2000.

He said: "I'm devastated for the players and the many young girls who have had their dreams and aspirations shattered. I've been phoning round the players and some of them have been in tears."

Like Croydon, who in the 1990s twice achieved the Premier League and FA Cup Double, Charlton have provided the toughest opposition to all-conquering Arsenal.

Captain and England defender Casey Stoney, angry at the closure of the women's section, said: "I'm disgusted with the club - the men get relegated and we get punished.

"The club's only trophies in recent years have been won by the women's team - and in the last four seasons we were the only side apart from Arsenal to win major honours.

"Seven weeks ago we played in front of a record crowd at the FA Cup final - that's now our last match and I'm totally gutted for everyone involved on the women's side.

"I just hope that what has happened to us doesn't reverberate around the women's game - otherwise it will be in serious trouble."

There will be serious repercussions from Charlton's demise, including the reduction from 12 teams to an unwieldy 11 in next season's top flight.

Peter Hough, chairman of the FA Women's Premier League, confirmed: "The League's AGM has been held and, once that has gone, no adjustments can be made.

"It's a very sad day for women's football. We can do without losing any clubs, let alone one at the highest level, and this is terribly disappointing for the image of the game."

Edited June 23, 2007 by TheArsenal

[gunnar hendershow]

Maybe they're making the women give birth to a talented generation of footballers who can lead Charlton to glory? But yeah, this sucks for them and is remarkably unfair. They deserve as much as anyone else to be able to play football professionally.

Edited June 23, 2007 by damshow

[IAceI]

I'm sure the decent ones will move to another club if they're wanting to carry on playing. The others will just move into their other job on a full time basis.

[Lineker]

lol, Women's football.

Seriously though, sucks for the state of the women's game.

[britneyspearsisgod]

It's an absolute disgrace, personally. Bristol Rovers manage to help fund one alongside a local college here in Bristol and yet with our finance situation we STILL managed to finish 4th in the womens Premier League. What's budget got to do with it? Fucking Charlton have done a great diservice to the women's game.

[Matt]

I thought the women's clubs were run seperately to the men's clubs, and just closely affiliated with one another. Because I'm pretty sure Leeds would've scrapped their women's team a few years back when we were in serious financial trouble (i.e. days from liquidation) if they were part of the same business. Or maybe it's different for different clubs.

Anyway, enough arguing with myself, sad to hear this, Charlton Ladies were one of the better teams in the league, shame they had to go.

[Farmer Reil]

I was gonna say the exact same as BSIG.

If we can finish 4th in the same league, surely Charlton can keep their (more successful) womens team going for another year...

[britneyspearsisgod]

The only advantage to this is that now a lot of the other womens teams can offer deals to the Charlton ladies without a club.

Aluko would look pretty good in a Rovers shirt

[TheArsenal]

The only advantage to this is that now a lot of the other womens teams can offer deals to the Charlton ladies without a club.

Aluko would look pretty good in a Rovers shirt

[britneyspearsisgod]

Haven't you got enough success? Damn glory hoggers

[TheArsenal]

Never!!

Winning every trophy and have a league record this season of "Played 22, Won 22" just isn't good enough!!!!

[IAceI]

Charlton ladies were what, the 3rd best team in the league.

They still looked fucking diabolical when they played Arsenal in the cup final.

[TheArsenal]

To be fair, nearly every team looks diabolical when playing Arsenal. I'm not sure how our Ladies got to be so dominant. It's crazy.

[IAceI]

As good as Arsenal are, I don't think they were solely responsible for the laughable performance from the Chalrton goalkeeper. Flapping at shots, unable to catch, trying to make saves with clearly the wrong hand. etc. etc.

[Mj3]

They should reform under a different name and fuck charlton right off, im sure there will be another big club in London who would host their games.

[britneyspearsisgod]

That goes against my "Rovers win the Womens Premier" idea