United finally setting up a women's team | Championship application successful

[Minimalist]

Nice to see United join the modern world.

And for the knuckle dragging cnuts in here: it’s not aimed at you, don’t worry. They weren’t banking on your support.

 

[KM]

About time. It always was strange that while United had an academy for young women footballers and not a senior team. We were essentially developing footballers for other teams.

More importantly, its such a big boost for any female supporting United. Just read that we are the last top club team to join this women league. It's a disgrace.

Also people saying "it's just for PR" or "Hope we sign hot women" can feck off. Dinosaurs.

 

[manc-in-exile]

Honestly, the state of some of the posts in this thread. Appalling level of sexism and misogyny, you should be embarrassed with yourselves.

This is great news and long overdue. Worth remembering that women's football was incredibly popular, especially in the years following the First World War. So popular in fact that the dinosaurs at the FA felt the need to ban it. It's possible that had the women's game not been cruelty curtailed, then it would be as big as the men's game today.

There will always be those that will sneer at the perceived lack of quality (though I've seen some dross this season from many teams, including our own) but the game is growing and the level of professionalism is impressive. I'd be delighted if my daughter played the game and I'd hope she wouldn't have to deal with the sexist crap from inadequate men who don't understand or appreciate the history or beauty of the game.

So well done United, a step in the right direction. A women's team for the world's most popular club - and a chance to knock City off their perch as well!

 

[Skåre Willoch]

Great news this! And about time! Now, go fetch the Hegerberg sisters.

 

[manc-in-exile]

About time. It always was strange that while United had an academy for young women footballers and not a senior team. We were essentially developing footballers for other teams.

More importantly, its such a big boost for any female supporting United. Just read that we are the last top club team to join this women league. It's a disgrace.

Also people saying "it's just for PR" or "Hope we sign hot women" can feck off. Dinosaurs.

This.

 

[villain]

About time. It always was strange that while United had an academy for young women footballers and not a senior team. We were essentially developing footballers for other teams.

More importantly, its such a big boost for any female supporting United. Just read that we are the last top club team to join this women league. It's a disgrace.

Also people saying "it's just for PR" or "Hope we sign hot women" can feck off. Dinosaurs.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Great move by the club.

 

[stubie]

Is Hope Solo still playing?

 

[langster]

Is Hope Solo still playing?

Nope. Kylo Ren killed her.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Great news, overdue, but the womens game is still in an early but exciting stage of building and developing across the globe, so it is a good time to finally join. It seemed a bit odd that the club runs a girls team in tandem with the MU Foundation, but once they hit a certain age, they're done and they can't move on to the next stage. It's great that these young girls have a level to aim for. Young lads get to dream of playing for United. Girls should get to have that same dream too.

The platform that United will give the womens team will be huge even though they're applying for the 2nd tier, there will be a lot of attention around it due to the size of the club, which I think will be very positive for the team and the womens game.

The game gets a lot of unfair stick, but every time I watch womens football, it seems to get better all the time in terms of quality. The dynamic of the game is different, and it will be great to have another facet of the club to support.

 

[Trizy]

Good news.

I'm fairly sure I read somewhere that City basically signed all the best women a few years ago. Doing their financial doping shite again. I'm guessing it'll be hard to compete with that?

 

[Player Red]

Great news, overdue, but the womens game is still in an early but exciting stage of building and developing across the globe, so it is a good time to finally join. It seemed a bit odd that the club runs a girls team in tandem with the MU Foundation, but once they hit a certain age, they're done and they can't move on to the next stage. It's great that these young girls have a level to aim for. Young lads get to dream of playing for United. Girls should get to have that same dream too.

The platform that United will give the womens team will be huge even though they're applying for the 2nd tier, there will be a lot of attention around it due to the size of the club, which I think will be very positive for the team and the womens game.

The game gets a lot of unfair stick, but every time I watch womens football, it seems to get better all the time in terms of quality. The dynamic of the game is different, and it will be great to have another facet of the club to support.

Exactly, you would like to think we put a high quality setup in place that will be attractive to the best talent. Unfortunately we are well behind City at the minute, a lot of catching up to do.

 

[Tribec]

The press release is saying that 15 current internationals came through our junior system, and so those in the system right now will have the chance to play for United at the top level. That's already a good sign, joining the Championship is another. We don't want to be buying our way into the top flight like City did at the expense of a historic club like Doncaster Belles. This gives us the chance to bring in some decent talented players, and mix them with some our own and as with our men's first team, maintain that long heritage/history of always having home grown players in our first team squads.

It will also be interesting to see what the plans are for the redevelopment of the Cliff. I've not been down for years, no point now as the first team don't train there anymore and we wouldn't be allowed in anyway like you used to. However, there isn't much land for them to do anything with really. It won't be anything fancy like City have that's for sure.

 

[Hammerfell]

Agreed. The tunnel area especially needs a massive revamp. I saw the tunnel cam from the Brighton game and it's a shambles really. I don't like how it's situated on the side of the stadium either. Why can't the tunnel be in the central area like all the other clubs? It won't be long before we are overtaken as the biggest club ground in the country too with how so many clubs are either expanding or building new stadiums. Everything is too slow.

This is such a weird, pointless thing to be upset about.

 

[Grande]

The press release is saying that 15 current internationals came through our junior system, and so those in the system right now will have the chance to play for United at the top level. That's already a good sign, joining the Championship is another. We don't want to be buying our way into the top flight like City did at the expense of a historic club like Doncaster Belles. This gives us the chance to bring in some decent talented players, and mix them with some our own and as with our men's first team, maintain that long heritage/history of always having home grown players in our first team squads.

It will also be interesting to see what the plans are for the redevelopment of the Cliff. I've not been down for years, no point now as the first team don't train there anymore and we wouldn't be allowed in anyway like you used to. However, there isn't much land for them to do anything with really. It won't be anything fancy like City have that's for sure.

Did it name the names of those 15? Katie Zelem will be one of them, naturally.

 

[Grande]

About time. It always was strange that while United had an academy for young women footballers and not a senior team. We were essentially developing footballers for other teams.

More importantly, its such a big boost for any female supporting United. Just read that we are the last top club team to join this women league. It's a disgrace.

Also people saying "it's just for PR" or "Hope we sign hot women" can feck off. Dinosaurs.

Well put.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

This is such a weird, pointless thing to be upset about.

The guy he quoted says he's 'embarrassed' at the state of the tunnel That bit that you see on the telly for 20 seconds before the players come out and play football.

I am struggling to think of something to do with the club that I care less about. I actually can't think of one.

 

[The_Order]

Is Hope Solo still playing?

She's an abusive thug, so no thank you.

 

[GE]

Good news.

I'm fairly sure I read somewhere that City basically signed all the best women a few years ago. Doing their financial doping shite again. I'm guessing it'll be hard to compete with that?

That’s exactly what United should have been doing all those years ago as the supposed ‘biggest club in the world’.

I’m damn sure it would have been forecasted many years ago that woman’s football will grow rapidly, but yet again we weren’t on the ball with it, like so many other things.

The club is a sleeping dinosaur.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

Good, about time.

Those who are saying the difference in standard between the men’s and women’s game are correct.....but it’s going to get closer.

I watch quite a bit of youth football (my cousin plays for England girls) and a lot of the girls are far better technically than the boys at youth level. Just last week one of the girls played with the under 16’s boys in an international game and was one of the better players.

You also find that a lot of newly qualified coaches go into Women’s/girls football as in the men’s game it is still about who you are mates with not what qualifications or abilities you have. Which brings in fresh ideas and talented coaches.

Give it five more years and the quality wil be very close.

Also for those who are saying hope we sign fitties.....please go along and watch your local women’s/girls side and you will see the enthusiasm and determination they put in, they are not there just to be stared at by blokes that don’t have 10% of the footballing ability they do.....

The quality will never be close due to physical differences, but there's ultimately nothing wrong with that. Women's football can still be great to watch regardless.

 

[Janson]

Does anyone really care about this? Will anyone watch them?

I think that the majority won't care or watch.

 

[Deepseeker]

Why are people so excited by this ? Couldn’t really care less whether we have a women’s team or not. Admittedly I’m not a fan of women’s football as the standard is so poor and is anyone really bothered what league we are in and whether or not we got promoted or relegated ?

Not for me but I guess good luck moving forward.

Perhaps you should change your name to dogwithoutabone.......

 

[pacifictheme]

Do they get to use old Trafford or start at the bottom like most football teams?

Eh? Does any uk womans team share with the first team?

Odd comment.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Quite looking forward to this. Hopefully it’ll be a more natural process but I do wonder if they’ll throw serious cash at it.
Intresting about the cliffe, had read a while ago they bought more land round Carrington to build a mini stadium for all age levels or something. Haven’t heard anything else on that.

 

[decorativeed]

Eh, WTF. I never said I was against it, I said I don't like watching it which is my choice, be it women's cricket or football. If others think its' good, happy for them.

Serena Williams is one of my favorite sportswomen, so I doubt my post was misogynistic in any manner.



Oh yeah, I get it you are a "local lad" while I am a foreigner who is 25,000 light years away from OT. Here's your medal, now jog on.

How did you get that from what I posted? I asked a question, you had a dig, and continued to add nothing to the discussion.

 

[horsechoker]

Why would any woman want to join us when we play such boring defensive football?

/sarcasm

 

[Kapardin]

How did you get that from what I posted? I asked a question, you had a dig, and continued to add nothing to the discussion.

Fine then, I apologise and let's leave it at that. I don't usually engage in childish flame wars anyway, I like the constructive discussion going on in this forum compared to other places.

Hope I did clarify my comments though. I didn't mean to sound misogynistic, merely said I am not interested in United having a women's team or not since I am not into the sport.

To answer your question, I was merely referring to the "Womanchester" posts as old hat, a tired joke used many times for substituting Manchester in different contexts and was not implying any particular put down of women there.

 

[Catt]

I should play there as I'm quite decent.

 

[roonster09]

I should play there as I'm quite decent.

yeah we will be cheering "go Kat".

btw if the match is on similar time to Men's, will you still post in match day thread?

 

[Inigo Montoya]

I should play there as I'm quite decent.

Go for it Katie!

About time we caught up with the rest of the world in that dept!

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Why would any woman want to join us when we play such boring defensive football?

/sarcasm

You're assuming they'll have the same coach, right?

Like the men's coaches don't have enough to be getting on with

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Nope. Kylo Ren killed her.

Time for A New Hope

 

[langster]

Time for A New Hope

Touchè!

 

[red_devil83]

All you sanctimonious pricks saying good news

Who gives a flying feck

 

[Antisocial]

You're assuming they'll have the same coach, right?

Like the men's coaches don't have enough to be getting on with

It’s all part of an elobarate plan to have Jose moved-out as manager of the first team to see out his contract as the manager of the women’s side whilst we appoint a more progressive first team manager - very sneaky Mr Woodward

 

[MancunianAngels]

They’re gonna these games to the automatic cup scheme

 

[extincti fugax hominum]

Why are people so excited by this ? Couldn’t really care less whether we have a women’s team or not. Admittedly I’m not a fan of women’s football as the standard is so poor and is anyone really bothered what league we are in and whether or not we got promoted or relegated ?

Not for me but I guess good luck moving forward.

Definetely this. Woman football is the most boring thing i've ever witnessed in my lifetime. So it's really difficult to understand why people are so excited by this. I highly doubt that anyone will be bothered to watch this snooze-fest but good luck like you said.

 

[711]

About time. It always was strange that while United had an academy for young women footballers and not a senior team. We were essentially developing footballers for other teams.

More importantly, its such a big boost for any female supporting United. Just read that we are the last top club team to join this women league. It's a disgrace.

Also people saying "it's just for PR" or "Hope we sign hot women" can feck off. Dinosaurs.

I'm not sure which is worse, this or the 'jokes'. Some of the ones in this thread don't even come close to being funny. The poor posters must live in a bewildering world where they see humour around themselves all the time but can't quite figure out what it is.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

I should play there as I'm quite decent.

Confidence.

It would be great to see you turn out in a United kit Kat.

 

[NinjaFletch]

I do think it's deeply disappointing how the FA is going about trying to improve the women's game. The desire to get big clubs involved is understandable, but the way in which the FA has courted clubs like City, and now United, at the expense of historical clubs in the women's game like the Doncaster Belles is incredibly disappointing. I'm glad United are in it now, but I hope it's actually a genuine commitment to the women's game rather than a cynical deflection of some of the criticism the club has courted over recent years.

I do think if the women's game is ever truly to thrive it needs to be something which stands on its own two feet and that means its own traditions, history and achievements not clubs which are popular – if they are popular – because they're an appanage to the mens team. The England women's football team and cricket team both, from my perspective, have done far more for the popularity of their respective games than any of these clubs attached to the men's version of the sports.

That's not to say that using the popularity of the men's game doesn't have a place, but I think it can only take women's sport so far.

 

[Tommy]

Good job United.