Reds Ladies

Anyone seen the statement from Reds , looks like the ladies are wanting away from the reds branding and from what I've heard and  come under the town banner .

1 hour ago, Hate the rec said:

Anyone seen the statement from Reds , looks like the ladies are wanting away from the reds branding and from what I've heard and  come under the town banner .

Not a good look for the reds, well embarrassing really. Then reds release a statement saying they are launching a ladies team which will be owned/controlled by the reds and have representation on the board of directors........well why didn't you just do this with the already well established team. I don't blame the ladies for this re-brand. Town have taken them in and looked after them. 

Did the current team know reds were going to set up another team, sounds like a proper dick move that by reds that.

1 minute ago, dkw said:

Did the current team know reds were going to set up another team, sounds like a proper dick move that by reds that.

No I think it's been done on the back of the ladies team leaving. 

https://www.workingtonafc.com/club-statement-workington-afc-ladies-and-girls/?fbclid=IwAR18DvHIXFnmDZsQYOo3-Q2gyH5pU_g57XCa-HvR7sVWA2hSt9nN0nKzJyc

So there's obviously been a significant breakdown in the relationship then, Town have looked after them really well, no idea on the financial side of it, who gets matchday income etc.

I've never really understood why the reds wouldn't have them affiliated as part of the club. So rather than look after them they are going to start a new team, that is bonkers. Meanwhile Town have helped them and looked after them, and we now have a new branch on our tree. This can surely only help the IMG rating and possibly help funding in the future, if the ladies can access FA grants.

Is it too late to pull that plug on the new stadium ? lol.

Well done again to the Town BOD and welcome to the Workington Town football ladies. UTT.

11 minutes ago, The Voodooguru said:

I've never really understood why the reds wouldn't have them affiliated as part of the club. So rather than look after them they are going to start a new team, that is bonkers. Meanwhile Town have helped them and looked after them, and we now have a new branch on our tree. This can surely only help the IMG rating and possibly help funding in the future, if the ladies can access FA grants.

Is it too late to pull that plug on the new stadium ? lol.

Well done again to the Town BOD and welcome to the Workington Town football ladies. UTT.

It may be the stadiums that are the problem?

I dont know but I would guess reds ladies currently would be 3rd choice to play on BP because i was told they have a reserve team!

So you could assume 1st/2nd/ladies?

But they can play at DP almost every match - because even when our season and their season overlap the weather should be good enough to handle that.

If the move to BP ever happens [god forbid it doesn't] then reds ladies would then be 4th choice to play on BP.

RE stadium - cancel now and split the money.

BP with 1 New low level stand is not as good as DP is now [ask the ladies] and grass is better than plastic - probably another reason ladies moved.

Welcome Ladies

Or I may be wrong it may be down to training and the ladies may not be happy being taught to throw yourself on the ground an roll around crying when someone gets within 12 inches???????  LOL

1 hour ago, Derwent Parker said:

It may be the stadiums that are the problem?

I dont know but I would guess reds ladies currently would be 3rd choice to play on BP because i was told they have a reserve team!

So you could assume 1st/2nd/ladies?

But they can play at DP almost every match - because even when our season and their season overlap the weather should be good enough to handle that.

If the move to BP ever happens [god forbid it doesn't] then reds ladies would then be 4th choice to play on BP.

RE stadium - cancel now and split the money.

BP with 1 New low level stand is not as good as DP is now [ask the ladies] and grass is better than plastic - probably another reason ladies moved.

Welcome Ladies

Or I may be wrong it may be down to training and the ladies may not be happy being taught to throw yourself on the ground an roll around crying when someone gets within 12 inches???????  LOL

 

Reds Reserves arent allowed to use their pitch either, they spend a fortune every home game renting St Benedicts 4G in Whitehaven!

Regarding cancelling the stadium and splitting the money that isnt possible unfortunately and would result in several people going to jail!

4 hours ago, The Voodooguru said:

I've never really understood why the reds wouldn't have them affiliated as part of the club. So rather than look after them they are going to start a new team, that is bonkers. Meanwhile Town have helped them and looked after them, and we now have a new branch on our tree. This can surely only help the IMG rating and possibly help funding in the future, if the ladies can access FA grants.

Is it too late to pull that plug on the new stadium ? lol.

Well done again to the Town BOD and welcome to the Workington Town football ladies. UTT.

This will be a massive boost for Town, they will attract extra funding for the new Town FC  ladies, and not just the FA but other funding sauces that support community sports clubs. Well done Town

I see Reds are looking to start up a new Ladies team now.

What a farce, if they had looked after the current team they wouldn't find themselves in this position - talk about an 'own goal'

From what I've heard, the Reds in the Community and Ladies teams are all ran as individual clubs playing under the banner of Workington AFC. I was told that every age group has it's own little committee who are responsible for raising their own sponsorship money to buy tracksuit tops etc for their own age group.

Now I must stress this is what I was told by a parent and I have no idea of knowing if this is correct or not, but it seems to fit the narrative in the Red's ladies statement about finances.

It seems an odd way to do things as at amateur RL there's generally a youth committee that looks after all ages with joint fundraising efforts to make their clubs as inclusive as possible! 

1 hour ago, Death to the Rah Rah's said:

I see Reds are looking to start up a new Ladies team now.

What a farce, if they had looked after the current team they wouldn't find themselves in this position - talk about an 'own goal'

From what I've heard, the Reds in the Community and Ladies teams are all ran as individual clubs playing under the banner of Workington AFC. I was told that every age group has it's own little committee who are responsible for raising their own sponsorship money to buy tracksuit tops etc for their own age group.

Now I must stress this is what I was told by a parent and I have no idea of knowing if this is correct or not, but it seems to fit the narrative in the Red's ladies statement about finances.

It seems an odd way to do things as at amateur RL there's generally a youth committee that looks after all ages with joint fundraising efforts to make their clubs as inclusive as possible! 

Workington juniors is an independent organisation but play under the club badge, reds in the community is owned by the club and another (50/50 I believe) and financed via monthly subs, subs for camps and sponsors etc etc. hope that makes sense.

Also you are correct, massive own goal

On 13/01/2024 at 17:00, rockerlad said:

Not a good look for the reds, well embarrassing really. Then reds release a statement saying they are launching a ladies team which will be owned/controlled by the reds and have representation on the board of directors........well why didn't you just do this with the already well established team. I don't blame the ladies for this re-brand. Town have taken them in and looked after them. 

The Ladies did not want to be owned by the reds and that's why they have left. But do not let the truth get in the way of a good yarn.

If you read their statement they also do not want to be owned by Town so they have literally just changed their name. I cannot see how they will be able to get better funding through a change of name.

Reds have made the correct move by moving swiftly to set up a new ladies team that they control, this way they are not investing into a team that can, and just has, walked away despite the investment Reds have put into them over the years.

I think Town need to be careful with this move as the same thing could happen to them if the ladies believe they will get a better offer from somewhere else further down the line, Perhaps Town already know this and that is why they have not put a statement out themselves until they have certain reassurances from the ladies team

On 13/01/2024 at 17:22, The Voodooguru said:

I've never really understood why the reds wouldn't have them affiliated as part of the club

It has always been the other way round. They wanted to control their own destiny and just used the Reds name and badge. Reds gave them financial support along with backroom support when the ladies required it.

3 hours ago, Chico said:

It has always been the other way round. They wanted to control their own destiny and just used the Reds name and badge. Reds gave them financial support along with backroom support when the ladies required it.

Going off your two posts you sound like you are from the reds side of the conversation Chico and a bit stung by what they have done, but there are always two sides to this craic and we haven't  really heard their side of it yet other than they are changing names and colours. The thing is although it has grown very rapidly very quickly,  ladies football in an area like ours has a relatively low ceiling so I'm not sure where their bigger offer will come from that you are warning of. At this moment in time both the ladies and Town are feeling the benefit of the partnership so all is good on the blue side of town, and it appears a bit salty on the other side of the road. Nevermind we will be all in the same biscuit tin stadium in a few years so it won't matter.

20 minutes ago, The Voodooguru said:

Going off your two posts you sound like you are from the reds side of the conversation Chico and a bit stung by what they have done, but there are always two sides to this craic and we haven't  really heard their side of it yet other than they are changing names and colours. The thing is although it has grown very rapidly very quickly,  ladies football in an area like ours has a relatively low ceiling so I'm not sure where their bigger offer will come from that you are warning of. At this moment in time both the ladies and Town are feeling the benefit of the partnership so all is good on the blue side of town, and it appears a bit salty on the other side of the road. Nevermind we will be all in the same biscuit tin stadium in a few years so it won't matter.

Hopefully people cleverer than us will make sure that doesn't happen or in the Words of Private fraser "we are doomed" well as far as Town are concerned? 

Sacrificing Town and DP to fix reds an give them a stand to replace the one they tore down rather than maintaining it?

On 17/01/2024 at 16:03, Chico said:

The Ladies did not want to be owned by the reds and that's why they have left. But do not let the truth get in the way of a good yarn.

If you read their statement they also do not want to be owned by Town so they have literally just changed their name. I cannot see how they will be able to get better funding through a change of name.

Reds have made the correct move by moving swiftly to set up a new ladies team that they control, this way they are not investing into a team that can, and just has, walked away despite the investment Reds have put into them over the years.

I think Town need to be careful with this move as the same thing could happen to them if the ladies believe they will get a better offer from somewhere else further down the line, Perhaps Town already knows this and that is why they have not put a statement out themselves until they have certain reassurances from the ladies team

I'm not sure what you mean when you say they didn't want to be owned by the Reds?? surely an amateur/professional sports club starts with its first team, then A team ladies' team down the youth ladder from 18s, 16s, 14s ect ect, but all still under the named club banner, yes the youth teams would look to raise their funds just like the open age and the ladies. I'm told the FA is very good at funding all the different teams at grass route levels and the Ladies' teams. The town will be entitled to put in for extra funding especially as another sport is looking to use their facilities, it all seems a bit strange to me.  

Very strange to say the least, and the lack of clear communication from the Board about the rationale merely fosters speculation.

 Yet surely it can only be a short term arrangement, because when Town and Reds have a jointly run stadium, it would be ludicrous to have 2 Ladies football teams, not least because one would be a much more viable proposition and even more likely to be successful.

So as others have commented its a  bewildering state of affairs at the moment.

Voodoo – No. I am not, and never have been, associated with either club. However I have read articles from both Reds and the Ladies in the past and understand the help they have received.

Nobody knows what is going to happen in the future, It was just a look at reality as to what may happen. I am sure 12 months ago nobody would of thought a RL club would be a better offer than a Football club for a Ladies football team. When / if the Stadium gets built I would imagine the newly named Town FC Women team will drop down the pecking order to at least 5^th for the use of the pitch as both clubs will have a senior Men and Women's Team and I would presume that the 2 Town Rugby teams and the 2 Reds Football Teams would have priority of any pitch bookings. This may become a factor in the Ladies moving again.

Derwent Parker – I would also like to think they are a lot cleverer and know more than us which may be the factor in Town not saying anything regarding the situation.

JMB – I used the phrase as that was what Rockerlad had used and I was correcting his post. The Ladies did not want to be part of the Reds in an official capacity and just wanted to use their name and badge. That is, from what I understand, is how they now want to be with Town i.e. Use their name and badge but not be a part of the club officially.

If Town can get funding for other sports using their facilities then it did not really matter if the Ladies changed their name or not, Town would still be able to get this extra funding. In fact i believe between the two clubs they may be able to have got more funding with the current set up as Town could get funding for allowing the use of the stadium and the Ladies would have access to funding for hire of facilities. If they join forces they may only be able to access either or 1 of these 2 streams of funding. 

Rex3 – Totally agree however I feel the newly formed Town FC Women have looked at the short term only and not thought about the long term. Would they be able to re-amalgamate back into the new Reds Womens team? Or would Town FC Women need to fold and the players move back? Very short sighted indeed.