Newcastle Women: The First Full-Time Professional Outfit in Women’s Third Tier
Newcastle Women have made history by becoming the first professional full-time outfit in the women’s game’s third tier. The team was promoted to the National League after being crowned Premier Division One North champions last season. According to the club, their female players will receive “competitive salaries” and access to “professional treatment and injury prevention facilities” from next season. This follows a season which saw them break attendance records at matches.
Monumental Moment for Newcastle United Women and the FA Women’s National League
Head coach Becky Langley said that this is a monumental moment for Newcastle United Women and the FA Women’s National League. She hopes that they will be a leading light in the movement towards professionalism in the women’s game and inspire women and girls who dream of pursuing a career in football. Langley added that they have worked incredibly hard to get here.
Record-Breaking Attendance
In April, Newcastle set a new crowd record for a women’s fourth-tier clash when they thrashed Bradford. A total of 24,092 fans filled the stands at St James’ Park with the players hammering their rivals 6-1. Last May, they broke the previous record for crowd turnout at a Magpies women’s game when 22,134 fans flocked to the stadium to watch them. Before then, their previous club record crowd number stood at 2,754. This was the total number that watched their 1-0 loss to Ipswich Town in the FA Cup last January.
Playing Home Fixtures at Kingston Park
Next season, the team will continue to play home fixtures at Kingston Park. The 10,200-capacity ground is shared with rugby sides Newcastle Falcons and Newcastle Thunder. Dan Ashworth, Newcastle’s sporting director, added that the success of Newcastle United Women is an integral part of their sporting objectives. They are delighted to support the team’s progress by building a professional model around them. Becky and the players have shown incredible dedication. Turning full-time will enable them to fully concentrate on their careers and the next chapter of Newcastle United Women as fully supported professionals.
Conclusion
Newcastle Women has made history by becoming the first professional full-time outfit in the women’s game’s third tier. The team was promoted to the National League after being crowned Premier Division One North champions last season. According to the club, their female players will receive “competitive salaries” and access to “professional treatment and injury prevention facilities” from next season. This follows a season which saw them break attendance records at matches. Head coach Becky Langley hopes that they will be a leading light in the movement towards professionalism in the women’s game and inspire women and girls who dream of pursuing a career in football. Newcastle Women will continue to play home fixtures at Kingston Park, which is shared with rugby sides Newcastle Falcons and Newcastle Thunder. Dan Ashworth, Newcastle’s sporting director, added that the success of Newcastle United Women is an integral part of their sporting objectives. They are delighted to support the team’s progress by building a professional model around them.