Proper battle in midfield during the 1st half, before we plundered the lead around the 40th minute. Gilt-edged chance should have been put away on the stroke of HT ..... but it missed by a whisker.
Second half we started to look threatening, using the wings well - going 2-0 up with an unorthodox free kick routine that wrongfooted their defence. Made it 3-0 with a penalty that the mens' team only dream of being given.
Should have added more goals as the game got stretched and good chances went begging. Very unfortunate to concede a last gasp Bees consolation - our keeper caught the ball but collided with a player and the ball spilled, then hacked off the line before being bundled in.
Credit to the Bees who battled all game, fiercely competitive and determined. But then so were our girls - they really wanted it. Well done!
Great result. Out two remaining games are against the top two in the league so if we can get anything from those two it will be a bonus. We needed to make it safe today and we did it. And as a bonus, Leicester secured the title and therefore promotion, meaning they and Durham won't be as motivated when they play us as they might have been.
Before that we've got the FA Cup on the 18th. Away to the winner of next week's game between Oxford United and Billericay Town. If we win on the 18th, the 5th round date hasn't been announced yet but probably after the leagues have finished. The quarter finals onwards are happening next season. If anyone's really desperate to watch the opposition, the Oxford game will probably be on Billericay's Youtube channel. But given Charlton's general record in cup ties against lower division opposition, perhaps I'll just pretend it isn't happening...
All the players will currently be on at least 18 hours a week, as that's what clubs have to sign up to if they want promotion to this division. Going full-time will be a step up from that. There are 4 or 5 clubs in the division which are currently full-time so we have to be thinking about top half if we're going to invest that sort of money.
Was that the case when we finished third in the division two years ago, or have more clubs gone pro at this level since then? - I know we had the likes of Kit Graham back then but that would have a great achievement as we'd have gone up had Man Utd not come along
That first year, only Manchester United were pro, and they finished top by a mile. Spurs were second and turned pro to get promoted. I don't know if they were training longer hours than the other clubs. Talking to people at various games I didn't get the impression at the time that either Spurs or Durham were more than part time. I think last season it was similar to now, with 4 or 5.
Where does the commercial element come from to support the wages of the women's team?
How much are supporters willing to pay to watch a match? Do we play all our matches at Princess Park? I wonder if going forward we will switch stadiums.
A good friend runs the social channels for a few pro footballers, both in the men and women's game. He informed me that the top women earn a substantial chunk of their wages through boot sponsorship.
Where does the commercial element come from to support the wages of the women's team?
How much are supporters willing to pay to watch a match? Do we play all our matches at Princess Park? I wonder if going forward we will switch stadiums.
A good friend runs the social channels for a few pro footballers, both in the men and women's game. He informed me that the top women earn a substantial chunk of their wages through boot sponsorship.
London City Women (ex-Millwall Lionesses) play their home matches at Princes Park, Dartford. Incidentally, they went full time professional a couple of years ago.
Charlton Women play at The Oakwood, Crayford - groundsharing with VCD.
That first year, only Manchester United were pro, and they finished top by a mile. Spurs were second and turned pro to get promoted. I don't know if they were training longer hours than the other clubs. Talking to people at various games I didn't get the impression at the time that either Spurs or Durham were more than part time. I think last season it was similar to now, with 4 or 5.
Cheers, makes sense why Charlton have struggled then the last two years if more clubs @ Championship level have gone pro since that year
Where does the commercial element come from to support the wages of the women's team?
How much are supporters willing to pay to watch a match? Do we play all our matches at Princess Park? I wonder if going forward we will switch stadiums.
A good friend runs the social channels for a few pro footballers, both in the men and women's game. He informed me that the top women earn a substantial chunk of their wages through boot sponsorship.
London City Women (ex-Millwall Lionesses) play their home matches at Princes Park, Dartford. Incidentally, they went full time professional a couple of years ago.
Charlton Women play at The Oakwood, Crayford - groundsharing with VCD.
Where does the commercial element come from to support the wages of the women's team?
How much are supporters willing to pay to watch a match? Do we play all our matches at Princess Park? I wonder if going forward we will switch stadiums.
A good friend runs the social channels for a few pro footballers, both in the men and women's game. He informed me that the top women earn a substantial chunk of their wages through boot sponsorship.
London City Women (ex-Millwall Lionesses) play their home matches at Princes Park, Dartford. Incidentally, they went full time professional a couple of years ago.
Charlton Women play at The Oakwood, Crayford - groundsharing with VCD.
Thanks for clarifying.
London City Lionesses was a new professional franchise not the Millwall one. They took 5 Charlton players.
Charlton Women do play one or two games a season at The Valley.
During the recent bad weather 2 games were switched to Bromley.
The VCD ground is good with a lovely club house serving good beer. The food counter inside the ground serves good value for money food. The teams come in after the game to eat some food.
As an over 60 my season ticket has been very cheap.
Where does the commercial element come from to support the wages of the women's team?
How much are supporters willing to pay to watch a match? Do we play all our matches at Princess Park? I wonder if going forward we will switch stadiums.
A good friend runs the social channels for a few pro footballers, both in the men and women's game. He informed me that the top women earn a substantial chunk of their wages through boot sponsorship.
London City Women (ex-Millwall Lionesses) play their home matches at Princes Park, Dartford. Incidentally, they went full time professional a couple of years ago.
Charlton Women play at The Oakwood, Crayford - groundsharing with VCD.
Thanks for clarifying.
London City Lionesses was a new professional franchise not the Millwall one. They took 5 Charlton players.
Charlton Women do play one or two games a season at The Valley.
During the recent bad weather 2 games were switched to Bromley.
The VCD ground is good with a lovely club house serving good beer. The food counter inside the ground serves good value for money food. The teams come in after the game to eat some food.
As an over 60 my season ticket has been very cheap.
I thought they had roots in Millwall's set up, I can recall there being some annoyed Spanners that they'd left the fold. Millwall were probably the 2nd best women's team in the 90s after Doncaster Belles, but why else keep the Millwall-associated name if there was no connection? Why not just London City WFC?
just found this https://www.millwallfc.co.uk/news/2019/may/club-statement/ which says that the board and owners of the Millwall Lionesses decided to break away (and rejected the use of the name Millwall). Millwall Lionesses has carried on at step 5 of the women's league system.
A shame, particularly as I've seen the women's team beat the Lionesses, a feat the men's team could do with learning (along with how to take a corner that clears the first defender).
Just got an email to say my regular payment to the women's team has been cancelled. Hopefully that's because they are now in rude financial shape! Glad to have helped
Next Sunday's FA Cup match will be away at Oxford United. They streamed the previous round on YouTube so we can be pretty sure the game will be streamed, either on our channel or theirs.
On a side note regarding something I mentioned a couple of weeks ago I am pleased to be watching my great niece Allie Murphy making her international debut for the Republic of Ireland women in a friendly in Belgium. An international cap. Go girl.
Sunday's FA Cup game is being streamed free on the Oxford United YouTube channel. Kick-off 2pm. Winner plays Wolves or Blackburn on 16 May which will be the last weekend of the season. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuLAsHtoOl-GF33JKmo8kzA
1-1 following a comedy own goal. Direct link to the stream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGUQaFqCtbc Interesting hearing commentary from people who are used to watching the level below - they're being rather more complimentary than we're used to.
Blackburn won 5-2. So our remaining fixtures for this season are: 25 April Durham home (NB 12 noon not 2pm) 2 May Leicester away 9 May week off 16 May Blackburn away (FA Cup round 5)
The Durham game isn't being streamed, which is a shame because from what I can see on Twitter we're doing really well against the second best side in the division. 1-0 up with a few minutes to half time.
Comments
Proper battle in midfield during the 1st half, before we plundered the lead around the 40th minute.
Gilt-edged chance should have been put away on the stroke of HT ..... but it missed by a whisker.
Second half we started to look threatening, using the wings well - going 2-0 up with an unorthodox free kick routine that wrongfooted their defence.
Made it 3-0 with a penalty that the mens' team only dream of being given.
Should have added more goals as the game got stretched and good chances went begging.
Very unfortunate to concede a last gasp Bees consolation - our keeper caught the ball but collided with a player and the ball spilled, then hacked off the line before being bundled in.
Credit to the Bees who battled all game, fiercely competitive and determined.
But then so were our girls - they really wanted it. Well done!
Anyway, safe from relegation.
Before that we've got the FA Cup on the 18th. Away to the winner of next week's game between Oxford United and Billericay Town. If we win on the 18th, the 5th round date hasn't been announced yet but probably after the leagues have finished. The quarter finals onwards are happening next season. If anyone's really desperate to watch the opposition, the Oxford game will probably be on Billericay's Youtube channel. But given Charlton's general record in cup ties against lower division opposition, perhaps I'll just pretend it isn't happening...
How much are supporters willing to pay to watch a match? Do we play all our matches at Princess Park? I wonder if going forward we will switch stadiums.
A good friend runs the social channels for a few pro footballers, both in the men and women's game. He informed me that the top women earn a substantial chunk of their wages through boot sponsorship.
Incidentally, they went full time professional a couple of years ago.
Charlton Women play at The Oakwood, Crayford - groundsharing with VCD.
Charlton Women do play one or two games a season at The Valley.
During the recent bad weather 2 games were switched to Bromley.
The VCD ground is good with a lovely club house serving good beer. The food counter inside the ground serves good value for money food. The teams come in after the game to eat some food.
As an over 60 my season ticket has been very cheap.
just found this https://www.millwallfc.co.uk/news/2019/may/club-statement/ which says that the board and owners of the Millwall Lionesses decided to break away (and rejected the use of the name Millwall). Millwall Lionesses has carried on at step 5 of the women's league system.
A shame, particularly as I've seen the women's team beat the Lionesses, a feat the men's team could do with learning (along with how to take a corner that clears the first defender).
Aaaaargh. Just as I type Belgium take the lead.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuLAsHtoOl-GF33JKmo8kzA
Interesting hearing commentary from people who are used to watching the level below - they're being rather more complimentary than we're used to.
25 April Durham home (NB 12 noon not 2pm)
2 May Leicester away
9 May week off
16 May Blackburn away (FA Cup round 5)