FFP

[Dante Lavelli]

If it is strictly wages they measure then there must be merit in making a special payment and terminating his contract.

Wasn’t gerrard’s payoff listed as something weird in the books?

[Dogtanian]

I am pretty sure there will be some mechanism to enable it.

And didn't we hire some legal expert specifically to look at PSR compliance? If anyone can find a loophole, Señor Unknown Legal-Expert can!

[PaulWinch again]

If any club sells their women's team to another company/person; isn't that just a franchise that has use of a name/IP?

What connection would it then have to the men's club?  Why would you support it/give a shit about its results when it has no links other than the name?

I already don't give a shit, neither do many looking at the crowds. If it sorts us out then great, sell the whole thing and move it to another town for all I care.

I’d say that would be pretty shortsighted. The women’s game is clearly growing, so purely from a commercial standpoint we should be thinking of that and that’s without thinking about wider societal arguments.

[Dogtanian]

I do think it's strange to love Aston Villa, yet not consider women who don the claret and blue to be part of that. Football clubs are important to communities, and that includes women. If we want Aston Villa to thrive, we have to stop worrying about what's in everyone else's pants.

Villa till I die... as long as there's a penis?

 

[Sexual Ealing]

Oh, there's always a penis in this debate. Normally the ones moaning about women's football.

[VILLA MOLE]

the womens team annoy me like the mens  not as much maybe , but they are keepers 

[ASHTONVILLA]

I'm not anti womens football per se, I am just being honest about how much interest I take in the Villa womens team. I couldn't name a single player and have no idea how they got on the league.

I lack the time or head space to follow multiple Villa teams, and wouldn't notice if they were sold. I suspect a lot of other posters here are the same and don't really follow them. It'd be the same if Villa had a basketball team, or teams in other countries.

[Chris Stares]

I’d say that would be pretty shortsighted. The women’s game is clearly growing, so purely from a commercial standpoint we should be thinking of that and that’s without thinking about wider societal arguments.

I agree with the general sentiment, and, although it may be slightly off-topic, part of the reason I believe that many are losing interest (including myself to some extent) is due to the massive disparity between the perpetually successful teams and the rest (which includes Villa).  The serial dominance of Arsenal and Chelsea means that they just pick off the best talent (Hannah Hampton and Daphne van Domselaar being just two examples from Villa to Chelsea/Arsenal respectively, who effectively used Villa as an entry point into the WSL).  I know that happens in the Premier League too, but it is slightly more balanced.  Unless this disparity is addressed by the authorities, then I can see why interest in supporting teams who are "making up the numbers", despite supporting the club's corresponding men's team, is waning somewhat (notwithstanding the occasional upset like Villa's recent 5-2 victory over Arsenal, for example).

[cdbearsfan]

Yeah, it doesn't help that the league has three Champions League places and no Europa or Conference League places. So, if you aren't at the top or battling relegation, your season is basically over before it starts. This problem will only be exacerbated if they go ahead with plans to expand the league and remove relegation in the meantime.

I agree with expanding the league, but they must maintain at least one relegation spot while they make the transition. I would also have it so three or four teams go into a playoff for the final Champions League spot.

[Rigadon]

I'm not anti womens football per se, I am just being honest about how much interest I take in the Villa womens team. I couldn't name a single player and have no idea how they got on the league.

I lack the time or head space to follow multiple Villa teams, and wouldn't notice if they were sold. I suspect a lot of other posters here are the same and don't really follow them. It'd be the same if Villa had a basketball team, or teams in other countries.

I'd have thought most fans are in a similar boat with how much they know about the women's Villa side, I know I am. 

   

[edgysatsuma89]

Oh, there's always a penis in this debate. Normally the ones moaning about women's football.

Also the classic 'just thinking about themselves' shit and not caring about anyone else.

[Percy McCarthy]

I’ve got a conspiracy theorist acquaintance who thinks we are being brainwashed into watching women’s football.

[Dogtanian]

Well, we are! We are also being brainwashed into watching men’s football, buying Coca Cola, and thinking Apple products are cool.

[Percy McCarthy]

Well, we are! We are also being brainwashed into watching men’s football, buying Coca Cola, and thinking Apple products are cool.

Having read the replies to Henry Winter’s tweet on the subject, I can see my daft friend is not alone on this:

https://x.com/henrywinter/status/1928099150559691074?s=46&t=GdM6cpVxe5IloByNCRheWA

[Ian.]

Women’s and girls football is thriving. I have two girls playing now. One who’s 12 at a development side and another 17 year old playing women’s league football. I went to watch my 9 year old niece play a cup final the other day, they were fantastic and far more technical and skilful than any lad I’ve seen play at that age.

The future of women’s football is extremely bright, it’s only going to get more and more popular.