Blackburn Rovers Women have been informed via WhatsApp that their owners aren’t set to financially support them next season.
Championship club Rovers’ female team were founded in 1991 and are one of 11 sides who played in the 2024/25 Women’s Championship.
Blackburn’s owners might not fund the women’s team for next seasonGettyThey ended the campaign in tenth to avoid relegation from what is now known as the Women’s Super League 2.
However, doubt has been cast over Blackburn Women’s future in the second tier from next season.
Defender Niamh Murphy posted a statement on X revealing that owners V H Group, who bought Blackburn in 2010, will cut their funding of the women’s team.
“Via WhatsApp today we, Blackburn Rovers Women first-team, were made aware that there is a 99 per cent chance that the club’s owners won’t be financially supporting the team next season,” the full-back said.
“We were told by message by a fellow teammate that the club have been given a seven day deadline to state their intention to financially support the team and if this isn’t signed then the club will be forced to drop out the Championship/WSL 2.
“I have been a Blackburn player for three seasons and the only consistency there has been is the lack of financial support from the club.
“Whilst this season may not look successful to others, we have once again avoided relegation despite having the smallest budget. This is a huge success and a credit to the women’s players and staff.
“This group has worked relentlessly hard all season for so little reward. We all earn less than a liveable wage, with many players having to live away from home whilst also having to work other jobs to survive, and this is what we get in return.
“On a personal note, tearing an ACL is one of the toughest challenges a player can face, bringing with it uncertainty and doubt about returning to form.
“I am currently three weeks post-op and whilst I should be focused on returning to play I am now left facing a reality that the team and my contract may not exist next week. This is a situation that’s hard to fully comprehend.
Murphy expressed her anger at the news on social mediaGetty“Us players and staff deserve far better than what we’ve experienced in recent seasons.
“We’ve once again been left in the dark, waiting to see if the owners will have the decency to do what’s best for their players, staff and women’s football.”
Blackburn Women, managed by Simon Parker, were promoted to the newly-branded WSL 2 at the end of the 2018/19 campaign.
However, they could return to the Women’s National League North if the owners don’t intend to fund them for next season.
The apparent lack of support appears to be similar to what has happened at Wolves Women, who play in the National League North.
It was recently revealed that the club hadn’t submitted an application to the Championship despite their push for promotion.
Blackburn Women avoided relegation from the WSL 2GettyWolves finished second and missed out on playing in the WSL 2, but their players learned that a top-spot finish would have been in vain.
Midfielder Beth Merrick said: “Imagine fighting for promotion all season, to find out our Championship bid was never submitted.”
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