The Newcastle United owners have made plenty of changes since buying the club, one of which has seen them provide vital investment for the women’s team.
Amanda Staveley has made a conscious effort to boost Newcastle United Women, who previously did not even fall under the same ownership.
But the club changed that last year, with a restructuring resulting in Newcastle United Women being owned by Newcastle United for the first time in their history. They were previously supported by the Newcastle United Foundation, but ran independently from the actual club.
That has all changed now, and the women’s team are going from strength to strength since Mike Ashley’s departure.
Becky Langley’s side are receiving a huge wave of support from Toon fans, with their home games taking place at Kingston Park. However, they have also played at St James’ Park on three occasions.
The most recent was Sunday, when the Lasses beat Bradford City Women 6-1. It was a vital win in the race for promotion, with Newcastle looking to go from the fourth tier of women’s football to the third.
They put on a show inside St James’ Park, in front of 24,092 fans. It was a remarkable attendance, and the Toon owners have been praised for what they have done to the women’s team.
Newcastle United Women improvement is a ‘sign of good ownership’
The 6-1 win over Bradford City was discussed on Sky Sports on Monday, with pundit Sue Smith praising Langley’s side. She tipped them to reach the Women’s Super League very soon.
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock then commented on the game, and took time to praise Newcastle’s owners for the changes they have made to the women’s team.
“It’s a sign of good ownership, I think,” he said.
“Just being able to bring the women’s game to St James’ Park, to get that backing – I don’t think that would have happened under the previous regime.
“I think it’s very, very clever from the ownership to make sure that they back the women’s team and give them the opportunity to play at St James’.”
Step in the right direction
It is excellent to see the Newcastle United Women receive such incredible support inside St James’ Park. Fans are eager to see them do well, while the owners have ambitions for them to compete at the highest level.
Staveley has been very open about her desire to see the team in the WSL in the future, as well as competing in the Champions League. That is the aim for both the women’s and the men’s team.
As Warnock says, the change would not have happened without the new owners coming in. Their commitment to women’s football is refreshing to see, and is massively beneficial to the club as a whole.
It has created an interesting juxtaposition. Newcastle United’s ownership group has been criticised due to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, while the Toon decision makers have massively improved the women’s team and given it a platform that it has never had before.
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