Will we *ever* get a game??

Hi guys

Yet again I have no football to talk about this week, despite our efforts!!

We travelled down to London on Saturday night in preparation for our FA cup game against Arsenal on Sunday. As we were travelling to the game our manger received a phone call saying that the referee had called the game off due to a frozen pitch. We were about 5 minutes away from the ground so in protest we decided to continue and see for ourselves. It was frozen but the game was due to kick off at 1 and we asked could they not delay kick off for a few hours as the sun was shining. The referee was very set in his ways and wouldn’t be persuaded, flirting was an option to try and get him to reconsider but we told Rick we didn’t think this would work!! This is the third time we have travelled to the Capital, stayed over only for the game to be called off.

You have probably been aware of what’s been happening with Leeds Met and ourselves as the press coverage in Leeds have been fantastic for us but I am going to have another rant to keep it in the forefront of everyone’s minds…Here goes…

Unfortunately we seem to have had a lot of coverage from all quarters for reasons beyond the game and the story will not go away, nor do we want it too. Thinking and looking at the bigger picture and the consequences for the city and not only the Ladies team the decision and timing of it show a real misunderstanding and clear ineptness.

Firstly, the University has the approval and naming for the national “centre of excellence for Sport”! Now this will heap pressure on the University from central government, funding agencies, Sport England and governing bodies to confirm and justify sustainability for several years of the agreement. Now they have opened a can of worms can the University support such claims of excellence or jobs and any reputation will be at risk.

The City of Leeds is planning to host and have bids in place for Rugby League, Rugby Union and the Football 2018 World Cup. The city has to show a diverse range of sports and pathways to elite programmes. Thus enabling stadia development, regeneration and new jobs. If the Met cannot assist with the finances nor bring in partners nor funding for the women’s team how can they project to the government that they are first class in everything they do?? Costing arrangements have been bandied around yet the cost of running our team is a third of what has been mentioned , yet the Met sponsor the Rugby for allegedly over a million a season.

Such a poor and rash decision has been made without real thought for the Ladies team yet there are huge implications on our city and the University itself. On a football pitch you cannot hide yet sat behind a desk you can talk spin and hide behind a P.R agency. Has the decision been made for the right reason or has someone been justifying their post to a new V.C??

Despite all of this we are in the League Cup final against Everton on Thursday the 11th of February at Rochdale 7pm kick off, please come and give us a shout and if you haven’t heard someone has set up a petition to save our Leeds so if you could sign it myself and the girls would much appreciate it www.weareleeds.org