iklgizmo

I think how the second half of the season goes will depend a lot on if an announcement is made regarding increasing the WSL. If they said the following season there were going to be no relegations from the WSL and 2 teams promoted, then the team going up this year would have basically a free hit season to get themselves established with no fear of relegation. If no such announcement is made, quite a few of the teams near the top of the championship (charlton, Birmingham, durham) know there is no way they have the finances to go up and compete, so they could potentially drop off!

I would agree with that, they were definitely the best team we've played. Even at 3-1 it was never entirely comfortable, but we were very naive in the way we played after the red. Would have taken a point before the game, but definitely feels like we're looking at an upper mid table finish this season, which isn't necessarily a bad thing!

Remembered someone posting about her, she's just scored against Barcelona!!!

I don't think you need a membership. Crowd size at other games will be pretty small, so you could probably just buy from their website, and then move to sit where any other toon fans are when you get there

1 nil up, Demi Stokes!!!!

It's on Event 1 now, think they had the wrong game on initially

Not sure of they have a game themselves this evening? Can't find anything but looked like there were players warming up at blue flames an hour ago!

Sunderland currently beating LCL is interesting!!! Definitely looks like Charlton are the team to beat!!

It's crazy! A lot of 'full time' players have to have part time jobs just to afford to live. The majority of contracts are 1 year top, so poor wage with zero stability! Contract lengths are one of the main things that need to change in the women's game, even right at the top! Keira Walsh, arguably one of the best players in the world will go for a free next summer, lucy bronze went for free this summer! Clubs are missing out on transfer fees, good players move around for free, and the average to good players are constantly clinging on to their salaries year by year

I can 100% tell you not even half of the team are on 35k. A couple will be on a bit more, but most are mid 20s, and that is high for the league! Hopefully we'll keep increasing those salaries though, and LCL are handing out some hefty salaries, so if everyone follows suit, things will continue to progress!

So do I!

There is absolutely zero chance 30 players are on 35k! Most WSL teams other than the top 2 or 3 won't have the majority of their players on that much!

It's quite a wide open league this year. I hope we would be in the mix, but Charlton or London city lionesses are probably favourites, Birmingham will be up there too. Sunderland will expect to do as well if not better than last year, and Bristol should be there or there abouts having just come down from the WSL and keeping most of their squad together. They have lost their manager though, and as far as I'm aware, they haven't got a replacement yet. Our squad looks ok on paper, but there have been so many changes, it's a bit of a mystery as to how well we'll do. I think we may struggle to score many goals, but hopefully I'm wrong! Last season we were the only full time professional team which gave us a massive advantage, that's wiped out this season though as I think most teams are professional or at least semi. Very few (if any) of our squad are WSL standard, so finishing top 3 or 4 and then having (another) revamp of the squad to bring some WSL level players in, then going for it next season would be my ideal situation!!

Not very thin either!!!

I wonder if there was an element of using his position to try and get what he wanted! 'Do this and I can get you a promotion' kind of thing??

Yea I get the format, the whole cup is a bit of a joke really. No one takes it seriously other than arsenal, as it's the only thing they seem to be able to win these days!! I agree though, should draw some big crowds, and if some of the teams field weaker sides, we could maybe spring a suprise or 2! You would think Man U should be looking at it more seriously this year, as they're not in Europe, and unlikely to be challenging for the league again!

The draw is brutal considering the other group we could have been in, is all championship clubs!! Just hope we don't get too battered in all the games, but it certainly will give a good reflection on where the squad is at

I'm fairly sure she turned down a 1 million pound contract earlier in the year so she could try and win the FA Cup with Man U (which she did win). So I would imagine it would take some wage offer to entice her, but the source is a good one in women's football! I just wish we were targeting some younger players so we could see some sort of plan for the future, rather than throwing everything at this season, then having to start all over again next summer!

Probably her last season, so I'm delighted for her that she's got the chance to come home and play for us, she's a huge newcastle fan!! I've seen her play live quite a lot, and at times she's looked brilliant, often head and shoulders above her teammates!! Obviously at 36 she's not going to be revolutionary as her best years are behind her, but her experience will be amazing!! And she's an absolutely mint person too!!

I really really hope so, and im sure we'll all enjoy the ride! But realistically not one of our players would slot into a WSL team, including the new signings! Demi stokes is a high profile signing but she's barely played in the last couple of years! Would love it if we could get a few in with great potential, but I'm sure that will come eventually!

Yea i agree, would almost be a bad thing if we got promoted again, the WSL is brutal to newly promoted teams!!

If they get promoted again this season, they'll need another complete squad revamp! Very few of these players will be here in 2/3 years

They're already starting to build some bellway homes on some of the land, there are roadworks happening already to prepare sewage works. I would imagine the whole thing will just become another housing estate

Rachel Furness would be great! Loads of experience and her current club, Bristol City, have dropped down to the championship, so wouldn't be a step back for her. My only concern, is all the rumours seem to be targeting older players, which would be great for this season, but then also means we have to build a while new squad in 12 months time! Would be great of we could get some younger players on loan from wsl clubs, with a view to then getting some game time, but with at least the potential of us signing them on a more permanent basis!

It's because they get offered such short contracts, so it's easy to just leave. Some of the players moving around (Earps, Bronze, Miedema) should command decent fees, but they're all going on a free!