Sometimes you can read too much into things. Other times you can believe rumours may be true and they are wide of the mark. Such is the way in professional football. That’s no different in the women’s game either as events may have shown this weekend.
United’s Lasses as has been well documented completed back-to-back promotions this season winning the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division. A title winning campaign that means they’ll play in the FA Championship next season.
That forthcoming season will see derby games a-plenty as both Sunderland, who narrowly missed out on promotion to the Women’s Super League, and Durham will both be in the Championship as well next campaign.
Exciting times and almost as exciting is the pre-season which will see Becky Langley meet with Club officials to strategise for what will be a demanding season at women’s football’s second highest level.
It would be mad think that Langley could achieve three promotions in a row. The Championship is possibly more than one step up in quality rather than just in actuality. United need to be ready for the rigours and demands of such a challenge.
But is it mad? United remember are already full-time professionals and a lot of the Championship sides are not. Newcastle have the wherewithal to stock up their squad in the close reason and the determination to make sure they’re ready for what lies ahead.
Which brings me back to my opening gambit. Can you read too much into things you see? Maybe. On Sunday United took the field at West Bromwich Albion with Georgia Gibson in the starting XI and named as Captain for the last game of the campaign.
The same Georgia Gibson who had not been in the starting XI for the two previous games and as far as I’m aware hasn’t captained the side before. Was this a reward for her loyal service and contribution particularly in the last two seasons? Time will tell.
Young substitutes Anna Soulsby and Sharna Wilkinson came on in the second half and both scored. Soulsby from the penalty spot when there were other potential penalty takers on the field.
At the end of the game as the vast majority of the players, staff and supporters celebrated the win and the conclusion of a wonderful season, both Soulsby and Wilkinson were seen to be highly emotional and in floods of tears.
I guess both players who have been sparingly used and nearly always just from the bench may have just found the occasion a bit overwhelming. Or, as I keep saying, should we read more into the tears?
Then a couple of days after the West Brom game, I received a text with a photograph in from a supposed inside source from Sunderland Ladies AFC announcing possible player movements at United’s soon-to-be derby rivals.
Are the Magpies considering plundering their Black Cat neighbours for players with Championship experience? Contained within the message where the following rumours/suggestions/thoughts.
Amongst those rumoured to be definitely on their way out of Sunderland for next season is Katy Watson an England under-18 International forward and the message said there was strong interest from Newcastle.
Uncertainty surrounds goalkeeper Claudia Moan with Newcastle supposedly preparing an offer to make her their #1 for next season. Mary McAteer a full Welsh International should be moving into the second year of a two-year deal.
But there’s lots of interest in her with United rumoured to be lining up a bid for her. Katie Kitching, a box-to-box midfielder that wears #10 is reported as staying but with interest from Newcastle and an unnamed foreign club.
And rumoured to be incoming to SAFC Women with a deal reportedly already signed, sealed and delivered is one Bridget Galloway who was only Wor Lasses top scorer in all competitions last season.
However, Galloway fell away after Christmas and in the latter part of the season even struggled to make the bench with the arrival of Paige Bailey-Gayle and Langley’s utilisation of Katie Barker through the middle in the last two games.
So, read into what you want from what you see and believe what you think may be true from rumours and thoughts. One thing though is certain and undoubtedly true. There’s changes a-foot coming in United’s 2024/25 FA Championship squad.
