Women's National League chiefs QUIT en masse after row over starting the season

The entire management committee of the Women’s National League have resigned following a row about the decision to kick off the season on the same day as England’s World Cup final defeat to Spain last Sunday.

The shock resignations from the National League, which comprises six divisions from the third tier down including clubs such as Newcastle, Wolves and Nottingham Forest, illustrates the ongoing structural issues within the women’s game despite the Lionesses’ World Cup achievements.

National League Board members were informed about the mass walk-out in an email sent by chair Carol West on Friday evening, which has been seen by Mail Sport.

While describing the reasons behind the resignations as “varied and complex” the criticism received for staging matches last Sunday is understood to have been a significant factor.

Difficulties in recruiting volunteers to run the National League on an unpaid basis also played a part.

The FA are understood to have offered to step in to run the National League and will take control of running its competitions immediately.

The surprise move gives the governing body responsibility for six divisions and 72 clubs at a time when they are exploring handing over the top two divisions of the sport, the Women’s Super League and the Championship, to the Premier League.

FA sources say they will be able to provide the National League with more resources and expertise at a time when the women’s game is growing at an unprecedented rate.

While the vast majority of the clubs involved are amateur, Newcastle’s squad comprises full-time professionals and they attracted a crowd of 24,000 to St James’ Park last season for a 6-1 win over Bradford that saw them promoted to the third tier.

The mass resignations come just two years after the FA intervened to set up a new Board for the National League featuring their own long-serving directors Sue Hough and Kelly Simmons, and independent appointees including TV presenter Jessica Creighton.

The National League were strongly criticised for scheduling the start of the season on the day of the World Cup final last weekend, particularly after England qualified by beating Australia in the semi-final, a victory which led to fans launching a petition calling for games to be moved.

The National League had already agreed that matches could be rescheduled if clubs submitted an application by an earlier deadline, although in the event 11 of the 12 Premier League fixtures went ahead last Sunday.

'The FA Women’s National League Board has regrettably accepted the resignation of the FA Women’s National League Management Committee,' a spokesperson for the National League confirmed to Mail Sport.

'The Board have asked the FA to put in place the necessary services to ensure that the league and the clubs are best supported as we move into the new season.”