Coaching staff resignations at Solihull Moors Women highlight urgent need for progress in women’s football

The manager of Solihull Moors Women, Tom Blaymires, resigned with immediate effect on Thursday along with all his coaching staff, two weeks after the players criticised the club for treating them with a ‘’lack of respect.”  

The team, which competes in the Midlands Division One of the Women’s National League, expressed their frustration after they were forced to forfeit a cup game against West Bromwich Albion. The club allegedly failed to secure a pitch for the fixture, resulting in a significant fine and elimination from the League Cup and Plate competitions.    

Player Alex Liddiard posted a statement on behalf of her teammates via X on September 20, declaring their voices had gone unheard after countless emails and meetings with the club. 

“We have endured conditions that no team, at any level, should be expected to tolerate – ill-fitting kits, a lack of basic equipment, no provision of transportation for games hours away, and … no guaranteed pitch to play midweek fixtures on.

“We cannot help but ask – would the men’s team ever be placed in this position?”

Blaymires backed up Liddiard in a statement posted on X: “All we have ever asked is for our players to be given the respect they deserve … Sadly, this seems to be too much to ask for and fills us all with great sadness and anger.

“We are still hitting the same barriers the women’s game did over 20 years ago.”

Despite the Solihull Moors Foundation’s claim that they take these issues seriously and that genuine solutions will be sought, these complaints reflect the wider, systemic issues plaguing women’s football.

Persisting inequality 

The Solihull Moors Women players’ situation is by no means unique to them. Former England international Jill Scott recalls challenges accessing pitches during her youth.

With priority often given to male teams, the Lioness legend told i News that her side frequently had to wait for later slots to train, occasionally left without a pitch entirely. ‘’One day we had to go to the car park and do shuttle runs. You know the lines of the car park spaces? That was our training session. I’m surprised I didn’t quit football there and then’’.   

Research from Sure UK found that women’s football continues to lag behind the men’s game in this regard. According to the study, 40% of female footballers surveyed do not have access to their own pitch, while 25% lack access to changing rooms.   

Further highlighting these inherent issues, Women in Football (WIF) surveyed 885 women, and 89% of respondents reported experiencing discrimination in the sport. Yvonne Harrison, CEO of WIF, said: “Everyone knows that gender discrimination happens in football. There’s an even bigger problem around how football deals with it … many women don’t feel they can report [gender discrimination], and when they do report it, too often no action is taken.” 

From explicit sexism to more subtle prioritisation of superior equipment and pitch access for male players, these studies convey how prejudice in womens’ football remains deeply entrenched.

Why do females suffer more ACL injuries?

Another striking example of inequality in women’s football is the significantly higher rate of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries compared to men. Female footballers are six times more likely to sustain this injury than their male counterparts.  

Dr Katrine Okholm Kryger, a Medical Specialist at UEFA, told the Guardian: ‘’We have literature from other sports, such as ballet, where ACL injury numbers are the same in women and men because they go to the same schools and train in the same environment. But if we look at sports such as football and rugby, where what we offer each gender is very different, you see a disparity.’’ 

Her research reveals that football boots are predominantly designed based on the feet of a generic white male (UK size eight). This fails to account for anatomical differences in women: “Women are lighter … and don’t have the same muscle mass to push off, so we need less traction.” A lack of consideration for female-specific boot designs increases the risk of women’s studs sticking into the ground, which can prompt ACL injuries.

The disproportion in ACL injuries between men and women is a glaring reflection of how the broader imbalances in facilities, products, and injury prevention strategies can have tangible consequences on female footballers’ careers and wellbeing. 

Challenges remain despite improvement  

Women’s football has undoubtedly made significant strides in recent years. Attendances in the Women’s Super League have increased by 239% since 2021, the Women’s FA Cup final has sold out at Wembley for the past two seasons, and the top flight has full-time footballers.    

However, obstacles persevere, particularly at grassroots level. A lack of funding, sponsors, and adequate equipment hinders progress. Greater resources and financial investment at the bottom of the football pyramid are crucial for enhancing the quality of play on the pitch but also for tackling injustice off it.   

The Solihull Moors Women players’ statement echoes the frustrations voiced by countless women in football. Their complaints serve as a powerful reminder that significant changes are necessary to drive progress and address long-standing inequalities in the sport.