Parents have spoken of shock, anger and heartbreak after Southampton Football Club’s
decision to remove places in its girls’ academy pathway, leaving dozens of players with “nowhere to go”.
Families say they were given no warning before offers to join the club’s Under 14 and 16 Category One programme were withdrawn, with some describing the timing and manner of communication as “cruel” and “devastating”.
The club's Category One academy status in the men's game is unaffected.
Ian White, 56, and his 14-year-old daughter had been travelling from Aldershot to Southampton for the past two years and said the news came as a complete shock, leaving him struggling to find an alternative place for his daughter elsewhere in the country.
He said his daughter “burst into tears” when she heard the decision, adding: “The amount of effort and dedication she’s put in is immense. Now it’s scrambling around at the last minute trying to find another team.”
Parents said try-outs for other clubs took place at the beginning of June, leaving limited, if any, opportunities for the girls to secure places in another Category One programme this season.
Concerns were also raised about equality within the women’s and girls’ game, with families questioning why the girls’ pathway appeared to be the area facing significant reductions, while the boys’ academy structure remains unaffected.
Steve Welford, a grandparent of one of the players, said the decision was “staggering” and difficult to understand.
He said: “To have this taken away for no apparent reason for all those young girls and potential future Saints ladies footballers appears staggering and we are struggling to understand, especially as this is part of the England Lionesses pathway for young girls.”
Derek Swift, 67, whose 13-year-old daughter has been at the academy for a year, said the timing of the decision was “more outrageous than anything”.
He said: “Trying to find another team is going to be an exhausting process.
"She was very upset last night. It’s horrendous the way they’ve done it.
Derek added that his daughter had played football since she could walk and fears she may now struggle to continue at the same level.
He said: “We’re concerned she’ll jack it in altogether. Mentally it’s going to be hard for her to get over. It feels like they’ve just been left in limbo.”
