It used to be connected to SFC and was briefly professional. When we are nicely settled in the PL perhaps some assistance could be offered.
I'm not complaining, it means we're still the top Women's team on the South Coast! Even still, from what you said it sounds like a bit of a sexist answer. A kind of "Pahaha, women playing football!"-type answer. Could have said something like "While currently our focus is to get the Men's Team into the Premiership [or whatever], we recognise the value a successful Southampton Women's Football team for the local community and in the future we will look to strengthen our relationship with the Southampton Saints". Maybe I'm misreading what he meant however.
Southampton Saints are a well run enterprise and I don't think there is any prospect of them being reabsorbed into the club. They are in the 4rd tier (regional) of the women's league and as one of the main teams around here they get some good support from people like Hampshire FA in developing the game particularly at youth level. It seems like the people in charge of the women's game are doing the right things at the moment and participation is going in the right direction, the WSL is going well also. It might also interest you to know that Southampton are eight times winners of the FA Women's Cup.
Oh yeah, the game yesterday! I was really impressed with the performance and they seemed to do a great job of stifling Brazil's best players. Brazil made a few good chances but the goalkeeper dealt with most of them comfortably. There were some really well worked moves from GB and it could have been better had Smith converted the correctly awarded penalty, after which the defender was shown the incorrect colour card! I was sat right up the top of the stadium, the top tier was pretty much full and the attendance was pretty close to the JPT Final, which was great but a nightmare to get out afterwards.
I remember watching 5 of Saints Ladies playing for England v Belgium at The Dell. Not sure of the year, but at a guess I'd say 1978/79 ish.
Sturridge with the goal, a tap in in et before ht. Second half Butland putting more noughts on the end of his fee, Suarez missed a sitter.
We weren't even formed until the mid 80s! Thankfully the South Coast Women's Football Pendulum has shifted towards the mighty PLFC! Well, even if not being absorbed into the club, the club should do more to raise awareness and encourage people to support a team (indeed so should Portsmouth) as at the end of the day, they still represent the city of Southampton (as PLFC represent the city of Portsmouth).
