Ladies handed potential boost as FA opens up application process
Sunderland Ladies will be offered the opportunity to apply for promotion to the Women's Championship for the 2021/22 season,theFAhaveconfirmed.
Mel Reay's side saw their campaigncurtailedforthesecondsuccessiveyearlastmonth, with the FA initial saying that there would be no promotion to the second tier.
However, they have announced their intention to promote two teams ahead of thenewcampaign.Clubsfrom theFAWNLNorthernPremier (Sunderland'scurrentdivision) and the FAW WNL Southern Premier are eligible to apply.
Sunderland have not yet confirmed whether they will apply, but Sporting Director KristjaanSpeakmantoldasupporters' collective meeting in March that the club wanted to secure a return to the Championship 'as soon as possible'.
Speakman added that he had been in discussions with Reay over a three to five year strategy for growing the club, and also said a strategy was being developed to support the women's programme and that 'the provision and use of data and analytics will also be available to the Sunderland Ladies structure so there is a consistency of approach throughout the club.'
It's also understood that Sunderland did begin the application process for promotion during the 2019/20 campaign, when Reay's side were dominant at the top of the table.
It is considered likely that
they will therefore explore an application this time around.
Competition for the two placesislikelytobesignificant, with Derby County understood to be preparing a strong application. The FA have also confirmed that their final decision will be judged on criteriaweighted75%on-pitch,and 25% off-pitch.
The on-pitch criteria will include points-per-game, cup
performance and goal difference across the two curtailed campaigns.
Sunderland will score very strongly on this front, given that they have a league PPG over that time of 2.39, comfortablythebestinthedivision.
They also reached the final oftheFAWNLCuplastseason, and suffered a narrow defeat in the FA Cup to WSL side Birmingham City. The off-field
section will mark clubs on areassuchasclubstructure,workforce and facilities.
Clubs will then be scored accordingly and provided the highest-scoring clubs meet the licencing criteria, they will then be offered the chance to moveuptotheChampionship.
Clubs have until May 4th to submit an application, with a final decision by the Women's FootballBoardexpectedeither attheendofthatmonth,orearly in June.
Speaking earlier this month,Reaysaidthatherearly conversationswithSpeakman had left her confident that the club was moving in the right direction.
"There's going to be a vision in place and a strategy to achieve it, which is all we want and all we need," Reay said.
"To know that everything is going to be in place for us is all that we can ask.
"I met Kristjaan last week and we had a really good talk.
“I had a catch up with Lee Johnson while I was waiting to speak to Kristjaan as well and the Academy of Light is buzzing,thefirstteamaredoingterrific and we want to do our bit indoingtheclubproudaswell, andmakingsurewegetresults on the pitch."