We’ve seen this story too many times before.

A women’s team gets pushed aside, starved of resources, and left to fade — not because of failure on the pitch, but neglect off it.

Blackburn’s withdrawal from the Women’s Championship next season is just the latest example. Despite surviving relegation, the club owner is unwilling to meet the league’s requirements on facilities, player welfare and staffing. FA rules state the club can only re-enter the pyramid at least two tiers below the league they’ve withdrawn from.

This isn’t an isolated trend. It’s a pattern — and a dangerous one.

Reading Women were demoted from the second all the way down to the fifth tier because of financial difficulties. Wolves didn’t apply for promotion even though they were eligible and only missed out on top spot on the final day. Even at the top tier, Manchester United shifted their women’s team out of their training facilities to make space for the men.

Yes, club owners shouldn't discriminate. That part is non-negotiable. But while moral pressure matters, so does practicality. If we want the women’s game to grow sustainably, we need to engage with reality, not just ideals.

The cold truth is that many owners don’t believe they have the environment or financial stability to invest properly in women’s football. That doesn’t make it right — but it’s a barrier we need to reckon with.

Clubs looking to compete in the WSL or Championship must meet a set of rigorous FA licensing requirements. These include offering full-time player contracts, providing medical and physio support to elite standards and building dedicated staff roles across coaching, performance, marketing, and safeguarding.

But if three different clubs outside of the top flight have each made clear they cannot afford the mandatory licence requirements for survival to compete in the top two leagues, that suggests the current structure is too restrictive.

So what can be reasonably done? 

Should we scrap relegation for a number of years to give clubs the breathing space to grow without the fear of falling at least two tiers overnight? The appetite for risk at this stage is low, but allowing these clubs time to build security could change that.

Should we expand the WSL so that meaningful promotion isn't limited to just one or two spots — a system that protects the elite and gatekeeps the top flight?

What about salary caps? Chelsea Women just won their sixth straight league title. Dominance is fine — but predictability kills growth and makes the product much less attractive.

This isn’t about lowering standards. It’s about raising access. As women’s football embarks on this journey, it is vital those running the game create a football economy where all teams can thrive, not just survive.

The elephant in the room is that virtually every women’s team relies heavily on their men’s team financially. The current model exposes just how unsustainable that can be.

Women’s football is a clear growth sector — the potential is there, the audience is growing, and the talent is at its best. Clubs would be silly not to see the long-term return. 

But in the short term, if tweaks to league structures and safeguards can help build confidence and speed up investment, we have to have that conversation too.

Right now, between cowardly ownership and stagnant systems, too many careers are being paused, rerouted, or outright ended. 

That’s not just bad business. It’s a crying shame.