Fulham chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed has announced that the club will launch England’s first professional women’s side next season.
The club’s proposals, inspired by Al-Fayed’s visit to the Women’s World Cup in America last summer, have seen a number of leading players offered fixed-term contracts – with a maternity clause allowing them off to have a baby. Norwegian international Margunn Haugenes was one of the first to sign up and the Whites hope to have a squad of at least sixteen in team for the 2000/2001 campaign.
Al-Fayed said in a Fulham statement:
“After seeing some of the Women’s World Cup competition last summer in America, I realised the tremendous potential of women’s football. It is my hope that Fulham Football Club can play a part in building opportunities for women to play professional football in this country and in time enhance its profile.”
Mick McGuire, the PFA’s assistant chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, told the BBC:
“We have always supported ladies’ football and are happy to offer them exactly the same benefits and support as our current members. We have always supported ladies’ football and are happy to offer them exactly the same benefits and support as our current members.”
The Football Association’s women’s game co-ordinator, Kelly Simmons, added:
“We think it’s fantastic that Fulham are taking the lead and being the first club to support a women’s professional team. It ties in very nicely with the FA’s strategy to establish a women’s professional league within the next three years. We hope other clubs will look to Fulham and follow suit.”
