A Donegal businessman has contacted Manchester United FC to query why one of world's biggest football clubs has NO women's team.
Ian Harkin, owner of the hugely successful Letetrkenny-based children's doll company LOTTIE was perplexed when he discovered that Manchester United FC had no women's football team.
He was shocked to discover that a worldwide brand like Manchester United FC who also claim to have the largest fan base in the world, does not have a senior women's team at the club.
Manchester United, along with Tottenham Hotspur are the only Premiership clubs that don't have a women's senior team.
The Moville based businessman decided to contact Manchester United and find out why they don't cater for a women's team within the infrastructure of the club.
Harkin suggested that within the regulations of the UEFA licensing structure - ALL clubs should make it compulsory to have a women's team as part of their licensing requirements.
Which according to Harkin would provide female players with the same opportunities and legal rights which are afforded to male players.
Harkin posted the following message on his LOTTIE Facebook page which includes a number of startling facts about the women's game.
"Manchester United a club which claims the worlds largest fan-base – does not have a senior women's football team.
Following the thrilling Women's World Cup 2015 tournament, a resurgence in the popularity of women's football has emerged, but did you know that in the early 1900's, women’s football had attendances reaching over 50,000 for club matches, becoming so popular that it was perceived as a threat to the men’s game - and so was banned in England from 1921 to 1971?!
We believe the UEFA club licensing needs to extend to women’s football, making it compulsory that each licensed club has a women's team, affording female players the same opportunities and legal rights as the men’s game.
At present only 7 countries have adopted this policy, Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Northern Ireland, Sweden, Hungary and Georgia.
What are your thoughts?
Read More; http://www.independent.co.uk/…/why-is-it-that-theres-no-wom…
Read our Lottie coaching tips for girls; http://lott.ie/womens-world-cup-2015