Women’s football: Charlton boss Karen Hills wants rules change so two clubs promoted from Championship

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Karen Hills wants to see the FA Women’s Championship promotion expanded to two teams.

The Addicks finished their campaign on a positive note as second-half goals from Emma Follis and Katie Robinson earned a 2-1 win over Durham on Sunday.

It was the first time that Charlton had played at The Valley since they became a full-time professional outfit in the summer.

The result ensured fifth place, three points behind South London rivals Crystal Palace.

Liverpool finished 11 points clear of London City at the top and Addicks boss Hills reckons expanding promotion and relegation would have a beneficial effect.

“We need to have two teams going up because there could probably be a play-off between second and third, which then really opens it up for the rest of the teams chasing,” she told Charlton Live. “After Christmas, when you see Liverpool riding away with it, the rest of the teams are playing for their placing. There’s not that real drive and excitement that I guess you’d want to see.

“I definitely think two teams should go up and possibly two teams that [should] go down so that it gives the tier three an opportunity to go up, because again one of those two teams who qualify for the play-offs have done exceptionally well to win their league and they’re still going to be playing in the same league next season.

“If they hit the criteria and have got the resources and backing behind them, I think we’re in the position where we can definitely grow both the leagues – the WSL and the Championship. That’s how we grow women’s football.

“I knew on paper I was bringing in some real quality players to help us do well but every team in the league has increased their resources. There are more quality players in the league.

“I believed any team in this league is going to beat the other on any given day and I was proven right – there were five or six teams scrapping between one or two points.

“Liverpool should have ran away with it, they have got experienced players who have played this level before and in the WSL. They were the team that probably everyone tipped to go up and the rest of us were on their tail.

“We played Liverpool twice and were excellent in both games. It goes to show we just need to be more consistent.

“To finish fifth, against teams who played in this league a lot longer than us, is credit to the players. We’ve given a good platform to build next season.

“But every team will say exactly the same: ‘We’ll rebuild’. Everyone wants to win the league, but the Championship is a hard league.”

Goalkeeper Eartha Cumings was named their 2022 Player of the Year.

She also made her debut for Scotland earlier this year.

“I’ve achieved pretty much everything I hoped for [this season],” said Cumings. “I’ve played for Scotland and that has been my ambition since I started playing football. Playing professional football for Charlton has been fantastic.”

Crystal Palace’s Women’s Player of the Year is set to be announced at the club’s annual awards night at Box Park on May 10. Dean Davenport’s team twice fought back from trailing to Sheffield United to draw 2-2 last weekend. Charley Clifford and Sophie McLean netted.

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD