Women soar after they’re brought into Wolves pack

A shake-up off the pitch in the summer saw them relocate to the Sir Jack Hayward training ground in Compton to train alongside the men’s senior squad, writes Bradley Rice.

Dan McNamara’s team have a big gap over Birmingham & West Midlands in second in Midlands Division One, and the boss believes the Compton move has galvanised his side on the pitch.

“It was a real powerful summer for the women and a huge step forward for the club,” he said. “It has been a big turning point for Wolves.

“The owner really got behind us and this season is an amalgamation of everybody’s hard work – it’s a result of everybody pulling together.

“It’s nice for us to not be just associated to Wolves through the name and the badge, but to really feel a part of the club.

“We have been so welcomed at Compton. That was a barrier we were worried about, but all the coaches and the players have been fantastic.”

McNamara has praised the club’s hierarchy for allowing the women access to Compton, and it is a decision that has helped create an elite environment.

It is a sign of the club’s growing ambition and the first-class facilities are a big upgrade on the college setting to which they had been accustomed.

“The training facilities at Compton are up there with some of the best in the higher divisions the Championship and the Super League,” he said. “State-of-the-art facilities attract better players and create a good environment, which has taken our game on to the next level.

“We only have to look back 18 months ago and we were training out of Bilston College and there are still clubs around us who only have those sorts of facilities available to them.”

The club’s summer announcement that no female players would be made to pay fees has also proved to be a significant step forward.

McNamara believes it has been crucial in opening the Wolves clan to a wider pool of talented youngsters.

“It was massive for the club to take away the subs that the girls used to have to pay to be a part of the club,” he said. “I think we were one of the only clubs in the Midlands to take them away and it has paid dividends.

“The Regional Talent Club (RTC) have joined up with us at Compton. It has opened up opportunities for so many girls and really encouraged recruitment at youth level.”

The youngsters have joined the women’s set-up at Compton, while McNamara’s team have been included in events with the men’s senior side.

There is a real pack mentality surrounding Wolves and the women’s manager is enthralled his part-time squad have had the chance to rub shoulders with the club’s Premier League stars.

“As a manager, I am really proud to see the girls alongside the men,” he said. “People don’t realise our girls are working full-time, it’s a huge commitment and they do it because they love playing.

“They still have to earn a living so for the girls to get the opportunity to stand next to Premier League players at kit launches or signing sessions is a massive boost for them.

“The girls have got to get something back. We try and give them as professional an environment as we possibly can.”

Wolves look set to pick up the Midlands Division One title, but McNamara will not rest on his laurels and is well aware his side will be expected to push on next season.

“We know with success comes expectation,” he said. “The club will only continue to back our women’s programme for as long as we continue to achieve.

“It’s up to us to live up to it. We must match the ambition of the owner and all of those who have supported us so well. We need that first, elusive promotion and then kick on from there. We haven’t achieved anything yet, but we have put ourselves in a very strong position. We now have nine games to get us back up to tier three.”