Players from Wolves Women say their ultimately unsuccessful battle for promotion was “all for nothing” as the club had already decided not to apply to compete in the Women’s Championship.
Wolves won their final match of the Women’s Premier Division North season against Liverpool Feds 6-0 but finished three points off champions Nottingham Forest.
They still had a chance of earning promotion on the final day had results gone their way, but players said the club had chosen not to submit the necessary application to compete in England’s second tier, even if they had achieved the feat.
In a statement posted on X,, external midfielder Beth Merrick said: “Imagine fighting for promotion all season to find out our Championship bid was never submitted.
“As a group we are absolutely devastated to finish the season this way and believe it speaks volumes about the club’s ambitions for the women’s team.”
The Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) and Wolves have been approached for a response.
The licence criteria to compete in the Women’s Championship encourages further investment and there is an expectation for clubs to build towards a professional model, but there are currently no Wolves players on full-time contracts.
Defender Lily Simkin, who previously played for Women’s Super League (WSL) club Birmingham City, said they “felt let down”.
She added on X, external: “As a group of staff and players we have been fighting all season and still achieved what some people at the club thought was impossible.
“We took it to the last day to find out it would have all been for nothing anyway. We deserve better.”
Sources at the club told BBC Sport that players and staff were called into a meeting after their final match with head of women’s football Jenna Burke-Martin and manager Dan McNamara.
Some were in tears, one source claimed, as players were informed that they had “played for nothing” and the club “never had any ambition to put a bid in” to play in the Women’s Championship.
Players felt they had shown they were able to compete on a low budget but had been “lied to” and shown “a lack of respect” by not being made aware of the club’s intentions.
There were positive signs last summer as manager McNamara, physio Christos Christofides and physical performance coach Nathan Maxfield were given full-time roles.
Three players were also given contracts but not on a full-time basis.
However, the women’s under-21s squad was scrapped in the summer and it is claimed a number of players are still not paid salaries, only their expenses.
Some staff members are unsure about their future at the club because there are question marks over the long-term ambitions.
Players are due to meet at the club on Tuesday, as originally planned, but have not received communication on what the next steps are.
Wolves have submitted applications for the Women’s Championship in previous seasons and lost in a play-off final to Southampton in 2022.
Supporter and host of The Wolves Women Podcast, Nick Andrews-Gauvain, told BBC Sport: “After what had been such a great day on Sunday – brilliant atmosphere, good football and a win for Wolves – it was devastating to hear the news break that the club didn’t support the players and staff.
“The club make a big thing about being ‘One Pack’ but this now feels like all spin rather than actually something they buy into.
“As the game grows, Wolves risk being left behind and it will cost us more in the long run to play catch up.”