© Written By – Tom Blewitt

Today should have been a defining moment for the Wolves Women’s team, who entered their final game of the season with the chance to win the league and secure promotion to the Championship. However, in a deeply disappointing turn of events, players were informed after the match that the club had never submitted a bid for promotion for the upcoming season.

Had Wolves Women clinched the league title today, the victory would ultimately have been hollow, as no opportunity for elevation to a higher tier had been made available. This revelation has left players feeling betrayed, once again highlighting the growing divide between the club’s public commitments and its internal decisions regarding the women’s side.

This is not an isolated incident. Year after year, the Wolves Women players have been let down by the very institution that publicly claims to champion them. Sadly, the club now faces the strong likelihood of a mass exodus this summer, with many players and staff members expected to depart. Given the circumstances, few could blame them.

Player Reactions

Wolves forward Beth Merrick expressed the squad’s devastation, stating:

“Going into today’s final game still in contention of winning the league and having to write this is crazy.
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.
For our staff to have to deliver this news to us moments after is astonishing.
Some of us have been part of this club for many years with endless amounts of success, which has grown year on year through all the highs and lows.
Our players, staff and fans deserve so much better. The staff have put in hours of dedication for a bid to never be submitted.
The gravitas that we have collectively worked hard to create has supported women’s football growth and the movement of ‘if you can see it you can be it’ throughout Wolverhampton.
It’s not about the money, it’s about the honesty and transparency — ironically not very apparent with the club’s #OnePack campaign.”

Former Wolves goalkeeper Shan Turner also voiced her disappointment, adding:

“These players and staff deserve so much more for the graft they put in every week and have done for a number of seasons now. A hierarchy very out of touch here that has to do better.”

Wolves player Lily Simkin further reflected the frustration within the squad, saying:

“We feel let down. As a group of staff and players who 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.”

Fan Reactions

Supporters have also voiced their anger at the club’s handling of the situation. Wolves fan Nick Andrews-Gauvain summed up the growing disillusionment, stating:

“This is shocking from Wolves/Fosun but why am I not surprised. #OnePack is just a PR slogan to them. They are not interested in success — remember if you want cups Wolves isn’t the club for you. But to not even put the paperwork in — that is shameful! #OnePackMyArse.”

Another supporter, Manny Singh Kang, added:

“This is like the men’s team fighting for Europe or something and then getting told! We’ve decided we ain’t playing in it anyway!! Absolute shambles from Wolves!”

Wolves fan Mattie James also expressed his anger, saying:

“It’s disgusting from Jeff Shi and Wolves. Everyone at the club has worked so hard to get us so close to winning the league and if we had done, we wouldn’t have been promoted anyway. We need Wolves fans to show the board what we think of this.”

A Question of Integrity

At the heart of this issue lies a question of integrity and commitment. The club’s oft-repeated mottos — “If you can see it, you can believe it,” and the celebrated “One Pack” mentality — now ring hollow. How can there be a genuine “One Pack” when the women’s side is continually marginalised and overlooked?

There is also growing concern among players and supporters alike that outright misogyny plays a role in how decisions are made within the club. When opportunities are systematically denied, and progress deliberately obstructed, it is no longer a matter of administrative oversight but one of systemic neglect.

The Wolves Women’s team has worked tirelessly to represent the club with pride, passion, and professionalism. They deserve not only recognition but also meaningful support and investment. Until Wolves addresses these deep-seated issues, their slogans will remain little more than empty words — and the dream of equality and genuine unity within the club will remain sadly out of reach.