At least six first team players have ended their time at Bolton Wanderers Women in the fall out of manager Myles Smith and assistant manager Megan Campbell leaving their roles.
Captain and life-long Wanderers fan Katie Holt, top scorer Faye Knox and dynamic midfielder Eleanor Seals are the most high profile departures, having all played a key part of last season’s historic promotion and cup double.
Winger Adekite Faduga-Dada has also left the club, along with forwards Evie Sadler and Imogen Longcake, with all three having only signed in the summer.
Bolton Wanderers are yet to address the player departures but it means that almost half of last week’s line-up for Bolton’s 6-1 win over Preston North End will not be available for this weekend’s FA Cup fixture away to Rutherford Ladies. In recent weeks, players Ocean Flanagan and Sanah Mehdi have also left the club, although these departures are not believed to be related to the most recent set.
From the outside, it seems to be a remarkable turn of events from a team who have arguably started the season slightly slower than they would have liked but who currently sit 5th in the Premier division of the North West Women’s Regional League, after such an incredible debut season under club operations.
Players were told about Smith and Campbell’s departures during a team meeting, led by sporting director Fergal Harkin, on Tuesday evening. A source close to one of the departing players told me that players were allegedly informed they would no longer have access to Lostock training ground on Saturdays or use certain club facilities, such as the gym.
According to the same source, Harkin reportedly told players he wanted the team to “just have fun” and feel “no pressure” rather than operate in a “professional” manner. The club has been approached for comment in response to these claims.
“This seems an odd thing to say when the team is in Tier 5 and their aim should be to get promoted to National League,” the source said.
What Bolton Wanderers have said
An official statement posted on the club website yesterday read: “Bolton Wanderers Football Club can confirm that Women’s Team Head Coach, Myles Smith and Assistant Coach, Megan Campbell, have left their roles.
“The Club acknowledges their contributions and wishes them well in their future endeavours.
“Tom Cunniff will assume the position of Interim Head Coach with immediate effect, overseeing all women’s first-team matters.
“The Club’s commitment to the Women’s Team is unchanged and full support will be given to Tom and the squad.”
My source argued that the statement issued had fuelled uncertainty and there have also been several tweets from fans to similar effect.
They added: “It will be interesting to see if they appoint someone from outside, in a paid role, like Myles and Megan were, or whether they employ someone who has been in the role before, who is currently working at the club in a different capacity, maybe someone who’s been there a while and done work for the community side of things.
“The players who have walked away did not make this decision lightly, and this shows through their statements that they put out. Clearly the players that have left aim to play football at their age for more than just fun”.
In captain Katie Holt’s social media statement, she wrote: “This isn’t the club I joined. We had ambition. What has happened does not align with my morals, my beliefs and my values as a person and a player. I am honestly devastated. Things have changed.”
Reflecting on this, the source said: “I think it’s clear to anyone who understands football that when the captain is walking away from their club, that she has also supported all her life and gave that team every ounce of her loyalty, grit, determination and effort, it runs deeper.
“Her statement clearly indicated that the club wasn’t the same club she joined, I’d be asking the question as to why this is, especially coming from the captain who is one of the most caring, loyal and kind hearted girls I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet and watch play.
“I think the narrative that has been sold is completely unfair on both Myles and the girls that have had to walk away.”
The Bolton News reported that the decision for Smith and Campbell to leave was said to be linked to several factors, including what was described as a perceived ‘unhealthy training ground culture’, tensions between manager and assistant, strained relations between first team and reserves, and concerns from some players about the club’s direction. However The Bolton News also reported that the club had given assurances that there are no immediate plans to reduce what the ownership group are currently spending on the women’s arm of the club.
Questioned about the reports of an ‘unhealthy’ training ground culture, the source said: “It’s football and people will obviously be unhappy if they’re out of the team or they have a bad training session or whatever and Myles could be seen as harsh, but I don’t even think harsh is the right word. I think he was professional. And I think he had high standards and he held the girls to high standards.
“I’d also never personally heard that Myles and Megan weren’t on the same page. I think you could see before matches, in the middle of matches that they might have different opinions on players, but isn’t that what every coach is going to do?”
At the end of last season, following promotion, a number of first team squad members were told that they would be in the reserves for the coming season and this is believed to have fuelled some unhappiness with affected players.
Interestingly, the reserve team are playing in the same league that the first team gained promotion from last season, and have got off to a flying start – winning all 8 of their league games so far and racking up a goal difference of +40 in the process.
They are due to play a game, away to Chorley, this weekend and the club are yet to confirm whether some of the players will now have to make up numbers for the first team’s FA Cup tie, following the departures.
BWFC have been approached for comment.
One response to “Mass exodus at Bolton Wanderers Women as six players leave”
Its sad whats happened, the real truth is what we won’t find out. But its the loyalty I don’t get. Just walking out and thats it. There is more to whats been published. Its ridiculous.spitting dummies out comes to mind. And was talking of player sponsorship. So glad I didn’t. If its happened,it could happen again. This as done more damage to the club,and girls football. Walking out and shoving 2 fingers upto the fans is a no no. But thats whats been done. Pathetic, very annoyed