The date is May 1st 2022. Coventry United are playing away at relegation rivals Watford knowing only a win would save them from relegation to the third tier. With the scores tied at 0-0 in the 97th minute, Mollie Green lined up a free kick from 30 yards out. Despite all the odds being against her, the midfielder hit the shot of a lifetime as the ball flew into the top corner, relegating Watford and securing Championship status for another season for Coventry United.
Perfect reason to see this goal again 🤩
Happy birthday, @mollie_green97! 🥳#BarclaysWCpic.twitter.com/7AGFvMYSjC
— Barclays Women’s Championship (@BarclaysWC) August 4, 2022
This goal sparked scenes of celebration the likes of which are rarely seen as the bench and backroom staff flooded onto the pitch, it felt like the type of moment that enables a club to really push on and make sure that they’re not in the same position the following season.
Unfortunately this wasn’t to be the case, as 364 days later on April 30th 2023 Coventry United suffered a 9-0 defeat at London City Lionesses to round off a dismal season in which they claimed only 7 points and were relegated long before the conclusion of the Championship season. For a club that has developed brilliant young footballers such as Shannon O’Brien, Lucy Thomas and Olivia Clark what does this mean for the future of the club as a spot for young players to come and show their talent?
First of all, it’s worth exploring just how the Midlands club has managed to develop young talent so well in recent years. Of the 30 players used by the club in the Championship this past season, 20 of those were 23 years old or younger. This is a club that prides itself on giving youth a chance to prove themselves, something to be admired even if some might say the squad was at times too inexperienced to deal with the pressure of a relegation battle.
When asked how Coventry United helped her grow as a young player, England youth international and now WSL star Shannon O’Brien said “I felt like giving young players a chance was a priority. I joined at 16 years old and played every week against women double my age in the National League which is exactly why I joined.” O’Brien certainly repaid the faith shown in her by the club, and many others have followed the same path. Mary McAteer had never played a minute of senior football before her loan move from Aston Villa to Coventry in September of last year, she went on to score 3 goals in just 9 starts in her debut season. 19 year old Eleanor Heeps had played 3 senior games prior to being entrusted as Coventry’s number 1 goalkeeper for a large part of the season. Coventry United finished this campaign wounded but a lot of those young players have taken the opportunities granted to them with both hands and will see their time at the club as the first steps on their ladder to very successful careers in the professional game.
Clearly the club has a very committed and dedicated coaching staff who truly value player development, and you can’t argue with the quality of some of the players who have represented the club in the last few years, so why hasn’t the club pushed on towards the upper half of the Championship? One of the answers is funding. 9 of the 12 teams that made up the division last season are affiliated with a men’s team that play in the Men’s League One or above, Coventry United do not have that, something which made it difficult to compete with the clubs who had far more substantial backing. This is an issue that Shannon O’Brien mentioned was prevalent during her spell at the club, “There were always plans in place and the want to progress but it was always a steep mountain to climb. I can imagine it was hard work behind the scenes for staff there to try and compete with teams like Crystal Palace in terms of funding available.”
O’Brien was quick to add however that despite the lack of funding and access, she never felt the club failed to support or believe in her as a player, “But I was one of the first people given a pro contract, so considering the struggles they faced, I always felt looked after by the club.”
A big worry for a club like Coventry will be their ability to attract the best young talent in their area now that they’ve fallen into the National League. With limited available funding and resources it’s vital that the club can continue to secure aspiring players in the Midlands. It’s a crowded market, with Aston Villa and Leicester in the WSL and Birmingham finishing 2nd in the Championship this season it is testament to how well the club has discovered talent in the area that they’ve had so many success stories. Relegation to the National League makes that a bit more difficult, but for players who just want to play senior football at a club who will put faith in them, Coventry United is still a good bet. Being in the National League hasn’t stopped Coventry from securing the best young Midlands talent in the past, as O’Brien can attest to, “I joined Cov when they were in the national league as a young girl wanting to play senior football. It certainly didn’t harm me playing at that level as it exposes you to senior football & just allows you to play and get minutes right at the beginning of your career.”
It’s difficult to find positives right now for Coventry United after such a dismal season, but as their rebuild begins and they look to climb back into the Championship, they’ll once again be giving opportunities to young players to impress and springboard their careers. This is exactly the situation they found themselves in four years ago, a situation that Shannon O’Brien and others thrived in, “The National League may not be as ‘attractive’ to want to play in compared to the championship, but in terms of development and career building I always recommend – to young girls who ask – to just go and play, and I think Cov can still offer that platform albeit at a lower level.”
Written by Stephen Conroy
To read more football-related articles, click here
Follow Sporting Her on social media: Instagram // Twitter // Facebook
