Dan McNamara’s side lifted the FAWNL Northern Premier Division trophy after losing just one match all campaign last month, but despite coming top of their league, they now face a play-off clash with Southern champions Southampton.
Wolves head to the National League play-off final from 3pm at Stockport County’s Edgeley Park with just the Saints standing in their way of their first opportunity to compete at a semi-professional level.
It’s been a season unlike any other for Wolves, who topped the Northern Premier in just their first season back in the division following ‘upward movement’ last season.
The side were denied promotion from the fourth tier on two occasions after consecutive campaigns were voided due to the Covid pandemic, despite the team leading the division by a distance.
But the quality of McNamara’s team has been on display straight from the start of this season, with the girls winning 10 or their opening 12 matches in all competitions, while losing just once in the Northern Premier to seal the title with three games remaining.
To see if they will be playing in the Championship next season, Wolves face a Southampton side who have experienced a similarly impressive season, having also fallen just shy of an undefeated campaign, with their one loss coming at home to Ipswich Town back in November.
Despite heading into the final in high spirits following last week’s Birmingham County Cup win over West Bromwich Albion, McNamara believes his team will be ‘huge underdogs’ as they take on the Saints.
Entry to the ground cost £5 for adults, and £2.50 for over 65s and under 16s, while under 10s can get in for free. Tickets must be claimed in advance by CLICKING HERE.
Whilst there are no designated areas of the stadium for either set of supporters, Wolves fans have been encouraging their fellow old gold supporters to book tickets in The Cheadle End, to ensure as many Wolves fans are sat together as possible.
Supporters who are unable to attend the match at Edgeley Park can follow all the action live on the BBC, with the game streamed live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website from 2.45pm.
While Mikey Burrows will be joined by legendary Wolves Women defender Claire Hakeman on a special edition of Matchday Live Extra.
The duo’s show will begin at 2.30pm at the home of Stockport County, providing all the build-up, which will lead into live commentary, available on Wolves TV, YouTube and the Wolves App.
Wolves TV presenter Gemma Frith will also be presenting from Edgeley Park on Wolves’ social media accounts, @Wolves on Instagram and Twitter, as well as gaining all the immediate reaction post-match.
WHEN
Saturday, 3pm
WHERE
Edgeley Park, Stockport
LAST THREE
Wolves
4-1 vs West Bromwich Albion (A) LC
4-0 vs Loughborough Lightning (H)
1-1 vs Brighouse Town (A)
Southampton
4-1 vs Cardiff City (H)
3-3 vs Oxford United (H)
3-0 vs Huddersfield Town (A) LC
WHAT THE BOSS THINKS
Ahead of kick-off, McNamara said: “At the start of the season it was beyond our wildest dreams to win the division, but we absolutely smashed it and so our season is already an incredible success.
“Southampton though, they’ve had the expectation all season of reaching the Championship after the money the club has invested in the women’s team.
“We get great support from our football club, but Southampton are certainly ahead of us in financial terms. And they’ve got an excellent footballing side, as we know from analysing a good number of their performances this season. But the pressure on Saturday will all be on them.
“We’ll be huge underdogs, but the girls are confident in the game plan we’ll take into the match and they’re looking forward to the biggest challenge this club’s faced in many a year. We had spells in the top two tiers around the turn of the century, but the women’s game has progressed so much in the years since then.
“It’s now on an entirely different level, and we want to continue raising our own levels. So this a an historic moment for us – and we aim to make the most of it.”
