‘I don’t think we’re that far away.’ says Jack Slater, at the end of another season for the team he manages, Runcorn Linnets Ladies. ‘We’ve got a pretty young team with four players under the age of 18 playing for us. When we play well, I think we’re a match for most teams.’
Away from the current media glare regarding the future of the Women’s National League, the regional leagues often go under the radar. Yet change is happening at this level too and Linnets Ladies, who’ve been a fixed presence in the South Division of the North-West Regional League in the last few years, are in a good position to observe it.
In 2023, Linnets were runners-up to the Bury in the league. Three years on, only they and two other teams – Warrington and Chester – haven’t moved, though one team, Altrincham FC, have recently bounced back following a brief relegation to the Cheshire League. They seem unlikely to return there, having enjoyed a cash-generating and profile-enhancing run in the FA Cup this season. ‘Altrincham made about £35,000 from the FA Cup this year,’ says Jack. ‘They have already brought a lot of big sponsors in.’
It’s a big change from three years ago, when Altrincham were one of many clubs at this level who were still operating a pay-to-play policy. ‘For a long time, I think we were ahead of the curve,’ says Jack. ‘We’ve done a lot of work in the background to allow us not to ask the players to pay subs.’ A few years ago, the paying of subs was a norm for teams at this level, but times have changed. ‘Now you’ve got teams that are paying players,’ says Jack.
‘I know for a fact that Altrincham and Nantwich this year have got a budget to spend.’ This year, Nantwich, who were only promoted last season, have been crowned NWWRL South Division champions. ‘I was speaking to my mate at Nantwich and he reckons they make £700 on the gate every game. We’re making £80. Big difference, isn’t it?’
Despite this, Jack doesn’t feel Linnets are in danger of being left behind. They have a grass pitch at the APEC Taxis Stadium they share with the men’s team and are in a better position than other sides in many other respects. They’re a supporter-run club with a small army of willing volunteers who do an enormous amount of work to ensure the ground is maintained and the necessary financial support is generated. All the Linnets players are sponsored by trust members, fans or local companies.
‘We’ve got some people who turn up regularly,’ says Jack. ‘Speaking to people at men’s games on a Saturday, there are a lot who are keen to come down if they can. People who do come down think it’s really good. They take stock of the fact that it’s local girls playing for the team they want to play for.’
This season, Linnets have finished fourth in Division One South of the North-West Women’s Regional League, a marginal improvement on last season, when they faded in the final games to end up a disappointing fifth after being in the top three all season, largely due to player availability problems in the closing stages.
Jack reinforced the squad in the summer of 2025, hoping to avoid a repeat scenario this season, but injuries have been a massive headache. By Christmas, a squad of 28 had been reduced to just 13 available players and the situation didn’t improve much in the second half of the season. He’d envisaged many of the young players in the 28 going out on loan but, in the end he’s needed them. There are few players in Jack’s large squad who haven’t spent at least some of the season on the sidelines. Injuries at this level of the women’s game are becoming increasingly frequent. ‘Chances of getting injured are high,’ agrees Jack. Games in the NWWRL are far more physical than was the case as recently as two years ago, when Jack became Linnets’ manager.
Linnets finished the season on a high, winning 6-1 at ambitious Altrincham, but perhaps a bigger statement of intent came in the final home game of the season against Nantwich. The visiting ‘Dabbers’ were looking for the three points that would secure the league title. However, an injury-ravaged Linnets turned in their best performance of the season to come from behind and deliver a 2-1 victory to ensure Jack’s optimism remains undimmed ahead of next season. ‘There’s so much potential,’ he says. ‘It’d be a waste not to try and push that as far as we can.’
