'we Are Only Going Up' - London City In Wsl To Stay

Among nan London City Lionesses' teal shirts emblazoned pinch nan connection "winners", a fig successful a agelong achromatic dress, precocious heels and sunglasses peculiarly stood out.

Michele Kang has not gone astir her business softly since taking complete Lionesses past summer, but pinch promotion to nan Women's Super League now secured she has done truthful effectively.

The celebrations connected nan transportation astatine St Andrew's aft Lionesses held connected for a melodramatic 2-2 tie astatine Championship rivals Birmingham City to unafraid promotion to nan WSL were somewhat unusual, pinch nine proprietor Kang allowed to transportation nan trophy connected to nan pitch.

She was past beforehand and centre of nan trophy assistance and post-match interviews, wherever she talked up nan Lionesses' chances of being nan first newly-promoted broadside successful 3 seasons to debar WSL relegation.

"We person been building a squad to beryllium astatine a minimum, connected time one, mid-tier WSL," she told Sky Sports.

"When I first came a batch of group were very concerned for me, asking, arsenic an independent team: 'how tin you do this because you don't person a men's squad from which you tin tie nan equity, nan marque powerfulness and nan fanbase?'

"As an independent team, to execute this successful 1 year, is impervious that pinch due finance and resources thing is possible. This is proof, we are only going up."

London City Lionesses are nan first squad pinch nary affiliation pinch a men's nine to gain a spot successful nan WSL. Since splitting from Millwall successful 2019, they person been a fixture successful nan 2nd tier but person been turbo charged by their able American proprietor since her presence successful 2023.

Kang, who besides owns European shot powerhouses Lyon and Washington Spirit successful nan USA, is simply a seasoned of women's athletics and knows really overmuch money talks.

Lionesses made splashy acquisitions past summer, including manager Jocelyn Precheur who coached PSG successful nan Champions League semi-finals past season.

On nan pitch, erstwhile WSL victor Kosovare Asllani led respective eye-catching arrivals, on pinch 2011 World Cup champion Saki Kumagai, ex-Barcelona midfielder Maria Perez and knowledgeable Swedish world Sofia Jakobsson.

They person not blown nan Championship away, however, pinch promotion only secured connected nan last time pinch this tie astatine second-placed Birmingham - who came from 2-0 down and pushed difficult for a victor until nan very end.

Kang's spending has not only been bold but savvy. A state-of-the-art training installation successful Kent is planned, pinch nan attraction connected fittingness needs for women. She has antecedently called for greater finance and investigation into nan effect of athletics connected women's bodies and has put her money wherever her rima is.

She said nan recruitment squad will meet connected Monday greeting to scheme really to debar Bristol City past year and Crystal Palace this successful dropping consecutive backmost retired of nan WSL.

And it is notable that nan 2 cardinal players astatine St Andrew's were not header signings but young British talents.

The first extremity was scored by 22-year-old Izzy Goodwin, Championship apical scorer this play pinch 16 strikes from 18 games. Having scored plentifulness successful nan 2nd tier for Sheffield United and Lionesses, it will beryllium fascinating to spot really she makes nan measurement up.

The 2nd was scored by Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, signed successful 2023. She besides made a important goalline clearance successful nan first half.

"The WSL is simply a wholly different convention but we person nan experience, we person nan players, we person nan support, we person nan fans that hopefully support growing. We return each crippled arsenic it comes and put ourselves connected nan map," Boye-Hlorkah said.

"We each emotion her and what she has done for this club," added Goodwin connected Kang. "We're truthful happy. Hopefully it makes much teams do this."

That operation of finance and existing talent will beryllium important for Lionesses arsenic they purpose to found themselves successful nan apical flight. They will want to support nan tone that saw them complete nan statement successful Birmingham and nan expertise that saw them extremity nan Championship play arsenic associated apical scorers.

But nan money will person to beryllium spent wisely. Clubs successful nan WSL get 3 times nan TV money of those successful nan Championship, from a woody which adjacent play is worthy £65m complete 5 years crossed nan WSL and Championship.

The woody is worthy astir £800,000 to WSL clubs and £270,000 for nan Championship teams. Staying up could beryllium basal for Lionesses, fixed they person nary affiliation pinch a men's Premier League aliases Championship side, and frankincense nary financial backing.

They person nary entree to Premier League stadiums for large games, and alternatively will play each their location matches astatine 5,000-capacity Hayes Lane, which they stock pinch League Two men's broadside Bromley.

The highest paid players successful nan WSL are connected astir £300,000 a year, which mightiness beryllium much than nan full costs cost for Championship clubs. Kang's chequebook has to beryllium unfastened and blank.

But based connected nan grounds truthful far, she and nan players are up for nan challenge.

"I person a batch of admiration for Michele Kang because I deliberation she is empowering women passim nan game, crossed each levels," erstwhile England world Anita Asante told BBC Sport.

"It's nan truth she believes successful nan worth of women's football, and she's driving that finance and she wants to compete astatine nan highest level, and she wants her players to person nan opportunity to support connected excelling."

Lionesses' promotion mightiness correspond a seismic displacement successful English women's football, impervious that top-flight occurrence is imaginable without men's nine backing. We hold to spot what nan female successful nan achromatic dress will do next.