Ultimately, like it or not, surely this boils down to costs and commercial viability?
The likes of Manchester United (who have been roundly criticised and ridiculed for not embracing a womens side in recent season) and West Ham United have bullied their way into the top echelons & can write off the losses that they might incur or need to invest as chicken feed. West Ham aren't even successful, they finished seventh in the National South Division, competing against Coventry United, Basildon and Chichester, they've not even got promoted by 'right'.
The club announcement, using words like 'taking stock', 'find our level' and 'financial commitment' should enable supporters to understand the decision. We didn't apply to retain our position, we took the process of trying to go toe-to-toe with the biggest clubs in the land with their money no object attitudes. The moment Andy Cook was announced as leaving, was the moment, that reality set in. The writing was on the wall.
I am as disappointed as the next man but I have two points.
1) Are we actually playing at a level that makes commercial sense? I appreciate it's emotive but playing in the National South, against Basildon, Portsmouth, Swindon, Coventry, Cardiff and Palace might be 'our level'. What's the quality difference like? I don't know and I am not saying it's right. To date we've been sending the team to Doncaster, Durham and Sheffield. I'm told it costs in excess of £500,000 per season.
2) Who are we blaming? It's easy to point the finger of blame in the direction of Tiger. He came in to this club in a rush, in Feb, had to sort out a number of pressing matters (financial bills and first team manager, plus the threat of relegation which would have been a killer to his project) and entrusted others to cover day-to-day matters.
@Craig you are clearly very knowledgeable in this area, I'd hazard a guess decisions about the ladies team were taken/implemented before Tiger was announced - or at best shortly into his reign. He has been attributed to saying he continues to support an OUFC ladies team.
I am so disappointed for the girls in the first team, the current concerns of the girls in the system and on that pathway to senior ladies football and to the hard working supporters and those who became season ticket holders, who have had this taken away from them, albeit currently.
I have no doubt that we will continue a womens side, hopefully in the same division as Watford Ladies. I am equally convinced that with people like DAN HARRIS & the OUFC Community Team, this is simply a set-back, will enable a period of stock-taking and then a drive forward to reach the divisions on merit.
Generally, having paid a lot of attention to womens football in recent seasons, most of these clubs don't even employ full time coaches/managers (bar the top division), so until the industry changes it's ways, ladies football will continue to suffer from the lack of investment and/or real intent of their parent football clubs.