View From The Field: Ward’s Words (Helen Ward)

Wales record goalscorer Helen Ward welcomes the wave of sponsorship reaching the top of the English game, from the new FA WSL title deal to the Lionesses’ own partners and the bespoke World Cup kits, while warning that the lower leagues will fall further behind and that the gap may become impossible for independent clubs to bridge. At Watford she is clear that being attached to a Premier League club confers no divine right to a higher division: they have to earn it on the pitch first. The column then turns into a tribute to Loren Dykes, about to become only the second player to win 100 caps for Wales, whom Ward calls the epitome of a professional long before professional contracts existed, and a future coach who will inspire generations.