"I've got nothing but pride for the girls" - Wolves Women boss reacts to FA Cup loss

The fifth round tie captured the imagination of local fans as Wolves set a club record 5,008 appearance for a women's game, beating the previous record of 3,834 from 2023.

Despite the result dumping Wolves out of the competition, McNamara was proud of his tier three side as they stood up to Super League opposition.

"It was amazing, absolutely fantastic and also disappointing," the head coach said.

"At 4-0, I thought it was a really valiant effort and then it ends up 6-0 because of some individual errors, but I've got nothing but pride for the girls. 

"They're incredible people, every single one of them.

"I said to them before the game, I wouldn't swap a single one of them to share this moment with. They've represented themselves, their families, the football club, tremendously well. 

"You can see the gulf in class from arguably one of the best teams in Europe and there's no hiding away from that. They were a seriously good outfit with outstanding individuals all across the pitch. 

"We'll do nothing but learn from it. I said to the girls at half-time, we're learning all the time. The speed in which they move the ball, the speed in which they nick it off you. 

"But, what a journey. In 10-15 years' time, we'll look back on this and we'll see each other in the street and we'll talk about the time we put 5,000 in Telford and played Manchester United. Incredible from everyone, everybody that's made it happen, a massive thank you from me."

The atmosphere at Telford's SEAH stadium, helped by a loud away end, is a far cry from the occasions McNamara experienced when he took the job at Wolves in January 2018.

McNamara added: "It was amazing. Walking out, I had a tear in my eye, I'm going to be honest.

"To walk out and see this stadium full, it makes you choke. 

"52 people came to watch my first game seven years ago and now to hold the record at just over 5,000 is tremendous.

"It's important we understand what success looks like. We know we're up against it, we know we can't compete with the others financially, but what they bring in togetherness, unity, desire, heart and work rate, they're phenomenal.

"They deserve this moment, this occasion, and hopefully now we can show there is an appetite for the women's game in and around Wolverhampton. We want to push on and we want to do this every week.

"I want 5,000 here every two weeks when we play at home. Hopefully we can stick together now, work hard."

United dominated possession all game and limited Wolves to few attacks, but the hosts fought valiantly against a stern test.

Marc Skinner named a strong XI and McNamara praised the opposition for taking Wolves seriously.

"Credit to Marc and all his staff, I thought they really respected us fantastically well," he said.

"You've got senior England players in Ella Toone on the pitch and the way she was with the girls. You don't want people to feel sorry for you, you want them to keep driving forward and really test you and I thought they did that.

"Right to the last minute, they're trying to score again. They're trying to get Rachel Williams on the score sheet. 

"Credit to Manchester United, I thought they were a class act on the pitch, off the pitch, in every aspect. They're a class act and they're someone that we need to look at and try and aspire to be like."

Wolves now turn their attention to the National League Northern Premier Division with Sporting Khalsa coming up on Wednesday before a trip to league leaders Nottingham Forest.

Wolves sit level on points with Forest but their Midlands rivals have a game in hand over them, as the two battle it out for promotion in the final eight games of the season.

McNamara said: "We have two games in the next seven days and we've got to make sure we're ready for them. It'll be tough, so we have to make sure we're ready to compete.

"We have eight games, 720 minutes, and I've challenged the girls to see what we're going to do with the 720 minutes we've got together. 

"Ultimately in the summer, things happen, things change, people move on.

"So as this group of people, we've got 720 minutes to make something happen and if they carry on giving the same bravery, courage, desire, determination and all those values that make them great people, then we might just get somewhere come May."