Wolves Women fired up and ready for a celebration

Dan McNamara’s side only need a point from tomorrow’s home clash with Sheffield to be crowned National League Northern Premier champions.

It is their first season in the third tier and they are craving the chance to fully enjoy their success.

Their previous two seasons were curtailed by Covid and promotion from Northern One Midlands came via appeal, so an opportunity to soak it all in has so far eluded them.

“It’s beyond just this season. This is three-and-a-half years in the making,” said McNamara.

“Sheffield are going to turn up to spoil the party, but I’ve said it a few times – people might be bored of me saying it – that we’ve had too many memories taken away from us.

“I don’t think the girls will allow a third or fourth one to be taken away from us. They’re 100 per cent focused on the task in hand, and I have absolutely no doubt that they will get the point required.

“They’ve been hurt time and time again, and that’s played into what’s gone on this season.”

Wolves have remarkably only lost once this term, to Burnley, and the response since then has been pretty much flawless.

McNamara said: “That Burnley loss, I stood with them all on the pitch and I’ll never forget it. I said ‘this result will not define your season, but your reaction will’.

“Since then, the reaction has been five wins, one goal conceded and four clean sheets. That’s the kind of mentality that’s going to win the girls the title.

“They’re a remarkable group with a ridiculous mentality.”

Clinching the title tomorrow will give Wolves a welcome boost ahead of their first game at Molineux for 20 years next Wednesday, against Brighouse Town.

Winning the crown, though, does not grant them promotion. Wolves will have to face the winners of the Southern Premier in a play-off for promotion to the Championship.

On that hurdle, McNamara said: “I’ve spoken about these matters before and I think it’s a disgrace.

“It’s the only level of the pyramid in any walk of football where winning the title does not get you promoted. The powers that be need to stop protecting the elite game.

“They’ve got to start allowing top, top clubs such as Ipswich, Southampton, Derby, Nottingham Forest, Huddersfield, Fylde, Oxford United – we all want to break into that elite level.

“They have to stop the bottleneck and do something ASAP.

“I’ve said it for five years. Yes, it hurts more as we’re there now.

“If you win a league, you deserve to get promoted and test yourself in the league above.”

McNamara added on next week’s occasion at Molineux: “We want to put the title to bed so we can enjoy Wednesday. But with winning the title, after it, you’ve got to prove why. We get a perfect opportunity to do that against a very tough Brighouse side. It’ll be a great thing for us to enjoy.”

Elsewhere this weekend, Albion host Brighouse in the Northern Premier while Stoke City are at Fylde. Sporting Khalsa take on Solihull Moors in Northern One Midlands.

West Midlands Premier leaders Lichfield City go to Kidderminster Harriers, with Lye Town hosting Worcester City and Stourbridge playing Tamworth.

West Midlands One North sees Walsall face Wyrley, Sandwell go to Shrewsbury and Walsall Wood host Shifnal Town. Sedgley & Gornal United go to Solihull Sporting in West Midlands One South.