All-male board who voted to axe Thornaby FC's women and girls teams tried to hold meeting in SECRET, says manager - as all but two resign following outcry over 'disgusting' decision Board voted this weekend to disband girls and women's teams - leaving 100 players without a club at Thornaby FC Read more: Lioness Beth Mead leads backlash against grassroots football club after officials voted to axe girls' teams but keep boys' sides By Jo Tweedy For Mailonline Published: 14:35 BST, 11 June 2024 | Updated: 17:18 BST, 11 June 2024 e-mail 30 View comments The manager of the women's team at Thornaby FC, which this weekend announced it was cutting its entire girls and women's squad - affecting players as young as five and six - says the all-male board tried to keep a meeting about the decision secret. First team manager Abbey Lyle appeared on Woman's Hour on Radio 4 this morning to talk about the decision, branded 'disgusting' by Lioness Beth Mead, which has left 100 girls and women at the north east club without a team, but sees the boys and men's sides continue as normal. The Teesside-based grassroots club said it voted to scrap its female section due to 'low staffing issues', insisting that moving forward 'without the women' was the only way to ensure its future.
Speaking to the show's host Clare McDonnell, Lyle said that the women's team secretary had to 'worm her way' into the 'emergency' meeting after it was kept under wraps - before the decision was announced on Sunday. Abbey .
