FA U-turns on 'humiliating' cup final pitch switch
Sam KirkupA county football association has U-turned on a decision to move a women's cup final match from a professional stadium to a small grassroots pitch.
The North Riding FA said it moved the North Riding Cup Final between Thornaby Women and York City Ladies away from the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough to Northallerton's ground, due to availability issues.
Thornaby sent a complaint about the changed location to the local FA on 14 April, stating it was "humiliating" for female players, but did not receive a response until Tuesday.
A spokesperson for North Riding FA said it was "delighted" the match would now go ahead at the Riverside Stadium on Sunday.
A spokesperson for Thornaby said the club was pleased players would get the chance to play at the Riverside but said "it should never have got to this point".
For the past couple of years, the men's and women's North Riding Senior Cup final has been held at the Riverside Stadium.
The men's final this year was held there, with Yarm and Eaglescliffe playing Boro Rangers on 29 April.
Curtis Collantine has managed Thornaby since January and they have been on a 16-game winning streak, earning promotion to the National League.
He said he thought the initial decision to move the game was "an example of the game regressing" and highlighted the "colossal differences" between the two pitches.
Sam KirkupThornaby have defied the odds since the club's previous board attempted to axe its entire women's section in 2024 and the players fought to save their team.
Captain Jen Knowles said winning the semi-final "was such a high" and hearing they were not going to play at the Riverside had been very disappointing.
Before the decision was reversed, she said: "It would be great if it could be at the Riverside but ultimately wherever the final is we have got to go and try and win that cup.
"We have got junior teams coming to watch and I think for those young girls under 13 what an occasion it would be to watch us walk out at the Riverside and create those memories for them."
'We hold concerns'
A spokesperson for North Riding FA said it had remained in regular contact with Middlesbrough over recent weeks regarding the availability of the Riverside Stadium.
"Following the conclusion of the regular EFL Championship season on Saturday, and confirmation of Boro's play-off fixture dates, North Riding FA received communication from the club this morning with an offer to play the game on Sunday, which we were delighted to accept," they said.
A spokesperson for Thornaby said: "Whilst the club is delighted for our players that they will get the chance to play at the Riverside, we still hold concerns that it should never have got to this point.
"We hope now the County FA follow this up with a public commitment that all senior finals, for men and women, will take place at the same venue in future."
York City Ladies have been approached for comment.
