Three relegations and a lack of investment: Has Yorkshire become a black hole for women's football? - Nick Westby

While the grassroots infrastructure in girls football continues to strengthen, courtesy of a cash injection from the government prompted by England women’s European Championship success three summers ago, promising players like the above three will continue to be unearthed.

But sadly, they will still have to leave this great county if they want to prosper.

For Yorkshire has become something of a black hole in women’s football - the land that progress forgot.

At a time when more money is going into women’s football than ever before, the exposure has never been greater, the clubs at the top level in the White Rose county - barring a couple of positive exceptions - are on their knees.

Yorkshire’s highest-ranked team and closest to professionalism, Sheffield United, were last weekend relegated from the second tier Championship.

In the division below, the FA Women’s National League, Halifax Town were relegated with barely a whimper. Hull City - not affiliated to the men’s team - finished lower mid-table but in an ongoing dispute between players and the club’s hierarchy, there is an allegation that the co-owner asked to be relegated.

The picture is a little brighter in Division One North, but in a 12-team league comprising six Yorkshire clubs, surely there had to be some greenshoots. Middlesbrough provided it by winning the league and promotion in front of a record-breaking crowd at the Riverside for their final home game.

But down at the bottom is the sad sight of Doncaster Rovers Belles in the second relegation spot. They may yet be spared demotion if one of the teams coming up from the two fifth-tier regions does not want promotion, and Bradford City are currently fighting for that honour in the eastern section.

Rovers Belles were the standard bearers for decades when women’s football was forced onto the sidelines. When society suddenly realised it could no longer ignore the women’s game and accelerated it into the national psyche in an attempt to hide the shame of ostracising it for so long, Belles became the highest profile casualties. Uninvited to the top table, they plummeted down the divisions.

Money talks in football, in the men’s game and increasingly now the women’s game. It’s no surprise that the club who were crowned WSL champions on Wednesday night were Chelsea, ahead of Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City. Huge global brands with money to throw at their women’s programmes.

The team on the verge of winning the Championship next season is London City Lionesses, bank-rolled by a big financier.

Why is women’s football in Yorkshire being left behind? The answer: Money. A lack of investment.

Blades Women were relegated because they nearly didn’t pay for a team last summer and had to play catch-up.

Too many carry the name of established teams but are not affiliated closely enough. Clubs are already losing money financing men’s professional teams.

The independents, like Barnsley Women who commendably finished mid-table in Division One Midlands, don’t stand much chance.

The grassroots ecosystem is there to keep finding the Brights, Meads and Dalys. It’s just the pathway then takes them out of Yorkshire - women’s football’s black hole.