Charlton women saved by trust

Charlton Athletic WFC will play in England's FA Women's Premier League this season after being reprieved by the Charlton Community Trust.

Reprieve
The men's club had cut off funding as part of cost-cutting following their relegation from the top-flight, a huge blow to a team who finished third in their Premier League last season, just pipped by Everton LFC to a UEFA Women's Cup place and reaching the FA Women's Cup final, a fixture they won in 2005. Although key Charlton players including England pair Eniola Aluko and Casey Stoney have already left the club, the squad will compete in the highest division again in 2007/08 and are scheduled to open their season at home to Everton on 23 September, with fixtures delayed due to the FIFA Women's World Cup.

Premier League opening
Trust chief executive Steve Waggott said: "This is the culmination of two months of hard work and negotiation by a number of people, both at the football club and within the trust." The new Premier League season started at the weekend, albeit with the teams supplying the England World Cup squad, including champions and UEFA Women’s Cup holders Arsenal LFC and Everton, out of action. Ambitious Blackburn Rovers LFC were the day’s big winners, defeating Wales's European representatives Cardiff City LFC 6-0, while newly-promoted Liverpool LFC and Walford LFC lost narrowly to Bristol Academy WFC and Birmingham City LFC respectively,.