Women's football: 'I'll quit if we lose out to Newcastle,' says Sunderland boss
Sunderland Women manager Mick Mulhern will quit the women's game if his team loses out to Newcastle United in the battle for a place in the coming Super League.
The Football Association is launching the new summer league in 2011 in a bid to develop the women's game.
But with only eight places up for grabs – the deadline for bids is the end of this week – competition is intense.
Around 16 clubs are expected to make bids, with the FA selecting their chosen eight early next year.
Both Sunderland – the Premier League leaders – and Newcastle, from the Northern Division (and who have never played at the top level), are making bids.
Mulhern, who won the Manager of the Year award last year after winning the Northern Division title and leading Sunderland to the FA Cup final, said: "Newcastle have no history. They're not elite. They are ordinary.
"The FA surely can't choose a team from a lower division against a side that has achieved what we have," added Mulhern, whose side has performed superbly this season to hit top spot.
"If Newcastle get in and we don't, it will make a mockery of this new league – and I would walk away from the game."
Sunderland's achievements this season include a victory over mighty Arsenal, as well as against Chelsea – another of the "big four" in the top flight.
* Sunderland were handed the toughest of FA Cup fourth round draws yesterday when they were handed a visit to Arsenal – a repeat of last season's FA Cup final, which the Gunners won 2-1 at Pride Park.
The Lady Black Cats, though, will expect to give Arsenal a real battle, having beaten them 2-1 at Hetton last month.
Meanwhile, Sunderland's game at home to Everton on Sunday is definitely on (2pm).
Women's FA Cup fourth round draw: Liverpool Feds or Rochdale v Middlesbrough or Curzon Ashton; Bristol Academy v West Ham United; OOH Lincoln v Sheffield Wednesday; Portsmouth v Luton Town or Cambridge; WFC Fulham v Blackburn Rovers; Everton v Queens Park Rangers; Reading v Aston Villa; Liverpool or Preston North End v Chelsea; MK Dons or Norwich City v Yeovil Town or Newquay; Nottingham Forest v Leeds City Vixens; Leeds Carnegie v Watford; Leicester City WFC v Millwall Lionesses; Arsenal v SUNDERLAND; Doncaster Rovers Belles v Havant & Waterlooville or Cardiff City; Birmingham City v Derby County; Colchester United v Barnet.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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