Hull City Ladies chairman asks for club to be relegated ‘to try to punish players’ | OneFootball

The chair of Hull City Ladies, Daniel Johnson, has submitted a request to the Football Association for the club to be relegated from the third tier, the Guardian has learned, amid allegations of mismanagement of the club’s finances being made against him by his own players.

Multiple club sources have alleged that Johnson’s relegation submission is an attempt at retaliation after several squad members criticised him in public social media posts over the past 72 hours, with players expressing fears their team “might not exist in a few weeks”.

The Guardian has heard allegations from multiple sources with knowledge of the club’s finances that there is a “black hole” of at least £200,000 that is unaccounted for within the club’s accounts across the past five seasons. The Guardian contacted Johnson for a response.

Other club personnel have reported allegations of misconduct to the FA, which is understood to be working with the club to try to help them resolve the situation.

Johnson’s relegation request is highly unlikely to be successful because it is understood the FA considers such requests only if they are submitted by a club with supporting evidence from their board or committee members, rather than by an individual, and it is understood that Johnson – one of two directors who co‑own the parent company of Hull City Ladies with an equal 50% stake – acted alone.

Hull City Ladies – who are not affiliated with the men’s Championship team Hull City – are ninth in the Northern Premier Division, 14 points clear of the relegation zone and safe from the drop, with one game remaining.

The players are also unhappy that they do not have medical insurance at the club and the Guardian has been told the club does not employ a strength and conditioning coach. Eight of the team’s players are said to have sustained serious knee injuries in the past 18 months. One Hull player, Hope Knight, wrote on Facebook: “That’s not a coincidence. That’s what happens when footballers are treated like an afterthought – when ambition is replaced by greed.”

Others wishing to remain anonymous have alleged to the Guardian that Johnson “hopes the club will have to close down”, describing his request for relegation as an act of “deliberate self-harm” towards the club to try to punish the players. Knight also wrote in her Facebook post: “We can’t stay silent any longer. This is our reality, and it’s time people knew. As players and staff, we’ve seen it with our own eyes – we’ve been lied to, manipulated and bullied.”

The former England captain Carol Thomas, who is a club ambassador, said in a post on X that she had submitted her resignation because of allegations against the co-owner, saying: “Sadly, I was left with no alternative, given the revelations made to me by staff, players and sponsors alike. These are in direct conflict with my personal standards.

“My option to support the club remains open. But I can only remain or return once it can be proven that the club is run by and to the standards expected.”

Header image: [Photograph: Ashley Allen/The FA/Getty Images]