Newcastle pledge to pay women's team 'as professionals' and stage games at St James' Park

Amanda Staveley, co-owner of Newcastle Football Club, has revealed that the women’s team will be paid “as professionals”.

Staveley gave an interview to The Athletic alongside Mehrdad Ghodoussi, a fellow joint-owner.

During the interview, the pair gave a number of updates on Newcastle, which they took over in October.

This included an update on the women’s team, who will be paid “as professionals”. Staveley also disclosed that they would play some games at St James’ Park as early as next season.

Staveley and Ghodoussi are part of a Saudi Arabian-led consortium, financed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which took control of 80 percent of Newcastle last year.

The majority stakeholder comprises PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media. Staveley, who is the chief executive of PCP, has made it clear she intends to invest in the women’s team.

“We are wholeheartedly committed to women’s and girls’ football,” she said in a press conference shortly after the takeover.

“The foundation currently supports Newcastle women’s team and we are committed to helping the women’s team develop and grow.”

Newcastle Women currently play in the FA Women’s National League Division One North, the fourth division in the English football pyramid.

Given the resources now available to the club, the team is likely to rocket up the pyramid in the years to come.

There have been concerns about the takeover, however, largely due to the ongoing violation of human rights in Saudi Arabia.

Although the country’s guardianship system is not as stringent as it once was, women and girls in Saudi Arabia continued to face discrimination in law and practice in relation to marriage, divorce, inheritance and employment.

Until recently, women in Saudi Arabia did