West Ham’s Lucy Parker criticises club over London Stadium snub for women

The West Ham defender Lucy Parker has criticised her own club for failing to facilitate a match for their women’s team at the London Stadium. Parker was responding on Twitter to West Ham’s announcement that their men’s under-18s will play their FA Youth Cup semi-final at the stadium next week.

West Ham are seventh in the Women’s Super League and reached the semi-finals of this season’s Continental Cup, where they were beaten 7-0 by Chelsea.

Parker wrote: “Taking nothing away from the lads because they more than deserve it after their year but when will we get a game at the stadium? Only WSL side not to have a game at the men’s stadium and haven’t played there since 2019. Made an FA Cup semi-final last year too so can’t be that.”

It is understood a key objective of West Ham’s new women’s team board is to host a fixture at the London Stadium, a ground the club does not own. This month West Ham announced the vice-chair Karren Brady, along with fellow board member Tara Warren and director of ticketing Nicola Keye, had been appointed as directors of the women’s team.

The women’s team play home matches at the Chigwell Construction Stadium, home to National League Dagenham. Parker was on Tuesday called up by England for their matches against Brazil and Australia.