PHIL Parkinson’s Wanderers undeniably have promotion intentions this season – but it looks like being a case of ladies first.

Poised to lift their first-ever title and take a giant step towards the Super League, Bolton Wanderers Ladies have gone from strength to strength in the last few years.

From a single senior team disassociated from the main club, they now have a blossoming junior set-up and three senior teams, maintained with care and attention by the Community Trust.

All of a sudden, the ladies’ team has caught people’s attention – not only regular readers of The Bolton News, but also from within the walls of the Macron.

“Ken Anderson keeps an eye out and often wishes us well,” explained Katie Bent, chair of BWFC Ladies. “Simon Marland has been brilliant as well and I think we are starting to get that relationship now where they take interest in what we are doing.

“Maybe in the past we attracted a certain type of player and were a bit of an afterthought, tagged on, but I think the newer players who have come through in the last couple of years realise a bit more that they are representing a badge. It carries a lot of weight.

“Just to talk about the fact you play for Bolton Wanderers, whether you are male or female, is fantastic.

“And it shows the club supports the whole game.”

England’s success at the 2015 World Cup gave women’s football some overdue national attention, and crowds in the Super League have held up well.

As with the men’s game, Manchester City’s investment in their infrastructure has set them on a different level to most, and the Blues are currently the only club in the top flight to average more than 2,000 supporters.

Darren Butler, the secretary of BWFC Ladies, believes there is scope to attract supporters to watch both the men’s and women’s team in the town.

“I think gradually over the last few years there has been more interest,” he said. “When people start to go and see the games they realise it is a good product, not an inferior one at all.

“We want Bolton Wanderers fans to look at the women’s side of the club and see it with the same kind of loyalty.

“We have offered an open invitation for people to come down to Lostock and see what they think.

“If we make the step up in quality with promotion then the aim is to grow that support, fans who have been in a stadium environment, and those who want to enjoy their day out.

“People might look at it and think it’ll be a passionless game but it’s far from it. The football is technical, and I’d say the main differences are speed and strength of the players.

“It’s almost a more pure version of the game.”

Wanderers Ladies currently operate out of the training ground but promotion could leave them playing some games elsewhere next season if the schedule clashes with the main club.

Thankfully, they have been handed plenty of help, locally.

Little Lever Sports and Leisure Centre, Essa Academy and Ladybridge have been brilliant, UCLAN have given tremendous physio support,” explained Butler. “There is a real camaraderie which you’d never see in the men’s game.”

As Wanderers move closer to the paid and semi-pro ranks, they have also set themselves targets to develop the club even further.

The Football Association is pushing for more girls’ teams to play competitive football against their male counterparts, and Wanderers intend to push their junior sides in that direction.

“Our girls would play in boy’s leagues. That is the dream,” explained Bent.

“We need to develop. I know a few teams who have played against the Manchester City and Manchester United teams and come away complaining about being kicked all over the park by the girls. Then they realise it’s a football and that they can kick them back.

“That competitive element could be really good for women’s football, that’s where the FA are looking to help the fitness and conditioning of players.

“We are learning from the foreign game as well because we had Ajax come to visit us a few weeks ago and all of their three senior teams play in men’s leagues – and one of them is currently top.

“The physicality of the game is changing abroad and I hope it is opening people’s eyes over here to what the game could be.

“We do want to see our players being stronger on the ball, competing for it more.”

Developing stronger, faster players to help the club continue its upward trajectory is one aim, as is establishing Wanderers as a Regional Talent Centre to really take on the Manchester giants, City and United.

“We don’t want our best players to move on elsewhere, so RTC status could be the way forward for us,” Bent explained.

“We can still offer grassroots participation through our community programmes but the elite side is where we want to go.

“Finance is the main issue at the moment – but then the women’s success in the first team is starting to help with that.

“The women have got their first matchday top sponsor now, so local businesses are starting to get involved.

“Manchester City have changed the game for us. The amount of money they put in is incredible, they even have their own stadium.

“If we can get in a fraction of that we can create an identity and a pathway for young girls to play at a good level, improve the standard of football across the board, then there is no reason why we can’t continue to grow as a club.”