Private jets & big names – is this the future of the Women’s Championship?

Just 24 hours previously, London City Lionesses had broken the Women’s Championship transfer record when they signed forward Izzy Goodwin from Sheffield United for a six-figure fee and she may not be the last arrival as the club try to make room in their squad for Sweden’s Sofia Jakobsson.

“It’s a woman investing and believing in a project with her whole heart – as much as we believe in it,” said Asllani.

“We’re in the beginning of building something. I feel it’s something special.

“She [Kang] understands what we need and will give us everything we need to create a successful team. I think that’s the coolest part, that it’s a woman investing.

“I want to help her achieve this dream [and hope that we] will be successful.”

Not all the stands were open and Newcastle fans outnumbered those supporting the hosts – but London City know this is a business model that will take time.

They have invested in the team with a belief that success will attract attention. Next up is ensuring the club’s new training centre is elite, then they hope to build a fanbase from scratch in Bromley.

They got off to a good start with a new club league record attendance of 1,781 against Newcastle.

But while it remains a work in progress, it is clear these clubs are ambitious and have shown a potential future for the women’s second tier.

Their growth coincides with a major turning point in women’s football as the WPLL aim to attract new investment in England’s top two tiers, which they hope will encourage others to follow suit with Kang’s ownership model.

“As I told my players, it’s not a new chapter, it’s a new book that we are writing,” said London City manager Jocelyn Precheur.

“We have everything to build, we have fans to seduce and convince to follow us, a history to create – so it was the first page of the new story.

“It could have been better, it could have been worse, but anyway, the first match is done and I hope the journey will be long and beautiful.”