Millwall women's team to split from club and form new London City Lionesses outfit

Millwall have announced that the board and senior management of their women's team, Millwall Lionesses, are breaking away from the club and forming a new independent outfit for the 2019-20 season called London City Lionesses.

The announcement came two days after the conclusion of a Women's Championship season in which Millwall finished bottom of the table, ending with a 6-0 loss at Sheffield United on Saturday.

Millwall Lionesses became the first female side in the country to officially partner with their men's club in the 1980s and on Monday the club expressed their disappointment with the board's decision to part ways.

"Millwall Football Club regrets to announce that the board of directors and senior management at Millwall Lionesses have decided to become an independent entity from the end of this current campaign," the statement read.

"This will mean the start of a new club, London City Lionesses, while Millwall Lionesses will go on to operate through Millwall Community Trust with its proud history and tradition intact.

"The club is disappointed that the Lionesses' current hierarchy have decided to become independent. Millwall have tried several times, over the course of the season, to arrive at a different outcome.

"The club attempted to reach an agreement whereby its name, Millwall, could continue to be used but this was rejected out of hand. As such, the club ultimately supported the name change, subject to certain conditions being met, in order for the team to complete the current season and so that management had ample time and opportunity to secure alternative funding.

"The club wishes London City Lionesses the best of luck in the future with their new venture."

Millwall Lionesses avoided administration in April 2018 through a crowdfunding page that raised over £17,000, but this year struggled to cope with the standard of the newly revamped Championship, losing 17 of 20 league games.