‘Nearly all’ Plymouth Women players will be let go after finding out by email

Plymouth Argyle have told the vast majority of their women’s first-team players their contracts will not be renewed this summer, the Guardian has learned, just weeks after they narrowly missed out on promotion to Women’s Super League 2. In an email sent to almost all of the senior squad, Plymouth’s chief executive, Paul Berne, explained that the “difficult decision” to let the players go reflected “the direction of the squad for next season” and went on to thank them and offer them job references. According to multiple sources, the club’s decision to let so many players go is primarily a financial one, coming amid plans to significantly reduce the women’s team’s playing budget in the summer. Plymouth were contacted for a comment in response on Sunday morning. The news follows the resignation of the team’s head coach, Marie Hourihan, on 28 May, and it is believed that the club’s budget cuts were a contributing factor towards her decision to resign. The coach was understood to be popular with the players and the supporters. Berne’s email said: “Hi all. …