Albion head coach Hope Powell says she welcomes plans to kick off the new women’s season by completing the FA Cup.
The FA are set to confirm 5th-6th September as next season’s start date and hope to announce a decision later this month on the Cup which had reached the quarter-final stage when it was halted by the Covid19 crisis.
Albion are due to entertain Birmingham City in the last eight and one of the ideas under consideration is playing the remaining games as a curtain-raiser ahead of the new Women’s Super League campaign.
Powell said: “Everyone’s wellbeing remains the absolute priority and we should only start playing again if the health and safety of players and staff is not compromised.
“But it would be a real shame if we couldn’t finish the FA Cup and I’m sure the FA will do all they realistically can to complete it.
"With the possibility of live BBC TV coverage it could potentially be a great showcase for the women’s game if we could play the remaining matches.
“I really hope that’s what happens, but health and safety have to remain the priority.”
Powell says she has every sympathy with Liverpool after they were relegated from the WSL.
She was hoping that the FA would take the opportunity to increase the number of teams in the league, but they have relegated Liverpool and promoted Aston Villa from the Championship, leaving 12 teams. Final positions were decided on a points per game basis with Chelsea declared champions. Albion finished ninth.
Powell said, “If the quality is there, I do feel we should have more teams in the WSL, and this may have been an opportunity to do that.
“I do have sympathy for Liverpool, because they have been relegated when they still had eight games to play, although I acknowledge that there was never going to be an ideal way to settle the league because we were faced with such unique circumstances.
“However, I would like to congratulate [manager] Emma Hayes and Chelsea for winning the league. I’m sure both they and Manchester City will represent the WSL strongly in Europe next season.”