Former Cheltenham Town Women captain Emily Owen has parted ways with the Women's National League Southern Premier club while issuing serious allegations regarding the team environment. Following her exit, the defender accused an individual of turning the setup into "a dictatorship where players feel psychologically unsafe."
Owen announced her departure on Monday, drawing to a close a four-year spell at the club where she made more than 130 appearances. After Cheltenham Town shared the development on social media, Owen published her own message explaining that she had chosen to leave because of "a lack of an individual's principles and outright failures in processes."
Addressing the situation directly, Owen stated that she "wanted to set the record straight" in light of rumours surrounding her reasons for stepping away. She claimed: "One individual in particular has far too much control within this team, turning the environment into a dictatorship where players feel psychologically unsafe." The former skipper further stated that three other players had previously exited the club "on moral grounds as boundaries were crossed, that shouldn't be crossed in women's football."
Cheltenham Town Women noted that while they would not comment on individual matters, they take all issues relating to player welfare and wellbeing "extremely seriously." A spokesperson for the club stated: "Cheltenham Town Women are committed to ensuring that every player, member of staff and volunteer is treated with respect and feels safe, valued and supported within our environment. We will ensure that any concerns brought to our attention are treated appropriately, sensitively and in line with all relevant policies and procedures."