Manchester United Women win first major honor – should there have been more members of the club’s hierarchy to see it?

Manchester United Women won their first major honor on Sunday, beating a weak Tottenham Hotspur side 4-0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

It is the first time a team has won their first FA Cup trophy since Manchester City achieved the feat in 2017 and as such the result is a milestone for a United side that has only been reformed in 2018.

However, questions should be asked about the team’s long-term ambitions.

The game represented an opportunity for United to salvage their season, with manager Marc Skinner in the same position as Erik ten Hag, his men’s counterpart. After a disappointing league campaign, the FA Cup final provided a significant distraction from the fact that they are on course for the fewest points in the top flight.

Even so, there was never a sense that Skinner’s job was under threat. With his contract expiring at the end of the season, United offered him a new deal just before reaching the final, although the two sides are yet to reach an agreement.

The apparent indifference to United’s current form has been concerning, with new management at INEOS starting in February. New co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe sat out a day at Wembley to see the men’s side lose 1-0 to Arsenal at Old Trafford. He was in attendance three weeks earlier when United’s men played in the semi-final of the equivalent competition.

Avram Glazer was booed as he was shown on the screens at Wembley (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Instead, Roger Bell (CFO) and Tom Crotty (Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications) were present on behalf of INEOS, as was United’s co-executive chairman Avram Glazer, who was booed by fans when he was introduced on the big screen before the trophies are lifted.

Manchester United’s childhood fan Ella Toone scored a spectacular opener at the end of a dull first half. Toone played in United’s academy from the age of eight to 14 before having to move first to Blackburn Rovers and then to Manchester City as he approached senior football age.

Ella Toone puts Manchester United 1-0 up at Wembley!

They take a deserved half-time lead against Tottenham…#WomensFACup pic.twitter.com/F45DdqWxRN

— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) May 12, 2024

Her flawless record at Wembley continued, scoring her fourth goal in seven appearances for United and England and winning a third trophy to go with her European Championship and Finalissima medals.

ELLA TOONE.

wow#BBCFotball #WomensFACup pic.twitter.com/bUWadEz2iw

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 12, 2024

The reaction of long-serving United players such as captain Katie Zelem showed what a defining moment this was for the club, while Nikita Parris picked up his third FA Cup winner’s medal after refusing a £1m ($1.25m) move to North Carolina. Courage to be available for this match. Parris came on in the 58th minute with United 3-0 up.

But Ratcliffe’s absence highlights a concern about his lack of focus on the women’s team. Notably, INEOS has never fielded a full women’s cycling team to match the big-budget men’s outfit, while Nice, the French club it owns, only competes in the country’s second tier of women’s football.

United look set to miss out on fourth place in the Women’s Super League (WSL) at Liverpool, never in the hunt for a Champions League spot. Increased investment from clubs across the division means that reaching the top is no longer a foregone conclusion. The biggest red flag should be that the only team in the top half of the table that United have beaten this season is Tottenham.

To that extent, although Sunday’s performance was comprehensive and accomplished, United were expected to win. They have already beaten Tottenham by that exact score in December and are the more experienced side, having played in last year’s final against Chelsea.

Ella Toone opens the scoring for United (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

There have been repeated concerns about how the club is being run behind the scenes, with director of women’s football Polly Bancroft leaving to become chief executive of Grimsby Town. There is an expectation that new sporting director Dan Ashworth will take some responsibility for the women’s team, with experience from his time in England and Brighton, but he will certainly have his hands full with the men’s team. It will do nothing to dispel the notion that United’s staff is stretched far too thin when it comes to paying attention to the women’s team.

Skinner was puzzled by Ratcliffe’s absence from Wembley, shaking his head when asked if he was disappointed by it.

“In all honesty, it feels like a really positive space to be in. I was very excited about the energy (it’s the new management) driven inside. It won’t be long before we are talked about in the elite winning teams. I know what’s coming and it’s a very exciting time to be a Manchester United fan.

“What I would say is that the messages have been delivered all along. There is constant support and constant communication. We had more than enough representation from our club here.”

Mary Earps celebrates (Julian Finney/Getty Images)

It was a different story for Tottenham, who had chairman Daniel Levy in attendance as well as club legends Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa.

“It shows we’re really doing this,” manager Robert Vilahamn said.

“We will be all-in on women’s football. We show that the whole club is one club. Everyone is here to support the team today and it shows.”

Party time for Manchester United! 🏆 #BBCFotball #WomensFACup pic.twitter.com/X9iJQRBHsn

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 12, 2024

Ahead of the final, there was much talk of Manchester United and Tottenham being promoted to the WSL at the same time. United’s victory means they have cleared a major obstacle to a title shot, but clubs of the past have also fallen prey to those moments that cover the realities of where a club actually is.

Once the festive confetti has settled, United must ensure they reflect where the season left them overall.

(Top photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)