Pompey chief: Ladies partnership won't affect Jackett's budget

The club have announced the women's side will be taken in-house from this season.

The move ensures the Blues are financially responsible for the outfit, who have been operating at a loss in recent years.

As part of the Pompey Ladies' vital restructure, their reserve team has been scrapped, while home matches will now take place at Baffins Milton Rovers.

And the Blues' chief executive has reassured supporters the changes won't be offset at a cost for Kenny Jackett's first-team set-up.

Catlin said: '˜We are keeping the independence of the Ladies, in regards of it being a separate legal and fiscal entity for this coming season, at least.

'˜We're going to have directors on the board from the club, but for all intents and purposes Pompey Ladies is now a part of the club fabric and structure '“ and we are really excited about working with them moving forward.

'˜Chatting to Mick Williams (Ladies chairman) over the last six months, he made it clear he was struggling to carry on and keep supporting the club at the level he was.

'˜So, for the future security of Pompey Ladies, it was vital we brought it under club control.

'˜Financially, above all else '“ rather than logistically and operationally '“ it's difficult to run any team, as I'm sure Mick will tell you, so it was important they got that support moving forward.

'˜This won't affect the first-team budget in any way, shape or form '“ primarily, we believe we can make it cost neutral.

'˜The Ladies are loss-making at the moment, but the deal struck with Steve Cripps (Baffins chairman) to play there and with the weight of our commercial and marketing team behind it, I'm confident it will come at zero cost to the club.

'˜We are not taking on any debt whatsoever. With Anna Mitchell looking at revenue and Tony Brown saving costs, we are confident it needn't be loss making.

'˜Although, for the Ladies, it may be a difficult year or two over the transition period.'

Williams has now stepped down from Pompey Ladies, with Eric Coleborn, a president and Pompey Supporters' Trust board member, installed as chairman.

Catlin added: '˜We pride ourselves as one family, so everyone at the club has been trying to make that happen.

 '˜Although we are not community owned any more, we still class ourselves as a community football club and it was key we supported the Ladies.'