Inequality in sport has become a big thing in recent years with more sports trying to promote women competing at the highest level. One of the most famous examples is football. Football around the world is trying to promote more females participating with the push over the pond in the United States. Football or soccer has grown massively over the past decade with more and more players moving over to end a career or start one.

The women’s side of the sport in the US is also very popular and is as much of a big deal as the men’s games. However, in the UK that is less the case. The male football teams are a massive deal to both fans and local towns and cities. Football stadiums supply hundreds of jobs as well as house some of the biggest names in the game. Millions of pounds are pumped into football at both professional and academy level.

to think that at the men’s academy players can be paid an estimate of +£500 per week whereas the women have to pay that themselves shows a clear divide.

I spoke to Newcastle United under 18s Captain Owen Bailey about the Newcastle academy:

Q) How many years have you been at the academy?
A) Since I was seven, so 11 years.

Q) In those 10 years do you feel you have been encouraged and pushed in a way that helps you to improve?
A) Yeah I think every coach has their own style and way of doing things but all of them want you to get better and are genuinely interested in pushing you on and making you the best player you can be.

Q) Do you believe the squad is evenly treated?
A) I think wherever possible everyone is treated the same but they also try and cater for individuals. I think every coach has their own favourites in their head but they hide it well and treat everyone the same.

Q) Would you say the squad has enough media attention?
A) We get a lot which is quite surprising because ultimately it's just junior football so I think we get a lot.

Q) Would you say there is a clear inequality when it comes to the male academy and the female?
A) I suppose the funding and the opportunities we get are a lot better but I don't think that's down to inequality I think that's purely because women's football isn't as well supported as men's football so the funding is a lot less because of that.

I suppose the funding and the opportunities we get are a lot better but I don't think that's down to inequality I think that's purely because women's football isn't as well supported as men's football so the funding is a lot less because of that.

As well as speaking to Bailey I also asked Newcastle Women’s Academy centre midfielder Emily Tait the same questions to find out if she is treated the same way as Bailey or differently:

Q) How much do you get paid when playing for the academy?
A) We’re expected to pay them to pay for training and fund for kits. We are expected to get a sponsor to pay £500, if not we are expected to pay subs which cost around £30 a month.

Q) How many years have you been playing at an academy?
A) Around 10 years now.

Q) Do you feel in those 10 years that you have been encouraged and pushed in a way that helps you to improve?
A) Throughout my time there, there has always been coaches that push me and make work hard, encouraging me.

Q) Do you believe the squad is evenly treated?
A) Between my team yes but between us and the first team no. the first team get more coverage and attention and get more coaching staff.

Q) Would you say the squad gets enough media attention?
A) We create media attention ourselves, we don’t get it from other media companies. We don’t get that much but any that we get, we work for ourselves.

Q) Do you believe there is a clear inequality when it comes to the male and female academies?
A) Yes definitely, money wise more than anything the males get a ridiculous amount of money whereas we don’t get anything. The only thing we get the same as the men is the training facilities and that’s only been introduced this season.

There is a clear divide in terms of gender when looking closer at the academy levels of modern football. Inequality still exists when it comes to money and publicity, two integral elements which helps shape the game to this day. Both levels have the backing of the club in terms of training and facilities, however, to think that at the men’s academy players can be paid an estimate of +£500 per week whereas the women have to pay that themselves shows a clear divide.

Written by George Whitehouse, 18, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

Created as part of the Pop Up Newsroom event for International Women's Day 2017 #popupiwd #IWD2017