Wolves Women boss Dan McNamara to miss crucial play-off due to RAF service overseas

McNamara, who is an aircraft technician, has started his isolation today and will fly out on Wednesday for his four-month stay.

That means the manager will miss the final two league games of the season, the Birmingham County Cup final against Albion and the league play-off on May 21, which will determine whether Wolves achieve promotion to the Championship.

"I'm a proud serviceman and unfortunately this is me closing out for the season – I'm now off overseas with the air force," McNamara said.

"Of course I'm disappointed but the air force has given me so much over the last 10, 15 years and even over the last three-and-a-half years with what I've achieved at Wolves.

"I'll go out there and do it proudly but it's tough to take. You want to be there in those big moments and May 21 will probably be the biggest moment in the history of the club.

"To not be there and lead the girls into battle is tough to take but I've known about it for a long time now and have had opportunity to come to terms with it. I shared it with the girls a few weeks ago and we had our little moment together.

"But they'll be fully focused. This football club is far bigger than me. We've developed an environment that looks after itself, the players look after themselves and the staff know what we expect.

"I'll be watching from afar and it'll be tough to not be there in the moment, but I'll certainly be watching."

McNamara should have flown out last Friday, which would have meant he missed Wolves' title winning moment on Sunday and their game at Molineux on Wednesday – the first time the women's team have played competitively at the stadium in 20 years.

He is due to return to the UK on August 10 and will return to his role at Wolves. In the meantime, a coaching colleague of his for the United Kingdom Armed Forces women's team, Karl Milgate, will join the Wolves coaching team for the remaining games this season.

"It will be left to one of my good friends and someone who is very knowledgeable in the women's game, Karl Milgate," McNamara added.

"He won't take over, because it doesn't need taking over, he'll just offer a pair of hands while I step away. He'll support the guys and girls however they need. Everything will be absolutely fine.

"Those girls are not my players, they'll my friends, and it'll be hard not to see them but it's my job and I'm proud of what I do. Hopefully I come back to something bigger and better in August.

"We've said all season that dreaming is for free and they have their own dreams that they'll be doing it for, everyone wants to break into the elite game.

"I might come into the forefront of their minds but they'll be doing it for themselves. They're good people who deserve an opportunity."

As the winners of the National League Norther Premier Division, Wolves will face the winner of the Southern Premier Division in the play-off next month.

Although it is not yet mathematically certain, that opponent is likely to be Southampton.

"Honestly, they shouldn't be playing a play-off on May 21 – if you win a league you get promoted so I think that's a disgrace in itself," McNamara said.

"Everyone has a chance in football but I think we'll go into that massive underdogs, if I'm honest.

"Look at what Southampton are doing, the money they're putting into it, and they'll be huge favourites for that game.

"But we've defied odds for the past three-and-a-half years, they constantly push down barriers to achieve success, so we'll see. We go into it massively confident in our ability and try to cause what I see as an upset.

"I'm proud of them every day, it's an amazing environment to be involved in."

Before that game, however, Wolves enjoyed a historic evening at Molineux on Wednesday.

Despite throwing away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Brighouse Town, Wolves were able to celebrate their title win in front of a record crowd of 2,477 fans.

"It was fantastic – the club have done us proud," McNamara said.

"The players have done the club proud in the past few seasons and tonight the club has done us proud. A big thanks to everyone involved.

"I always talk about football being about memories and we created a moment there that the girls will never forget. The first game here in 20 years is remarkable.

"The celebration at the end, the stuff at the start, it all adds to it and caps off a fantastic seven days for us as a club.

"We won't rest here now, we'll build on it and see what we can do to drive forward and get better again.

"We've been doing big things as a club and the facilities we get offered are amazing.

"We talk about engaging the next generation so the players gave away signed shirts to what will be the next group of players – it's remarkable.

"Football is on a massive journey in the female game so to be inspiring that many young kids to stay behind at 10.30pm and collect autographs from their heroes – which is what they are – is amazing to see."