Five years after they gave up control to Football Federation South Australia, the Adelaide United A-League team has taken back control of the W-League side.

Adelaide United become the latest club to merge the operations and financial management of their A-League and W-League teams, following Perth Glory and Melbourne Victory in Season 8.

“Adelaide United is extremely grateful for the efforts of FFSA in keeping the Lady Reds a functioning and highly-competitive outfit in a period when we were simply not ready to run both men’s and women’s senior teams,” said A-League chairman Greg Griffin in an interview with The Advertiser. 

“Five years later we are absolutely ready to welcome the Lady Reds back into the Adelaide United family.”

With this latest announcement, it now means seven of eight teams in the A-League and W-League now share management with only the Newcastle Jets and the non-A-League affiliated Canberra United under federation control.

“Adelaide United owes a debt of gratitude to FFSA and, in particular, President Rauf Soulio, who worked tirelessly in keeping the Westfield W-League side in South Australia, which is a pathway for many young South Australians into the Matildas."

“The Reds have been involved in this decision from the outset and are enthusiastic about having the women as part of our football family together with our National Premier League and Youth league sides.”

“The club is delighted to bring these talented young athletes and role models back into the fold,” Griffin concluded.

Although they will have little direct management of the W-League team, FFSA will revert to their original intended role of producing and developing players in the high performance pathway.