Southampton F.C. Women

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This article is about the club founded in 2017 affiliated to Southampton F.C. For the club founded in 1970, see Southampton Women's F.C. For the club (1979–2019) previously affiliated to Southampton F.C., see Southampton Saints Girls & Ladies F.C.
Southampton
File:FC Southampton.svg
Full nameSouthampton Football Club Women
Nickname(s)The Saints
Founded2017; 6 years ago (2017)[1]
GroundSt Mary's Stadium
Capacity3,000 (500 seated) 32,384[2]
OwnerSport Republic[3]
ChairmanHenrik Kraft
ManagerMarieanne Spacey-Cale, MBE
LeagueWomen's Championship
2021–22FA Women's National League South, 1st of 14 (promoted)
WebsiteClub website

Southampton F.C. Women are an English women's football club based in Southampton founded in 2017. The club will play in the FA Women's Championship in the 2022–23 season after winning promotion from the FA Women's National League South.

They are affiliated with Premier League side Southampton.

History

Other clubs

In 1970, Southampton Women's F.C. was formed by female fans of the men's Southampton F.C., but the two clubs were unaffiliated. Southampton Women's F.C. went on to great success in England, winning the WFA Cup (Women's FA Cup) eight times.

Another team, Southampton Saints Girls & Ladies F.C. were formed in 1979 as Red Star FC, who were founder members of the WFA Women's National League in 1991. The club adopted the name Southampton Saints Girls & Ladies on affiliating to Southampton F.C. in 1995, and was absorbed by Southampton F.C. in 2001. The club had financial difficulties in 2005; the men's senior side were relegated from the Premier League after 27 years of top-flight football, and Southampton F.C. withdrew support for the female side. Southampton Saints Girls & Ladies continued without major club support for another 14 years, before announcing their demise due to financial difficulties in July 2019.[4][5]

Revival

By 2016 Southampton FC, under new ownership, saw the need for a competitive senior women's team as the profile of women's football in the UK grew. With the club's Regional Talent Centre, a Southampton Under-16 team was formed,[6] and an Under-21 side in May 2017.[7] The club formed an adult women's side for the 2017-18 season and were admitted to the Hampshire Women’s League Division 1.[8] In March 2018, Southampton unsuccessfully applied to enter the FA Women's Championship (Tier 2).[9][10]

In June 2018, after winning the Hampshire Women's League Division 1, the senior team was listed for the following season's Southern Region Women's Football League First Division South.[11] In July 2018, the club appointed former England international Marieanne Spacey-Cale as head of Women's and Girls' Football.[12] Spacey-Cale has 91 senior England caps.

In the 2018–19 season, the club in fact played in the Southern Region Premier Division, and won the title with a perfect record of 18 wins,[13] earning promotion to the FA Women's National League Division One. They also beat Oxford City Women in the League Cup, achieving a domestic Double.[14]

In both the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons, the club were top of the FA Women’s National League Division 1 South West at the point when the season was curtailed due to the coronavirus outbreak.[15][16]

The club applied for, and were granted, upward club movement in the summer of 2021, being placed in the FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division for the 2021–22 season.[17]

In the 2021–22 season, the club won the FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division to earn a chance to get promoted to the second-tier by beating the FA WNL Northern Premier Division champions in a play-off.[18] On 21 May 2022, Southampton earned a first ever promotion to the FA Women's Championship by defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 in the play-off.[19]

Womens Championship

The 2022-23 Season Southampton F.C start the season in their highest league to date after the Revival of the club. During the close season the women's side of the game went professional / full time.

Squad

As of 9 August 2022.[20][21]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK England ENG Kayla Rendell
2 DF England ENG Ella Morris
3 DF England ENG Milly Mott
4 MF England ENG Lucia Kendall
5 DF England ENG Rosanna Parnell (Captain)
6 DF Northern Ireland NIR Laura Rafferty
7 MF England ENG Georgie Freeland
8 MF England ENG Phoebe Williams (Vice-Captain)
9 FW England ENG Ella Pusey
10 FW England ENG Beth Lumsden
11 MF Wales WAL Megan Wynne
No. Pos. Nation Player
12 FW England ENG Sophia Pharoah
14 DF New Zealand NZL Ashleigh Ward
17 FW England ENG Lexi Lloyd-Smith
19 MF Wales WAL Alice Griffiths
20 FW England ENG Katie Wilkinson
21 MF England ENG Leeta Rutherford
22 MF Northern Ireland NIR Ciara Watling
23 DF England ENG Megan Collett
24 DF England ENG Paige Peake
48 GK England ENG Sophie Harris

Youth Development

Southampton F.C. are well known for their youth development and scouting programmes.[22] The club run a female-specific development programme, spanning talent clubs, summer camps, and the FA-approved Premier League Girls' Football Programme. In May 2017 the club announced the formation of a dedicated U-21 women's squad to complement their coaching programme and provide a feeder route into the women's first team.[7]

Honours

Hampshire Women’s Football League Division 1
  • Champions (2017-18)
Southern Region Women's Football League Cup
  • Champions (2018–19)
Southern Region Women's Football League Premier Division
  • Champions (2018–19)[13]
Hampshire FA Women's Challenge Cup
  • Runners up (2021)
FA Women's National League South Southern Premier Division
  • Champions (2021-22)
FA Women's National League Cup
  • Champions (2021/22)
FA Women's Championship Playoff
  • Champions (2021/22)

References

  1. ^ "Hampshire Women's Football League".
  2. ^ "Premier League Handbook 2020/21" (PDF). Premier League. p. 34. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Serb mogul completes Saints takeover". BBC Sport.
  4. ^ Garry, Tom (4 January 2020). "Women's FA Cup third round: Southampton's eight-time winners among sides bidding to join WSL giants". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Southampton Saints Girls & Ladies FC". en-gb.facebook.com.
  6. ^ "International recognition for Saints' girls (11 Oct 2016)". SFC Media.
  7. ^ a b "Saints announce new under-21 women's team". Southampton FC.
  8. ^ "Hampshire Women's Football League".
  9. ^ "Southampton apply to join Women's Championship". BBC Sport. March 23, 2018.
  10. ^ "Southampton: Saints' application for Women's Championship team denied". May 28, 2018.
  11. ^ "2018/19 Southern Region Women's League constitutions confirmed".
  12. ^ "Saints appoint Marieanne Spacey-Cale MBE". Southampton FC.
  13. ^ a b "Southern Region Women's Football League". fulltime-league.thefa.com.
  14. ^ "Saints complete domestic double!". Southampton FC.
  15. ^ "FA Women's National League season ends amid coronavirus pandemic". The Offside Rule. 27 March 2020.
  16. ^ "FA Women's National League".
  17. ^ "Southampton FC Women granted promotion". Southampton FC.
  18. ^ "Saints Women crowned league champions". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2022-05-21.
  19. ^ "Southampton Women win promotion to second tier after victory against Wolves". the Guardian. 2022-05-21. Retrieved 2022-05-21.
  20. ^ "First team". Southampton F.C.
  21. ^ "Squad numbers confirmed for 2019/20". Southampton F.C. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  22. ^ "Southampton continue to invest in youth after Gao Jisheng's reshuffle | Football | The Guardian". 22 July 2019.

External links

Coordinates: 50°56′1.95″N 1°30′35.7906″W / 50.9338750°N 1.509941833°W / 50.9338750; -1.509941833

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