Leeds Ladies F.C.

Leeds Ladies F.C.
Full name Leeds Ladies Football Club
Nickname(s) The Phoenix
Founded 1989
Ground Garforth Town AFC
Cedar Ridge
Garforth
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS25 2PF
Ground Capacity 3,000
Chairman Gary Cooper
League FA Women's Premier League Northern Division One
2014-15 4th, FA Women's Premier League Northern Division One

Leeds Ladies Football Club[1] are an English women's football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. They have competed in the FA Women's Premier League National Division since the 2009–10 season. They should not be confused with the other ladies football team in Leeds, Leeds City Vixens, who compete in the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division.

History

After playing in the Yorkshire and Humberside League for seven years, the 1997–98 season saw the team gain promotion to the AXA FA Northern Premier League under the management of Mark Hodgson. In 1999–2000 season they reached the semi-finals of the FA Women's Cup Narrowly losing 2–1 to Croydon in a very close game at Ossett Albion. After consolidating and adjusting to National League football for a couple of seasons, the team achieved promotion with a 5–0 win away at Wolverhampton Wanderers on 7 May 2001 and were crowned champions of the Northern Premier League and gained promotion to the Women's Premier League. Leeds finished a credible fourth in their first season in the top flight (2001–02), with manager Mark Hodgson winning The FA Women's Premier Leagues 'Manager of the Year' award. The following season proved to be a tough one and Leeds finished the league in seventh place.

The 2003–04 season saw a new manager, Julie Chipchase, appointed and Leeds once again finished in fourth place – the highest-placed team outside London. In the 2004–05 season the side finished in fifth place. The 2005–06 season saw the team accomplish one of its greatest achievements to date, playing in the FA Women's Cup final against overwhelming favourites Arsenal Ladies.[2] Leeds United legend Allan Clarke presented them with sock tags before the match, similar to those worn by the Leeds United male team in their 1972 FA Cup Final victory, in a bid to give the team luck.[3] Nevertheless, the match did not turn out how the team had hoped, with Arsenal winning the game 5–0.[4]

The 2006–07 season was a fluctuating one, with Leeds topping the table over the Christmas period and the team getting through to the FA Women's Premier League Cup final for a second time.[5] The opposition was again Arsenal and Leeds put in a much better performance than in their previous cup final appearance, but they lost out to a last minute strike by Arsenal's Jayne Ludlow. This seemed to have a big impact, as the team didn’t perform as well in the closing stages of the season and they had dropped down to fifth by the end of the season. The club won the Marketing Club of the Year award at the FA Women's Awards in May 2007 for the third consecutive year.

A change in management was made in the close season and Rick Passmoor and Leanne Hall were appointed manager and assistant manager respectively in July 2007. The new management team made a number of new signings, including Steph Houghton, Carly Telford, Katie Holtham, Georgie Adams, Jade Moore and Carla Ward. By March 2008 the team were lying mid-table in the Premier League, but finished in third position with 40 points, below Everton on 57 points and Arsenal on 62 points.

The 2007–2008 season saw the club reach their second FA Women's Cup final, their third cup final in as many years. Arsenal again were their opponents and the match mirrored the previous League Cup final. The game was 0–0 at half time, although Arsenal produced most of the chances in the first half and constantly forced United goal keeper Carly Telford into some amazing saves. Action at the opposite end of the pitch was non-existent, as United striker Amanda Barr struggled. In the second half Arsenal scored three goals in seven minutes: Smith 53, Ludlow 59 and Sanderson 60. Leeds fought back with a header from Jess Clarke on 69, but Arsenal sealed their season double with a final goal from Kelly Smith seven minutes from time. Carly Telford was named Player of the Match before a record crowd of 24,582 at the City Ground.[6][7]

In the 2008 close season the club's name became Leeds Carnegie Ladies. England U23 striker Carla Cantrell signed from Doncaster Rovers Belles and England U19's Ellen White, also a striker, joined from Chelsea. After a poor start and with key players injured for extended periods, Leeds finished sixth in the Premier League in season 2008–09.

In January 2010 the club's future was cast into doubt when their bid to join the FA Women's Super League collapsed.[8] The following month they won the club's first major trophy, the Premier League Cup, with a 3–1 win over Everton at Spotland Stadium on 11 February 2010.[9]

In March 2013 the club were confirmed as one of 33 clubs to apply for up to 18 places available in the expanded two tier 2014 FA WSL with the outcome expected in June 2014.[10] The club has started a "Show Some Love for Leeds United Ladies" campaign stating that the future of the club could depend on the success of their WSL application.[11]

Leeds United withdrew funding and permission to use their name and branding at the end of the 2013–14 season leading to Leeds United Ladies ceasing to exist. In the immediate aftermath, a group of supporters rallied to create a new club, Leeds Ladies FC, to carry on the tradition of Ladies football in Leeds.[1]

Club information

Financial background

After Leeds United chairman Ken Bates cut the club's funding by stopping the financial backing in 2005 and withdrawing the Thorp Arch training facilities in 2006, the ladies team managed to survive using sponsorship money. They were first sponsored in a two-year deal worth over £70,000 by EmpireDirect.co.uk,[12] before receiving sponsorship from Leeds Metropolitan University in a deal reported to be worth in excess of £250,000 over 5 years, starting in 2007.[13]

Stadium

The club play their home matches at 'Manse Lane', in Knaresborough, West Yorkshire. They used to play at Tadcaster in the 1990s, before moving to Wheatley Park, home of Garforth Town A.F.C., in Garforth, West Yorkshire.

Teams

Leeds United L.F.C. has junior teams at U10, U12, U14 and U16, as well as a development team, a reserve team and the first team. The Leeds Carnegie Development Team, which encourages the growth of women's football, plays in the North East Regional Women's Football League Premier Division; the reserves play in the Women's National Premier Northern Reserve League and the first team play in the FA Women's National Premier League.

The club's most notable player was Sue Smith, who has played for over 10 years at international level for England,[14] including at the 2007 Women's World Cup.

Name

The club badge during their period as Leeds Carnegie L.F.C.
The club badge when known as Leeds United Ladies

On 9 July 2008, the team announced they were changing their name to Leeds Carnegie Ladies F.C.. This came to ensure all of the professional sports teams Leeds Met University were investing in carried the name of the university's sport department, Carnegie College (including Leeds Carnegie and Yorkshire Carnegie)[15] On 8 July 2010 it was announced by Leeds United F.C. that to stop Leeds Carnegie Ladies from going out of existence the club would step in to provide funding again, bringing the club full circle back to Leeds United Ladies once more, a day under two years since the club was renamed Leeds Carnegie L.F.C.[16]

First team squad

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

No. Position Player
1 England GK Georgia Wattam
2 England DF Catherine Hamill
3 England DF Olivia Smart
4 England MF Erin White
5 England DF Bridie Hannon
6 England MF Vicky Fytche
7 Republic of Ireland FW Zoe Doherty
8 England MF Emma Bentley (Captain)
9 England FW Nicolle Jepson
10 England FW Rachael Ackroyd
11 England FW Shelbey Morris
No. Position Player
12 England MF Emily Starkie
13 England GK Lauryn Colman
14 England DF Sophie Thompson
16 England FW Demi Pringle
17 England FW Rachel Landricombe
18 England MF Beth Smith
20 England MF Rachel Stuart
21 England DF Ellie Hall
24 England MF Rachel Taylor
27 England DF Caitlin Gunnell

[18]

Coaching and Backroom staff

In December of the 2015–16 season Lewis Atkinson joined the club, shortly after in April he became head coach of Leeds Ladies FC. Lewis, is a experienced and highly qualified coach who has previously worked with Leeds Ladies FC. Soon after this Liam Cope, a young but talented coach joined the coaching staff and became head coach of the development team.

The backroom staff was also improved with Tom Devine, a qualified masseur and BSc (Hons) Sports and Exercise Science student providing injury rehabilitation and sports science support to the club.

Matt Simpson a personal trainer and masseur also has joined the backroom staff aiding players in injury rehabilitation and leading players in gym sessions for strength and conditioning.

The Director of Football and Head of Development for the club is Lee Townend, who has been at the club since it started in 2014. Alongside these roles Lee is also the coach of the U16 team with his assistant Anthony Taylor, a young coach studying Sports Coaching at Leeds Beckett University.

Honours

Runners-up (1) 2011–12
Champions (1) 2000–01
Runners-up (2) 2006, 2008
Winners (1) 2010
Runners-up (3) 2007, 2012, 2013

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Leeds United Ladies forced to rebrand". Yorkshire Voice. 22 July 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  2. ↑ "Sport – Leeds United in F.A. Cup Final". BBC – Leeds. BBC. 25 April 2006. Retrieved 23 September 2006.
  3. ↑ "Leeds Ladies Look For Lucky Omen". The F.A. TheFA.com. 12 April 2006. Retrieved 23 September 2006.
  4. ↑ "Arsenal Ladies 5–0 Leeds Ladies". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 May 2006. Retrieved 23 September 2006.
  5. ↑ "Ludlow levels Leeds". The F.A. The F.A. 4 March 2007. Retrieved 14 April 2007.
  6. ↑ "Arsenal on fire at Forest". 25 June 2008. Retrieved 30 June 2008.
  7. ↑ "Arsenal face Leeds in Cup final". BBC Sport. BBC. 16 March 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
  8. ↑ "Leeds Carnegie could fold after ending Super League Interest". Tony Leighton. The Guardian. 25 January 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
  9. ↑ Tony Leighton (11 February 2010). "Leeds beat Everton to lift the Women's League Cup". BBC. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  10. ↑ thefa.com (6 March 2013). "Clubs bid for WSL spot". The F.A. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  11. ↑ "Leeds United ladies push for premier league status". Yorkshire Evening Post. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  12. ↑ "Leeds Ladies land lucrative sponsorship deal". The F.A. TheFA.com. 22 July 2005. Retrieved 23 September 2006.
  13. ↑ "Leeds Utd women eye bright future". Tony Leighton. BBC Sport. 4 August 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2007.
  14. ↑ "Sue says it's overdue". The F.A. TheFA.com. 21 September 2006. Retrieved 23 September 2006.
  15. ↑ "Leeds women change name of club". BBC. BBC.co.uk. 9 July 2008. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
  16. ↑ "Leeds United Ladies are back!". LeedsUnited.com. LeedsUnited.com. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  17. ↑ Player Stats LeedsLadiesFC.co.uk
  18. ↑ https://twitter.com/LeedsLadiesFC?

External links

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