Liverpool L.F.C.

This article is about the women's football club. For the men's football club, see Liverpool F.C.. For other uses, see Liverpool F.C. (disambiguation).
Liverpool Ladies F C
Full name Liverpool Ladies Football Club
Nickname(s) The Reds
Founded 1989 (1989), as Newton Ladies F.C.
Ground Select Security Stadium, Widnes, Cheshire
Ground Capacity 13,350
General manager Paul Metheringham
Manager Scott Rogers
League FA WSL
2015 7th, FA WSL
Website Club home page

Liverpool Ladies Football Club is a women's football club affiliated with Liverpool Football Club. The team currently plays in the FA WSL, the highest division of women's football in England. After being relegated from the FA Women's Premier League National Division to the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division for 2009–10, Liverpool won the league after losing only one game all season. On 29 September 2013 Liverpool Ladies clinched their first FA WSL title,[1] and retained the title in 2014.[2] The triumph completed a remarkable turnaround for Liverpool, who had finished bottom of the WSL table in 2011 and 2012.

History

The club was founded in 1989 as Newton LFC. It changed its name to Knowsley United WFC two years later; becoming founder members of the National Premier Division organised by the WFA.[3] Knowsley United reached the final of the Premier League Cup in 1993, but were beaten by Arsenal at Wembley.[4] The local MP, Eddie O'Hara, tabled an Early Day Motion congratulating the club on extending the annual sequence of Merseyside clubs playing in Cup finals at Wembley.[5] In 1994 the club reached the final of the FA Women's Cup, losing 1–0 to Doncaster Belles at Glanford Park.[6] That summer the club linked with Liverpool F.C. and took on its name.[7]

The club were also FA Women's Cup runners-up in the following two seasons. They lost the 1995 final 3–2 to Arsenal at Prenton Park after twice being ahead through Karen Burke goals, only for Marieanne Spacey to score a late winner.[8] In 1996 Liverpool and their 15-year-old goalkeeper Rachel Brown drew 1–1 with Croydon at The Den, but ultimately lost on penalties after extra time.[9]

For most of the 1990s Liverpool were National Premier League mainstays but a lack of support and investment saw them relegated to the Northern Division in 2001. In 2004 they won the Northern Division and earned promotion, but did not stay long as they were relegated again at the end of the season, having won only two games.

As in the men's game, their biggest rivalry is with Everton L.F.C., but their recent spells in the second tier have led them to develop rivalry with counterparts of lower-level male rivals, such as Tranmere Rovers and Lincoln Ladies. The Merseyside derby was rekindled in the 2007–08 season, after Liverpool won back promotion as 2006–07 Northern Division champions.

Surviving their first season back in the FA Women's Premier League National Division, finishing third bottom, they sacked manager David Bradley at the end of the season.[10] The club were relegated into the Northern Division for 2009–10, but won the league losing just one game all season. Liverpool also won the FA Fair Play Award after playing for the whole season without having a single player booked or sent-off.[11][12] The club was one of eight founding teams in the FA WSL in April 2011.[13]

In June 2012, the manager for four seasons Robbie Johnson stepped down from his position. Under Johnson, the team won just two of their 20 games in his last two seasons in charge, having finished bottom in 2011, and with a similar record in 2012.[14] Johnson's assistant Andy Williams was subsequently promoted to the manager's role.[15]

In August 2012 Matt Beard, who had left Chelsea Ladies the previous month, was appointed manager on a full-time contract until 2014.[16] When the club finished bottom of the WSL for the second successive season, Beard overhauled his squad by releasing ten players and making high profile signings including United States national team defender Whitney Engen.[17] The club then announced a move from the West Lancashire College Stadium in Skelmersdale, to the Halton Stadium in Widnes for 2013.[18] On 29 September 2013 Liverpool Ladies clinched their first Women's Super League title by beating Bristol in the end-of-season decider ending Arsenal’s nine-year dominance of women’s football in England.[1] They retained the title on 12 October 2014 by beating Bristol 3-0 despite entering the final day in third behind Chelsea and Birmingham City.[2]

In September 2015 it was announced that Matt Beard was leaving the club at the conclusion of the 2015 season to take charge of Boston Breakers in the United States.[19] Liverpool had a difficult season, plagued by players' injuries and managing a 7th place finish in the FA WSL, semifinals of the FA WSL Cup, fifth round of the FA Women's Cup and round of 32 of the Women's Champions League.[20][21] In October 2015, Scott Rogers who was Matt Beard's assistant coach, was officially appointed as manager.[22]

Players and staff

Current squad

As of 23 March 2016.[23]

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 Siobhan Chamberlain
3 England DF Martha Harris
4 Netherlands DF Mandy van den Berg
5 England DF Gemma Bonner (Captain)
6 Wales MF Sophie Ingle
7 England FW Kate Longhurst
8 England MF Laura Coombs (on loan from Chelsea)
9 Sweden FW Emma Lundh
10 Scotland MF Caroline Weir
11 Netherlands FW Shanice van de Sanden
No. Position Player
13 New Zealand FW Rosie White
20 England MF Katie Zelem
21 England FW Mollie Green
22 England DF Alex Greenwood
23 England GK Danielle Gibbons
30 England MF Hannah Dale
33 England DF Majumi Pacheco
36 England FW Ashley Hodson
40 Wales FW Natasha Harding
44 United States DF Satara Murray

Former players

For details of current and former players, see Category:Liverpool L.F.C. players.

Team officials

Senior club staff
Coaching staff[25][26]

Honours

Celebrating the 2013 FA WSL win

UEFA Champions League record

Season Competition Stage Home Away Opponent
2014–15 Champions League Round of 32 2–1 0–3 Sweden Linköpings FC
2015–16 Champions League Round of 32 0–1 0–1 Italy ACF Brescia

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Women's Super League: Liverpool beat Bristol to win title". BBC Sport. 29 September 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  2. 1 2 Leighton, Tony (12 October 2014). "Liverpool Ladies pip Chelsea to WSL title on dramatic final day". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  3. ↑ "1991–1992". The Owl Football Historian. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  4. ↑ Henry Winter (28 August 1993). "Football diary: Music for penalty arias". London: The Independent. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
  5. ↑ O'Hara, Edward (19 May 1993). "KNOWSLEY UNITED WOMEN'S FOOTBALL XI". London: Parliament.uk. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  6. ↑ Rudd, Alyson (25 April 1994). "Football: Belles bring class to bear: Doncaster dominate women's FA Cup final". London: The Independent. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
  7. ↑ Andrew Drake. "http://www.btinternet.com/~a.drake/women/Basics/changeN.htm". The Owl Football Historian. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2011. External link in |title= (help)
  8. ↑ "Spacey the difference for Arsenal". London: The Independent. 1 May 1995. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
  9. ↑ Forde, Sarah (29 April 1996). "Croydon spot chance for first cup victory". London: The Times. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  10. ↑ "Ladies sack boss Bradley". Liverpoolfc.tv. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "Key figures honoured at Women's awards". TheFA.com. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  12. ↑ "FA Woman's Football Awards". She Kicks. 30 June 2010. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  13. ↑ "Lincoln Ladies FA Women's Super League bid success". BBC. 22 March 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  14. ↑ "Ladies manager steps down". Liverpool F.C. 29 June 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  15. ↑ "Andy Williams era starts with defeat for Liverpool FC Ladies". Liverpool Echo. 2 July 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  16. ↑ Garrity, Paul (6 August 2012). "Liverpool Ladies appoint Matt Beard as new manager". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  17. ↑ "Ladies release 10 players". Liverpool Ladies FC. 17 October 2012. Archived from the original on 20 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
  18. ↑ "Ladies confirm stadium move". Liverpool FC. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  19. ↑ "Beard set to leave Liverpool Ladies to join Boston Breakers". Liverpool Ladies FC. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  20. ↑ "Beard's final column: A night of emotion ahead". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  21. ↑ "Ladies suffer FA Cup elimination". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  22. ↑ "Liverpool Ladies appoint Scott Rogers as manager". Liverpool Ladies FC. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  23. ↑ "Team". Liverpool Ladies FC. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  24. ↑ Hunter, Steve (10 September 2014). "Ladies appoint general manager". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  25. ↑ "Ladies Coaching Team". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  26. ↑ "Rogers adds Backhouse & Jordan to backroom staff". Liverpool F.C. 5 February 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2016.

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