Manchester City W.F.C.

Manchester City Women
Full name Manchester City Women's Football Club
Nickname(s) The Citizens, The Blues, City, Man City
Founded 1988
Ground Academy Stadium
Sportcity
Manchester
England
Ground Capacity 7,000 (5,000 seated)
Chairman England Gavin Makel
Manager England Nick Cushing
League FA WSL
2015 2nd
Website Club home page

Manchester City Women's Football Club (formerly Manchester City Ladies F.C.) are an English women's football club affiliated with Manchester City FC, an English football club based in Manchester, who play mainly in the Barclays Premier League.

History

Manchester City Ladies was formed in November 1988, playing their first match against Oldham on Boundary Park's artificial pitch. City won the friendly 4–2 and joined the North West Women's Regional Football League the following season.[1]

During 2000–01, the club experienced the most successful season in its history, with four teams winning their respective leagues, one successful in a league and cup double and the under-13's completing a treble.

Season 2002–03 proved to be another successful campaign, with first team finishing mid-table and consolidating their position at this level, while the under-12's won their league without dropping a single point. This was followed in 2003–04 when the under-13's won the Tameside League and Cup double, narrowly missing out in the final of the League Cup. Following on, the under-13 team competing in the following season (2004–05) had a clean sweep of the honours, winning the treble.

In 2003 the club achieved The FA Charter Standard Club award for both junior and adult sections.

In 2007/08 now former manager Leigh Wood was appointed which proved to ignite an upturn in the Ladies fortunes. With constant improvement season on season the 2011–12 Season proved to be the most successful yet, with the title run in during 2010–11 proving to be very close with City just missing out. The following season despite losing their opening 3 fixture Wood guided City to top spot in the Premier League Northern Division, winning 1–0 against Sporting Club Albion on 22 April 2012 to secure promotion to the National Division for the first time in their history, going on a club record unbeaten 14 game run in the process.

With the announced expansion of the Women's Super League competition - the top level of women's football in England - to an 18-team, two-tiered league system, Manchester City Ladies were revealed to have entered the bidding to join the expanded league, bidding for a place in either division.[2] To some surprise and controversy,[3] on 26 April City Ladies were announced to have been reassigned to the new first division of the WSL, replacing established team Doncaster Rovers Belles, who were downgraded to the second division and were the only team to lose their top division status.[4]

In anticipation of their first WSL season the club began a complete renovation of the playing squad, signing a number of England internationals and promising players, including the likes of England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley,[5] 74-times capped midfielder Jill Scott[6] and new club captain Steph Houghton,[7] intending to make an impression on the league from the start. On 23 January 2014, the club was relaunched with a minor renaming to Manchester City Women's Football Club, ready for the new season.[8]

Nick Cushing was appointed first team manager with Leigh Wood moving to 1st team Head Coach. In August 2014 following the successful restructure of the Development Squad and Youth Section Wood's contract was terminated by the club and latterly former assistant manager Kevin Sims also followed.

Following a poor start to the season in 2015, City Women returned from the summer break for the Women's World Cup a different side, with England's third-place finish seemingly rejuvenating both players and fans. Embarking on a 13-match unbeaten run, including 12 wins,[9] the club turned its bottom-half league form into a late challenge for the title, losing out only on the last day of the season.[10] Despite their disappointment, the runners-up position was enough to secure them European football for the first time in their history.[10] As they embarked on their late-season surge, City also broke the league attendance record not once[11] but twice.[12]

Affiliation With Manchester City F.C.

The Ladies club is now part of Manchester City Football Club proper. Following an announcement on 28 August 2012, Manchester City Ladies became an official part of the club under a new formal agreement. The teams play in replica shirts of those worn by the senior (and junior) Manchester City men's teams.

Current squad

As of 16 February 2016.[13]

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 Karen Bardsley
2 England DF Lucy Bronze
3 England DF Demi Stokes
5 Scotland DF Jennifer Beattie
6 England DF Steph Houghton (captain)
7 Sweden FW Kosovare Asllani
8 England MF Jill Scott
9 England FW Toni Duggan
10 United States MF Daphne Corboz
No. Position Player
11 England MF Isobel Christiansen
12 England FW Georgia Stanway
15 England DF Chelsea Nightingale
16 Scotland FW Jane Ross
17 England FW Nikita Parris
20 Republic of Ireland DF Megan Campbell
21 England GK Marie Hourihan
23 England DF Abbie McManus
24 England MF Keira Walsh

Out on loan

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

No. Position Player
13 England GK Alexandra Brooks (on loan to Everton)[14]

Current technical staff

Name Job title
England Nick Cushing Manager
Republic of Ireland Alan Mahon Assistant Coach
England Ellena Turner Strength and Conditioning Coach
England Helen Vaughan Physiotherapist
England Chris Williams Goalkeeping Coach

Honours

References

  1. ↑ Mather, Neil (28 January 2014). "Guest Blog: Neil Mather on the original City Ladies". Manchester City F.C. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Man City join Women's Super League bidding process". BBC Sport. 1 March 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  3. ↑ "Women's football: Doncaster Belles demotion 'scandalous'". BBC Sport. 26 May 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  4. ↑ "Manchester City to compete in WSL top tier after restructure". BBC Sport. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  5. ↑ "Karen Bardsley: Manchester City Ladies sign England goalkeeper". British Broadcasting Corporation. 22 November 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  6. ↑ "Jill Scott: England midfielder joins Manchester City". BBC Sport. 15 November 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "Steph Houghton signs for City". mcfc.co.uk. 5 December 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
  8. ↑ "Manchester City Women's Football Club re-launched". mcfc.co.uk. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "City 6 Bristol Academy 1". mcfc.co.uk. 27 September 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  10. 1 2 "WSL 1: Manchester City Women 2-1 Notts County Ladies". BBC Sport. 4 October 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  11. ↑ "FA WSL breaks attendance records after England's World Cup heroics". Sky Sports. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  12. ↑ "Christiansen ecstatic with 'exceptional year'". FA WSL. 4 October 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  13. ↑ "Team". mcfc.com. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  14. ↑ "Blues Bag Brooks". FA WSL. 25 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016.

External links

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