Bristol City Women's Football Club is a women's association football team from the city of Bristol. Formed in 1998 as Bristol Rovers W.F.C., they were renamed Bristol Academy W.F.C. in 2005 following the withdraw of support from Bristol Rovers and increased involvement and academy development from Bristol Academy of Sport (now SGS Sport), part of South Gloucestershire and Stroud College. A second change of name, this time to Bristol City was approved by the FA Women's Football Board in time for the 2016 WSL season. With their home games relocating from SGS College's Stoke Gifford Stadium to the Robins High Performance Centre and now Ashton Gate Stadium. Bristol City Women won promotion to the FA Women's Super League (WSL), the highest level of the women's game in England in 2016 and stayed there for five seasons before being relegated to the FA Women's Championship in 2021.[1]
 | ||||
| Full name | Bristol City Women's Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Robins (formerly The Vixens) | |||
| Founded | 1998 as Bristol Rovers | |||
| Ground | Ashton Gate, Bristol | |||
| Chairman | Gavin Marshall | |||
| Manager | Stephen Kirby | |||
| League | Women's Championship | |||
| 2023–24 | Women's Super League, 12th of 12 (relegated) | |||
| Website | https://www.bcfc.co.uk/bristol-city-women/ | |||
|
| ||||
History
editEarly years
editThe team was founded in 1998, following a merger between the Bristol Rovers girls' teams and Welsh side Cable-Tel L.F.C.. This merger came about as Bristol Rovers only had girls teams up to the under 16 age group level, so when girls reached the age of 16 they were forced to leave the club. The merger with Cable-Tel meant that Bristol Rovers had a senior squad, and more importantly it gave them a place in the South West Combination league, only two levels below the top flight of women's football in England. This new merged team took the name Bristol Rovers W.F.C. and played their home games at The Beeches, the training ground and administrative offices of Bristol Rovers, located in Brislington.
The team, like their male counterparts at Bristol Rovers, were somewhat nomadic in their early days, having played home matches at The Beeches, Lodge Road (home of Yate Town), Cossham Street (Mangotsfield United), the Memorial Stadium (Bristol Rovers), Fry's Sports Ground in Keynsham, The Lawns (Cribbs F.C.),[2] The Hand Stadium (Clevedon Town), Lakeview (Bishop Sutton), and Oaklands Park (Almondsbury Town).[3] They finally acquired their own purpose-built home ground, Stoke Gifford Stadium, on land owned by Filton College (now South Gloucestershire and Stroud College) in time for the inaugural FA WSL season in 2011. Since then, all of their home games were played there up until the end of the 2019–20 season, with the exception of UEFA Women's Champions League matches, which have been held at Ashton Gate.[4]
The name of the club was changed to Bristol Academy at the beginning of the 2005–06 season to reflect the increased involvement of the Bristol Academy of Sport with the club. The team continued to play in the blue and white quarters of Bristol Rovers however, and also retained the nickname The Gas Girls, an acknowledgement of Rovers' unofficial nickname of The Gas.[5] Bristol Rovers, now in the bottom division of The Football League, found themselves unable to continue financing a women's team in 2006 and withdrew funding. Bristol Academy of Sport agreed to bankroll the team for 12 months, but there were serious doubts during the 2006–07 season that the club would survive beyond the summer.[6]
In summer 2009 the club had a funding crisis. Manager Gary Green was sacked, Corinne Yorston left for Arsenal, Stef Curtis for Chelsea and Gwennan Harries for Everton.[7] Without their star players the team finished bottom of the table in 2009–10.
The club were one of eight founding teams in the FA WSL in April 2011, when they moved into a brand new stadium at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College's Stoke Gifford Campus.[8]
In 2013 the club signed a sponsorship agreement with Bristol City FC and changed their home kit from blue to red,[9] and three years later the club was renamed Bristol City Women's Football Club.[10]
In July 2018, the club named Tanya Oxtoby its new manager, moving into the position from being an assistant with Birmingham City W.F.C.[11]
League history
edit
It took just two seasons to gain promotion to the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division, when the club won the South West Combination in the 2000–01 season under the management of Dave Bell. After this Dave Bell left the club to join the academy set-up at Manchester United, and was replaced by Tony Ricketts.
Tony Ricketts also achieved league success, with the team winning the Southern Division in the 2002–03 season and earning promotion to the FA Women's Premier League National Division. The first season in the top-flight was a struggle, with the team narrowly avoiding relegation. However Bristol Academy established themselves in the National Division with two fifth-place finishes over the next two seasons.
In the 2006–2007 season, the club reached the top spot in November (though defending champions Arsenal L.F.C. had games in hand due to European Cup, League Cup and FA Cup commitments). Arsenal played their games in hand Bristol Academy, hovered between the 4th and 8th places.
Bristol City Women finished 2nd in FA WSL 2 for the 2016 season and won promotion to FA WSL 1 for their 2017 campaign.
They were relegated in the 2020–21 season to the FA Women's Championship where they finished third in their first season back in the second tier.
The 2022–23 season saw Bristol City win their first ever league title and, with it, promotion back to the WSL.
Cup history
edit.jpg)
In the short history of the team they have reached the semi-final of the FA Women's Cup five times. The first was in the 2000–01 season when they were still playing their league football in the South West Combination, playing in front of a club record crowd of over 3000 at the Memorial Stadium against Arsenal L.F.C. The match ended in a 3–0 defeat. Three more unsuccessful semi-final matches were to follow in this competition, against Fulham L.F.C. in 2002–03, Charlton Athletic L.F.C. in the 2004–05 season and Arsenal again providing the opposition in 2006–07.
In 2011 the club reached the final of the FA Cup after a 3–0 semi-final win over Liverpool. Bristol were beaten 2–0 by Arsenal in the final, before 13,885 fans at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.[12] In 2013 the club reached its second FA Cup final after a 2–0 semi-final win over Lincoln Ladies. Bristol were again beaten by Arsenal 3–0 in the final at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster.
The team dominated the Gloucestershire FA Women's Challenge Cup in their early days, winning the trophy eight times in their first nine seasons. The only failure to win the competition came in the 2003–04 season when they were beaten in the final by the original Bristol City W.F.C., their first ever defeat to their cross-city rivals. Following the 2006–07 win the first team stopped competing in the tournament, although their junior teams continued taking part.
They did reach the final of the Continental Tyres League Cup Final in the 2020–21 season but were defeated by Chelsea FC.
UEFA competitions
edit- For a detailed international record see English women's football clubs in international competitions
Because of the new WSL, England's UEFA Women's Champions League places were allocated to the FA Cup finalists as a one time exception. Thus Bristol won a place in the 2011–12 UEFA Women's Champions League round of 32.[13] They started in the round of 32 and were drawn against Russian side Energiya Voronezh and drew their home game 1–1 but lost the return leg in Russia 2–4 and didn't advance.[14][15]
Season by season
edit| Season | League | Position | FA Cup | League CupA | Other | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol Rovers W.F.C. | ||||||
| 1998–99 | South West Combination | 2nd | Gloucestershire Cup winners | Billy Gornicki-Bond | ||
| 1999–00 | 2nd | Third round | Gloucestershire Cup winners | |||
| 2000–01 | 1st (promoted) |
Semi-final | Gloucestershire Cup winners | Dave Bell | ||
| 2001–02 | Premier League Southern Division | 2nd of 12 | Fourth round | First round | Gloucestershire Cup winners | Tony Ricketts |
| 2002–03 | 1st of 11 (promoted) |
Semi-final | Quarter-final | Gloucestershire Cup winners | ||
| 2003–04 | Premier League National Division | 8th of 10 | Semi-final | Semi-final | Tony Ricketts Ivor Gumm | |
| 2004–05 | 5th of 10 | Semi-final | Quarter-final | Gloucestershire Cup winners | Gary Green | |
| Bristol Academy W.F.C. | ||||||
| 2005–06 | Premier League National Division | 5th of 10 | Quarter-final | Quarter-final | Gloucestershire Cup winners | Gary Green |
| 2006–07 | 4th of 12 | Semi-final | Second round | Gloucestershire Cup winners | ||
| 2007–08 | 4th of 12 | Fourth round | Third round | |||
| 2008–09 | 8th of 12 | Quarter-final | Second round | |||
| 2009–10 | 12th of 12 | Fourth round | Quarter-final | Granted WSL licence[16] | Mark Sampson | |
| 2011 | Women's Super League | 5th of 8 | Runners-up | First round | 2011–12 Champions League: First round | |
| 2012 | 4th of 8 | Semi-final | Semi-final | |||
| 2013 | 2nd of 8 | Runners-up | Group stage | |||
| 2014 | 7th of 8 | Fifth round | Group stage | 2014–15 Champions League: Quarter-final | Dave Edmondson | |
| 2015 | 8th of 8 (relegated) |
Fifth round | Quarter-final | Dave Edmondson Lauren Smith[17] Willie Kirk | ||
| Bristol City W.F.C. | ||||||
| 2016 | WSL 2 | 2nd of 10 (promoted) |
Fourth round | First round | Willie Kirk | |
| 2017 | Women's Super League | 8th of 9 | Quarter-final | N/AB | ||
| 2017–18 | 8th of 10 | Fourth round | Quarter-final | |||
| 2018–19 | 6th of 11 | Fifth round | Group stage | Tanya Oxtoby | ||
| 2019–20 | 10th of 12 | Fifth round | Group stage | |||
| 2020–21 | 12th of 12 (relegated) |
Fourth round | Runners-up | Tanya Oxtoby Matt Beard | ||
| 2021–22 | Women's Championship | 3rd of 12 | Fourth round | Quarter-final | Lauren Smith | |
| 2022–23 | 1st of 12 (promoted) |
Fifth round | Quarter-final | |||
| 2023–24 | Women's Super League | 12th of 12 (relegated) |
Fourth round | Group stage | ||
| 2024–25 | Women's Championship | Lauren Smith
Loren Dykes Stephen Kirby | ||||
^A League cup column shows results in the FA Women's Premier League Cup (2001–2010) and the FA WSL Cup (2011–present)
^B There was no WSL Cup tournament during the 2017 WSL Spring Series
Stadium
edit
After having played at a number of different grounds, the team finally got their own home in 2011 when they moved into the newly built Stoke Gifford Stadium at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, WISE Campus in North Bristol. It was the first stadium in the UK to be developed specifically for a women's football team,.[18][19] They stayed here until the end of the 2019–20 season. After this league requirements saw a move to Twerton Park and a groundshare with Bath City FC. The robins only stayed here for one season before they relocated to the Robins High Performance Centre for the start 2021–22 season. Multiple games have also been played at Ashton Gate stadium.
The club record attendance came in April 2023 when 7,045 spectators watched Bristol City against Charlton Athletic in the FA Women's Championship at Ashton Gate.
The club announced that all home matches would be played at Ashton Gate for the upcoming season.[20]
Players
editCurrent squad
edit- As of 22 October 2024[21]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Out on loan
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
Club Staff
edit| Position | Staff Member |
|---|---|
| Chairman |  Gavin Marshall
|
| Head of Womens Football |  South Africa Romaney Pinnock
|
| Head of Player Recruitment |  Michelle Yeowell
|
| Head Coach | Stephen Kirby
|
| Assistant Coach | Natalie Haigh
|
| Assistant Coach | Loren Dykes
|
| First Team Goalkeeping Coach | Mike Stowell
|
| Lead Physiotherapist | Betsy Mawdsley
|
| Sports Therapist | Anton Forbes
|
| Lead Physical Performance Coach | Jack Instrall
|
| Strength and Conditioning Coach | |
| First Team Analyst | |
| Academy Manager | James Thomas
|
| U21s Head Coach | Charlie Mitchell
|
| U21s Goalkeeper Coach |  Rich Duffy
|
| Club Chaplain | Esther Legg-Bagg
|
| Operations Manager | Emma Jolliffe
|
| Kit Manager | Erika Mole
|
Team honours
edit- 2000–01
- Gloucestershire FA Women's Challenge Cup: 8
- 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07
Club records
editHighest league finish position: 2nd in Women's Super League 2013 as Bristol Academy W.F.C
Lowest league position: 3rd in FA Womens Championship 2021/22
Highest points total in a season - 48 (2022/23 FA Womens Championship)
Lowest points total in a season - 6 (2023/24) Women's Super League)
Most league wins in a season - 15 (2022/23 FA Womens Championship)
Fewest league wins in a season - 1 (2023/24 Women's Super League)
Most league defeats in a season - 18 (2023/24 Women's Super League)
Fewest league defeats in a season - 4 (2022/23 FA Women's Championship)
Most league draws in a season - 6 (2020/21 Women's Super League)
Fewest league draws in a season - 1 (2017/18 Women's Super League)
Most league goals scored in a season - 43 (2021/22 FA Womens Championship)
Fewest league goals scored in a season - 9 (2019/20 Women's Super League) * Season cut short due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Most league goals conceded in a season - 72 (2020/21 Women's Super League)
Fewest league goals conceded in a season - 12 (2022/23 FA Womens Championship)
Biggest win - 7-1 Vs Queens Park Rangers WFC, SSE Women's FA Cup, February 14, 2016
Biggest defeat - Arsenal Women 11–1 Bristol City Women - December 1, 2019
Highest scoring match - Arsenal Women 11–1 Bristol City Women - December 1, 2019
Highest transfer fee paid -
Highest transfer fee received - £100,000 Naomi Layzell to Manchester City W.F.C. (June 2024)
Most goals in a season by a player - Abi Harrison - 21 (2021/22 FA Womens Championship)
Youngest player - 16 years and 44 days - Lauren Hemp (Vs Watford F.C. Women, WSL 2, 10 September 2016)
Oldest player - 35 years and 352 days - Rachel Furness (Vs Manchester City.F.C.. Women's Super League, 28 April 2024)
Fastest goal - Chloe Bull - 38 seconds (Vs Crystal Palace F.C, FA Womens Championship, 5 February 2022)
Most goals by a player in a match - 2 - Grace Clinton - Vs (Vs Crystal Palace F.C, FA Womens Championship, 5 March 2023)
Youngest goalscorer - 16 years and 44 days - Lauren Hemp (Vs Watford F.C. Women, WSL 2, 10 September 2016)
Oldest goalscorer - 35 years and 139 days Rachel Furness (Vs Arsenal F.C. Women's Super League, 22 October 2023)
Most league matches won in a row - 5 (February 8, 2023 to March 12, 2023)
Most league matches lost in a row - 9 (February 18, 2024 to May 18, 2024)
Most matches without a win (all competitions)- 23 (November 12, 2023 - October 6, 2024)
Most home matches without a win - 17 (October 1, 2023 - October 13, 2024)
Most away matches without a win - 16 (September 13, 2020 - November 21, 2021)
Most league matches without defeat - 8 - (December 5, 2022 - March 19, 2023)
Most home league matches without defeat - 6 (17 November 2018 - 24 March 2019)
Most away league matches without defeat - 8 (May 1, 2022 - March 19, 2023)
Most league matches without conceding a goal - 4 (February 12, 2023 to March 12, 2023)
Most league matches without scoring a goal - 7 (March 17, 2024 to May 18, 2024)
Most matches without a clean sheet - 29 - (April 30, 2023 - September 8th 2024)
Highest attendance - 14,138 Vs Manchester United F.C. Women's Super League - 26 November 2023, Ashton Gate Stadium
Lowest attendance - 287 Vs Southampton F.C. Women - 11 December 2022
Highest average attendance - 6,366 (2023//24 Women's Super League )
Player awards
editPlayer of the Year
editBristol City's Player of the Year award is voted for by the club's supporters at the end of every season.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2020-21 | Ebony Salmon
|
| 2021-22 |  Abi Harrison
|
| 2022-23 | Abi Harrison
|
| 2023-24 | Amalie Thestrup |
Women's Young Player of the Year
editBristol City's Players' Player of the Year award is voted for by the club's supporters at the end of every season.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2020-21 | Ebony Salmon
|
| 2021-22 | Fran Bentley
|
| 2022-23 | Grace Clinton
|
| 2023-24 | Naomi Layzell
|
Players player of the year
Bristol City's Players' Player of the Year award is voted for by the club's players at the end of every season
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2020-21 | - |
| 2021-22 | - |
| 2022-23 | Fran Bentley
|
| 2023-24 | Naomi Layzell
|
Golden boot award
An award given to the highest scoring player for Bristol City Women of that season
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2020-21 | Ebony Salmon
|
| 2021-22 | Abi Harrison
|
| 2022-23 | Shania Hayles |
| 2023-24 | Amalie Thestrup |
PFA Community Champion Award
An award that recognises work performed by an outstanding individual in the community of Bristol
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | Jasmine Bull
|
| 2022-2023 | Jasmine Bull
|
| 2023-2024 | Shania Hayles |
Players with over 50 professional appearances for Bristol City
edit- As of 15 September 2024
Grace Mccatty 141
Abi Harrison 127
Loren Dykes 120- Frankie Brown 117
- Jasmine Matthews 115
- Siobhan Chamberlain 103
- Corinne Yorston 96
- Sophie Baggaley 90
- Flo Allen 87
- Carla Humphrey 84
- Aimee Palmer 84
- Angharad James 83
- Naomi Layzell 80
- Ella Powell 77
- Ffion Morgan 77
- Gemma Evans 74
- Jemma Rose 74
Yana Daniels 72- Jesse Woolley 69
- Emily Syme 64
- Fran Bentley 60
Laura Del Rio 57- Brooke Aspin 51
Players with 10 or more goals for Bristol City
edit- Abi Harrison 39
- Natalia Pablos 22
- Laura Del Rio 20
- Ebony Salmon 18
- Millie Farrow 14
- Natasha Harding 14
Shania Hayles 14- Lauren Hemp 13
- Ffion Morgan 13
- Lucy Hope 12
Amalie Thestrup 11- Claire Emslie 11
- Corinne Yorston 10
Most games scored in a row - 9 - Abi Harrison (October 10, 2021 - January 16, 2022)
Players with over 10 clean sheets for Bristol City
editAs of September 15 2024
- Sophie Baggaley 27
- Fran Bentley 26
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ Brighton and Hove Albion 3-1 Bristol City women: Matt Beard set to take over until end of season BBC Sport. 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ^ Bristol Rovers Women v Bristol City Women Matchday Programme. Bristol: Bristol Rovers Football Club. 23 October 2002. p. 3.
- ^ "Football for Women". Midland Combination. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "Women's Champions League: Bristol reach quarter-finals". BBC Sport. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
- ^ "Bristol Academy Women's Football Club (BAWFC)". Bristol Academy Women's Football Club. Archived from the original on 31 August 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
- ^ "In the Visitors Corner Bristol Academy WFC", Bristol City WFC Matchday Programme (Vs Bristol Academy, FA Women's Cup), 2006–07: 13, 27 January 2007
- ^ "Green loses Bristol Academy job amid funding worries". Bristol Evening Post. 8 July 2009. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
- ^ "Lincoln Ladies FA Women's Super League bid success". BBC. 22 March 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
- ^ Baker, Adam (17 April 2013). "Free entry at Bristol Academy WFC". Bristol City FC. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Bristol Academy to rebrand as Bristol City Women's FC". BBC Sport. 20 November 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
- ^ Crawley, James (4 July 2013). "Oxtoby appointed Vixens manager". Bristol City FC. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
- ^ Tony Leighton (21 May 2011). "Women's FA Cup final: Arsenal 2–0 Bristol Academy". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
- ^ "Double first for Bristol". shekicks.net. 17 April 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- ^ "Bristol denied by alte penalty". shekicks.net. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
- ^ "Bristol Bow out to Voroneh". shekicks.net. 6 October 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
- ^ "FA announce Women's Super League clubs". UEFA. 22 March 2010. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
- ^ "Bristol Academy: Head coach Dave Edmondson leaves club". BBC Sport. 23 April 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- ^ "FA Women's Super League Tournament". visitbristol.co.uk. Destination Bristol. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
- ^ Tony Leighton (25 April 2010). "Bristol Academy builds Britain's first women's stadium". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 December 2010.
- ^ "Bristol City women can 'fill' Ashton Gate". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- ^ "Women's first team". Bristol City.
External links
edit