Last season it took a number of clubs a while to find their feet in the newly set up league. Sunderland Ladies won the league and gained promotion to the top flight of women's football were chased all the way to the final day by Doncaster Rovers Belles. Everton Ladies finished bottom of WSL 1 and were relegated to WSL 2.
With the new 2015 season just around the corner let's take a look at the what clubs have done to build on their 1st season of WSL football, the comings and goings and I'll give a few thoughts on how I think each club might fair over the coming months.
EVERTON LADIES
Last season:- Bottom WSL 1
Was a difficult season for Everton Ladies last season as the club hasn't seen the influx of funding that other WSL 1 clubs have had, the fans have had to put up with a host of their big name players moving on to pastures new over the past 2 seasons, the eventual result their relegation from the top flight of women's football after a 21 year stay.
IN - Ellie Stewart (Liverpool Ladies), Megan Alexander (Liverpool Ladies), Danielle Lea (Man City), Danielle Young (Man City) Jess King (Trinity Western University), Claudia Walker (Liverpool Ladies)
OUT - Amy Kane, Brooke Chaplen, Rachel Brown-Finnis (retired), Alex Greenwood (Notts County), Fern Whelan (Notts County), Nikita Parris (Man City, loan), Jody Handley (Doncaster Rovers Belles).
The club has always had a great youth set up prides itself on bringing youngsters through and manager Andy Spence is a firm believer in giving youth its chance. Could argue that he has had to with all the departures over recent seasons. Following their relegation a rebuilding process has started and the recruitment has seen more young players come into the club, bags of potential in the side. Megan Walsh replacing Brown-Finnis between the goal posts is an up and coming young goalkeeper featuring for England's youth sides.
Can they bounce back at the 1st time of asking? I think their odds are better now their are two promotion spots up for grabs. Is a youthful side but then so are a few other WSL 2 sides in that regards on par with a few of the promotion chasers. An outsider for the top two places need a good start. Top 3.
DONCASTER ROVERS BELLES
Last season:- 2nd
Narrowly missed out on promotion back to WSL 1 last season following their placement into the WSL 2. Had pushed Sunderland Ladies all the way taking the title to the final day. Had kept their playing squad together for that season. Missing out though has seen a few move on and manager Gordon Staniforth left the club.
IN - Glen Harris (manager), Sophie Barker (Sheffield Ladies), Emily Roberts (Notts County loan), Amber Lawrence (Burton), Jody Handley (Everton Ladies), Danielle Hill (Durham Women).
OUT - Gordon Staniforth (manager), Millie Bright (Chelsea Ladies), Jess Sigsworth (Notts County Ladies), Victoria Williams (Sunderland Ladies).
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| Emily Roberts |
Have lost two of their best young players in Millie Bright and Jess Sigsworth but still look to have a very strong and stable squad, a good blend of youth and experience and with 2 promotion places up for grabs you would expect Doncaster Rovers Belles to be filling one of them. Top 2.
READING FC WOMEN
Last season:- 3rd
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| Fran Kirby |
IN - Kelly Chambers (manager), Emma Follis (Aston Villa Ladies), Rachel Rowe (Swansea City Ladies), Kylie Davies (Millwall Lionesses), Charlie Estcourt (Chelsea Ladies)
OUT - Jayne Ludlow (manager), Ashleigh Goddard (London Bees), Leigh Nicol (London Bees), Alexandra Keown (Tottenham Hotspur Ladies).
Jayne Ludlow has since moved on to take over as manager of the Welsh national women's team with Kelly Chambers taking up the role in charge of Reading FC Women. The most important deal that was done was keeping hold of Fran Kirby for another season as they chase promotion, also have welsh international striker Helen Ward back after having had a baby.
Kirby has the potential to create and score goals on her own, if goals can come from other players more frequently then Reading will be a very hard team to beat, the squad is very strong Kylie Davies brings added experience and Emma Follis is a young player who has featured for England at junior level. Top 2.
ASTON VILLA LADIES
Last Season:- 4th
As I've mentioned there were a number of clubs that took a while to settle into life in the new WSL 2 and struggled to get results early on. Aston Villa Ladies were very much one of those, however towards the end of the season they found their feet and started moving up the league table eventually sealing 4th place in the table.
IN - Katie Wilkinson (Birmingham City Ladies), Abbi Cottam (The New Saints), Hannah George (Birmingham City) *updated Lauren Haynes (Bristol Academy), Gwyn West (Kaynsham Town)
OUT - Emma Follis (Reading FC Women), Carly Davies, Chloe Jones (Aland United).
Have a fairly stable playing squad have brought in three and let three leave, have Emily Owen back to after the defender was ruled out for the whole of last season through an ACL injury. Is a young squad. Jade Richards was one of the best defenders in the WSL 2 last season and Sherry McCue is a combatitive midfielder who has recently been called up to the England U23 squad. Would expect them to be comfortable in the top half of the table possibly an outside contender for a top 2 spot, need to hit the ground running in the league. Top half.
YEOVIL TOWN LADIES
Last Season:- 5th
A team I had expected to struggle a little in the new WSL 2 at the start of last season, proved to be one of the surprise packages like Aston Villa Ladies having a strong finish to the season to push themselves up into the top half of the table. Made several high profile signings in the mid-season transfer window with the likes of Ellie Curson and Sarah Wiltshire coming in and have continued to add players with WSL 1 experience over the close season.
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| Corinne Yorston |
IN - Annie-Marie Heatherson, Corinne Yorston (Bristol Academy), Ellie Issac (Bristol Academy), Alys Hinchcliffe, Stephanie Williams (Cardiff City).
OUT - Rachel Edwards (retired), Sarah Wiltshire (Man City), Jemma Tewkesbury (Southampton Saints), Laura Bray, Katie Cook.
The big signing for Yeovil Town Ladies has to be the capture of Corinne Yorston from Bristol Academy, a vastly experienced player very useful addition to manager Jamie Sherwood's squad. Anne-Marie Heatherson will add a goal threat up top too. Have a good blend of youth and experience. More than one person has quietly suggested they might be genuine contenders to seal a top two place and that is certainly what the club is aiming for. Top 4.
DURHAM WOMEN
Last Season:- 6th
Another club that took a while to find their feet in the league Durham Women were along with Oxford United Women a team that had applied to join WSL 2 whilst competing in the old Combination Leagues now the FAWPL Division One. Saw the level they were playing at increase significantly and although it looked like they were going to be one of the strugglers early on started to pick up results in the latter half of the season to climb the table to finish in 6th place.
IN - Amelia Pereira (Hartford Hawks), Becky Beech (Hull City Ladies), Helen Alderson (Sunderland Ladies), Julie Nelson (Glasgow City) *updated Rachel Lee (Bradford City Women)
OUT - Rebecca Hanratty (Middlesbrough Ladies), Danielle Hill (Doncaster Rovers Belles), Zoe Ness (Mallbackens IF)
Has been a relatively quiet transfer window had a large squad of young players and have kept the bulk of those on for the 2015 season, have brought in Portuguese player Amelia Pereira along with Hull City Ladies striker Becky Beech, goalkeeper Helen Alderson joined from Sunderland Ladies and the cub has signed experienced Northern Ireland defender Julie Nelson from Glasgow City Ladies.
The arrivals have been tempered by the blow that captain Caroline Dixon will miss the entire season having suffered a knee injury that required surgery. Sarah Wilson will wear the captains armband in her absence. Know what the league is all about now will be looking for a top half finish but I feel another 6th place finish will be more likely. Mid-table.
WATFORD LADIES
Last Season:- 7th
Watford Ladies were several people's bet for an outside chance of challenging for the top of the league last season and got off to a promising start had a decent looking squad. Following the mid-season break the club lost a couple of their more experienced players to other WSL 2 clubs and the results fell away with the club eventually finishing in 7th place.
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| Cherie Rowlands |
OUT - Lauren Davey (retired), Emma Beckett, Jo Wilson (QPR)
Have brought in goalkeeper Cherie Rowlands from London Bees, with last season's keeper Lauren Davey retiring and taking up a role as assistant to manager John Saloman. Two more have followed Rowlands from London Bees, Dawn Mallett (via Cambridge WFC) and Anneka Nutall along with Rebecca Bull from Chelsea Ladies development squad and Yasmin Poole joins from Lewes Ladies.
Will be interesting to see if the club can climb the table this season although I feel there are stronger squads competing for the top five places will be competitive in the middle of the table. Mid-table.
MILLWALL LIONESSES
Last Season:- 8th
Millwall Lionesses shared Watford Ladies tag as title outsiders and I for one felt with the players that they had brought in close season several with experience in WSL 1 that they would be up there or there abouts. Started well enough, but again were another club that seemed to suffer an alarming dip of form after the mid-season break, results didn't go there way and they plummeted down the table to finish 8th. Were unlucky with injuries last season too.
IN - Dan Mlinar (manager), Liz Berkeley (Chelsea Ladies), Rinsola Babajibe (Crystal Palace Ladies) Megan Goss (London Bees)
OUT - Kylie Davies (Reading FC Women)
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| Lily Agg |
Expect them to improve on last season's 8th place will take points off a few teams could well force their way into a top half finish getting a bit repetitive now but will plump for another team joining the mid-table scrum. Mid-table.
OXFORD UNITED WOMEN
Last Season:- 9th
Just like Durham Women it was a big jump for Oxford United Ladies when they won their place in WSL 2 and took them a while to adjust, suffered some heavy defeats and weren't scoring at the other end. Were at the bottom end of the table all season rallied towards the end picking up a few points clinching 9th place.
IN - Hannaliis Jaadla (updated)
OUT - Jemma Connor-Iommi (London Bees), Louise Fellows (London Bees).
Had one of the biggest squads in the division the majority at a relatively young age and have kept a lot of those players on for the 2015 season. Is a stable squad with some exciting talent in it. Have recently added Estonian centre back Hannaliis Jaadla to the squaď. Will need to keep the points tally ticking over try and get a run of two or three results going, will know what the league is all about now. Bottom 3.
LONDON BEES
Last Season:- 10th
It all started so well for the newly formed London Bees a 3-0 victory in the inaugural WSL 2. After that the club only won one more match all season, to finish bottom of the pile. Despite having one of the biggest sponsorship deals in the league the club had virtually no players at their launch weeks before the league was due to start, recruited heavily brought in a lot of new faces, lots of young players full of potential, individuals they never seemed to gel as a team whenever I watched them last season.
IN - Ashleigh Goddard (Reading FC Women), Leigh Nicol (Reading FC Women), Louise Fellows (Oxford United Women) Jemma Connor-Iommi (Oxford United Women) Samantha Miller (West Ham United Ladies) *updated Cheryl Williams (Reading FC Women).
OUT - Cherie Rowlands (Watford Ladies), Dawn Mallett (Watford Ladies), Anneka Nuttall (Watford Ladies), Sophie Fogarty, Samantha Chappell, Amy Cooper, Megan Goss (Millwall Lionesses) Danielle Oates.
Julian Broomes came in to take over as manager towards the end of last season and has had time to access the squad has let several move on, whilst bringing in experienced defender Jemma Connor-Iommi from Oxford and a handful of young talent such as Leigh Nicol who did well at Reading FC Women last season. Getting the side more organised and harder to break down will be key anything better than 10th is clearly an improvement. Bottom 3.
Final Thoughts
The most common words likely to be spoken by a WSL 2 manager over the next few days are "a good start is vital." They are right of course all of the clubs will want to get points on the board as quickly as possible get an early run of form going to build confidence and all the teams will be rearing to go after an exciting 1st season. Two promotion places up for grabs the top of the table will be hotly contested Doncaster Rovers Belles and Reading FC Women are the favourites to chase those spots down, Everton Ladies will have something to say about it along with a few others who might fancy their chances.
Easy to access a club on what they've got and who they have brought in one factor that I haven't talked about is development squad players coming through, all WSL clubs have to have a development team might be early days but there may be a few ready to step up and fight for a place in the 1st team squad, others will know more about the development squads than I do.
Promises to be an exciting season really looking forwards to it kicking off this Wednesday will be heading to Sutton Coldfield to watch Aston Villa Ladies v Everton Ladies. Best of luck to all 10 clubs. I will be visiting them all over the coming months.
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