2013 FA WSL

The 2013 FA WSL was the third season of the FA WSL, the top-level women's football league of England. The season began on 14 April and ended on 29 September.

FA WSL
Season2013
ChampionsLiverpool (1st title)
Matches played56
Goals scored177 (3.16 per match)
Top goalscorerNatasha Dowie
Biggest home winArsenal 5–0 Everton
Biggest away winDoncaster Rovers Belles 0–9 Liverpool
Highest scoringDoncaster Rovers Belles 0–9 Liverpool
← 2012
2014 →

Arsenal were the defending champions, having won their ninth consecutive English title last season. The top two teams qualified for the 2014–15 UEFA Women's Champions League.

The season was the last before the creation of a second division of the WSL. All teams had to reapply for a place in WSL 1 in the next season. Doncaster Belles were the only current WSL team not granted a WSL 1 place, thus they played in the WSL 2 the following season. This decision had already been taken before Doncaster finished the season bottom of the WSL with the lowest points tally, as no relegation to the WSL 2 based on points was scheduled until the WSL 2 had completed its inaugural season to produce a corresponding promotion team. The reason for Doncaster's relegation from WSL 1 was a failed reapplication based on financial criteria, which is an aspect of the WSL the FA monitors very closely since it funds the participating teams and the teams must regularly prove they can match the FA funding. The Belles' place in the top flight the following season was taken by the Manchester City Ladies team from the FA Women's Premier League National Division, but now re-branded as Manchester City Women. Likewise, Lincoln Ladies retained their place in WSL 1 but relocated and re-branded as Notts County Ladies for the following season.[1]

Teams

The same teams as last season returned, as there was no relegation system in place.

Liverpool, who finished bottom in 2011 and 2012, relocated from Skelmersdale to the Halton Stadium in Widnes prior to the 2013 season as part of an ambitious programme of investment.[2] Lincoln Ladies left Ashby Avenue to return full-time to Sincil Bank.[3]

TeamLocationGround2012 WSL finish
ArsenalBorehamwoodMeadow Park1st
Birmingham CityStratford-upon-AvonThe DCS Stadium2nd
Bristol AcademyFiltonStoke Gifford Stadium4th
ChelseaStainesWheatsheaf Park6th
Doncaster Rovers BellesDoncasterKeepmoat Stadium7th
EvertonCrosbyThe Arriva Stadium3rd
Lincoln LadiesLincolnSincil Bank5th
LiverpoolWidnesHalton Stadium8th
Locations of the 2013 Super League teams

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Liverpool (C) 14 12 0 2 46 19 +27 36 Qualification to Champions League
2 Bristol Academy 14 10 1 3 30 20 +10 31
3 Arsenal[lower-alpha 1] 14 10 3 1 31 11 +20 30
4 Birmingham City 14 5 3 6 16 21 −5 18
5 Everton 14 4 3 7 23 30 −7 15
6 Lincoln Ladies 14 2 4 8 10 15 −5 10
7 Chelsea 14 3 1 10 20 27 −7 10
8 Doncaster Rovers Belles[lower-alpha 2] 14 1 3 10 9 42 −33 6 Relegation to FA WSL 2
Source: FA WSL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. Arsenal were deducted 3 points for fielding an unregistered player[4]
  2. Doncaster Rovers Belles relegated to the Super League Second Division on financial grounds.

Results
Home \ Away ARS BIR BRI CHE DON EVE LIV LIN
Arsenal 2–0 0–0 2–1 3–1 5–0 0–4 0–0
Birmingham City 1–3 0–2 2–1 1–0 2–1 2–4 1–1
Bristol Academy 2–3 1–0 2–0 3–1 4–3 3–4 2–1
Chelsea 0–1 1–1 1–3 4–0 1–4 2–1 0–2
Doncaster Rovers Belles 0–6 0–3 3–4 0–4 1–1 0–9 1–0
Everton 1–2 0–0 2–3 3–2 2–2 1–4 1–0
Liverpool 0–3 4–1 2–0 4–3 2–0 4–2 3–2
Lincoln Ladies 1–1 1–2 0–1 2–0 0–0 0–2 0–1
Updated to match(es) played on 15 September. Source: FA WSL results
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top scorers
Rank Scorer Club Goals[5][6]
1 Natasha Dowie Liverpool 13
2 Nicole Rolser Liverpool 10
3 Natalia de Pablos Bristol Academy 9
4 Louise Fors Liverpool 7
5 Danielle Carter Arsenal 6
Jordan Nobbs Arsenal 6
Nikita Parris Everton 6
Toni Duggan Everton 6
Sofia Jakobsson Chelsea 6
Eniola Aluko Chelsea 6

League Cup
See also: 2012 FA WSL Cup and 2014 FA WSL Cup

The WSL Continental Cup was played in the same format as last year. Arsenal won their third title in as many editions with a 2–0 win over Lincoln.[7]

Group 1
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ARS LIN BIR BRI
1 Arsenal 3 2 1 0 7 4 +3 7 Advance to Knockout stage — — 2–1 4–2
2 Lincoln Ladies 3 1 2 0 3 2 +1 5 1–1 — — —
3 Birmingham City 3 1 1 1 4 3 +1 4 — 1–1 — —
4 Bristol Academy 3 0 0 3 2 7 −5 0 — 0–1 0–2 —
Source:

Group 2
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification LIV EVE DON CHE
1 Liverpool 3 2 1 0 6 1 +5 7 Advance to Knockout stage — 1–1 1–0 —
2 Everton 3 2 1 0 6 3 +3 7 — — — 2–1
3 Doncaster Rovers Belles 3 0 1 2 2 5 −3 1 — 1–3 — 1–1
4 Chelsea 3 0 1 2 2 7 −5 1 0–4 — — —
Source:

Knockout stage
 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
8 August – Borehamwood
 
 
Arsenal4
 
4 October – Barnet
 
Everton0
 
Arsenal2
 
7 August – Widnes
 
Lincoln Ladies0
 
Liverpool1 (2)
 
 
Lincoln Ladies (pen.)1 (4)
 

References
  1. "Manchester City to compete in WSL top tier after restructure". BBC Sport. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  2. "WSL: Liverpool Ladies to play at Stobart Stadium". BBC. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  3. "Lincoln Ladies in deal to play home games at Sincil Bank". Lincolnshire Echo. 7 January 2013. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  4. "FA Charge Arsenal Ladies". London: fawsl.com. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  5. "2013 Goal scorers". women.soccerway.com.
  6. "the stats". fawsl.com.
  7. "Back-to-back doubles". thefa.com. 4 October 2013.
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