Charlton Athletic W.F.C.

Charlton Athletic Women's Football Club (CAWFC) is a team founded in 1991 as Bromley Borough which plays in the Women's Championship. Also known as Croydon Women's F.C. and Charlton Athletic (2000-07), it was one of the most successful women's teams in England.

Charlton Athletic Women
Full nameCharlton Athletic Women's Football Club
Nickname(s)The Addicks
Founded1991 as Bromley Borough
1994 as Croydon W.F.C.
2000 as Charlton Athletic W.F.C.
GroundThe Oakwood (Groundshare with VCD Athletic)
Capacity1,180
ManagerKaren Hills
LeagueWomen's Championship
2022–23Women's Championship, 4th of 12
WebsiteClub website

After the parent club's relegation from the Premier League, the women's team was controversially disbanded in the summer of 2007, causing almost all of the senior squad to depart, although later a rescue sponsorship package was formed allowing the women's set up to continue.

CAWFC won the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division title in 2017–18. On 27 May 2018, they beat Northern Division champions Blackburn Rovers Ladies FC 2–1 in a play-off final at Bramall Lane, Sheffield, and thus gained promotion to the FA Women's Championship, the second tier of women's football, for the season 2018–19.

In July 2023, the club was sold to SE7 Partners, a UK-based subsidiary of Global Football Partners.[1]

History

Bromley Borough

The team was formed in 1991 as Bromley Borough by disaffected members of Millwall Lionesses' WFA Cup winning squad.[2]

The team broke up in the aftermath of that success Hope Powell moved with team mate Sue Law to form a new club. They were initially led by Richard Hall with the support of Dan "Le Phyz" Kane. Beginning in the South East Counties League, the club quickly progressed through the divisions. After adding England player Brenda Sempare in 1992, Bromley Borough won all 16 matches in the South East Counties League Division One, scoring 142 goals in the process.[3] The team also reached the semi-final of the Women's FA Cup, where they lost 2–0 to treble-winning Arsenal.[4]

In 1993–94 Bromley Borough won the National League Division One South by ten points, securing promotion into the top flight of English women's football. Although they were handed a chastening 10–1 defeat by Doncaster Belles in the fifth round of the FA Women's Cup

Following a swift rise through the divisions, the club won promotion into the National Premier League.[5]

Croydon

The club entered the top-flight as Croydon, having tied up with Croydon FC. Debbie Bampton was appointed player-manager[6] in the 1994 close season. She built a strong team which supplied six of England's squad for the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup including Kerry Davis as well as Bampton, Powell and Sempare. After securing a fourth-placed finish in 1994–95,[7] in 1995–96 Bampton led the team to a domestic double. After losing both domestic Cup finals to Arsenal Ladies in 1998, the club recaptured the League title in 1999. Another League and FA Women's Cup double followed in 2000.[8]

Takeover

At Croydon's AGM in June 2000, the club's players controversially voted to accept a hostile takeover from Charlton Athletic.[9] Bampton resigned as manager, as both the club's committee and the FA declared affiliation with the men's Premier League club to be against the rules. The Croydon F.C. chairman, Ken Jarvie, also attempted to block the move[10] which was eventually sanctioned.[11]

Charlton Athletic

The club's first silverware under the new name came in the same year when the Charity Shield was shared with Arsenal, after the match resulted in a draw. Charlton reached the FA Cup final in 2003 but lost 3–0 to Fulham. In the following season (2003–04) Charlton finished runners-up in the Premier League, just one point behind winners Arsenal, and again reached the F.A. Cup final which they lost to Arsenal. The season did bring success to the club, though, with a victory over Fulham in the final of the League Cup. In 2004–05, Charlton won both the Charity Shield (beating Arsenal) and the FA Cup (beating Everton) and once more finished runners up in the league to Arsenal. In 2005–06, Charlton regained the League Cup, beating Arsenal in the Final. However, in this season, and also the 2006–07 season, Charlton finished third in the league, meaning the club missed the opportunity to participate in the UEFA Cup. In May 2007, Charlton were again runners up in the FA Cup, losing to Arsenal in the final. During these successful years under manager Keith Boanas and assistant Matt Beard, the team included several current and former England internationals, notably club captain Casey Stoney, goalkeeper Pauline Cope, Joanne Broadhurst, Eniola Aluko and Katie Chapman. Aluko and Chapman went on to play professionally in the United States.

Controversial disbandment

The same day as the 2007 FA Cup final, Charlton Athletic's men's team was relegated from the Premier League. It became evident that, in order to ensure the club's financial survival, a number of budget cuts would have to be enacted. On 23 June 2007 it was announced that Charlton's women's set up would form part of this.[12] This decision was criticised by, among others, several of the club's players at the time, including Casey Stoney[12] and Danielle Murphy.[13] Charlton's chief executive, Peter Varney, defended the decision and pointed to the lack of exposure in the media and lack of funding given to the women's game from the Football Association as reasons for undertaking the decision.[14]

Resurrection

On 22 August 2007, it was announced sponsorship had been secured by Charlton for the women's set up, allowing a senior side to continue to compete under Charlton's name.[15] The women's team, now controlled by the Charlton Community Trust, the organisation which operates Charlton's community programmes, appointed former Charlton player Paul Mortimer as the women's team's new coach. However, due to the exodus of players after the original closure announcement, only two players from the previous squad remained by the time the club's rescue was in place although a few more returned as the season progressed. The reconstituted team finished bottom of the National Division of the FA Women's Premier League at the end of the 2007–08 season, thereby relegating them to the League's Southern Division. The team stabilised at this level and a reserve team was successfully re-established, twice winning the Kent Women's Cup in 2008–09 and 2010–11. The first team were promoted back to the National Division at the end of the 2010–11 season as Southern Division champions.

Rehabilitation

Following an unsuccessful bid to enter the new Women's Super League that was formed in 2013–14, the club has played in the FA Women's Premier League, Southern Division. An FA requirement at the time of the bid was that applicant clubs were to be a separate legal entity. This led to the formation of Charlton Athletic Women's Football Club Limited on 9 February 2013. The majority shareholder is Stephen King, CEO of PHSC plc. CAWFC won the FA Women's Premier League Cup in 2015, beating Sheffield FC 4–2 on penalties after it was 0–0 at the end of extra time in a match held at Nuneaton Borough FC's ground. The club made the final again in 2017 but were defeated by Tottenham Hotspur Ladies 4–3 on penalties after a scoreless match and extra time.[16]

Players

Current squad
As of 5 August 2023[17]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK England ENG Sian Rogers
5 DF England ENG Elisha N’Dow
6 FW England ENG Melissa Johnson
9 MF England ENG Freda Ayisi
11 FW England ENG Angela Addison
12 GK England ENG Jessica Gray
16 MF England ENG Heidi Logan
17 DF England ENG Kiera Skeels
18 MF Republic of Ireland IRL Lois Roche
19 FW England ENG Ella Rutherford
20 MF England ENG Mary Bashford
No. Pos. Nation Player
21 DF England ENG Sophie O'Rourke
22 DF England ENG Bethan Roe
23 FW Wales WAL Tegan McGowan
25 DF Scotland SCO Hannah Godfrey
29 MF England ENG Mia Ross
— DF Northern Ireland NIR Rebecca McKenna
— MF England ENG Kate Longhurst
— FW Wales WAL Kayleigh Green
— MF England ENG Carla Humphrey
14 FW England ENG Freya Godfrey (on loan from Arsenal)

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
30 GK Wales WAL Poppy Soper (at Ipswich Town until end of 2023-24 season)

Former players

Management
As of 5 December 2022[18]

Honours

League

Cup
  • London Cup
    • Winners (4): 2003, 2005, 2006, 2013
  • London Capital Senior Cup
    • Winners (5): 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
  • London Capital Intermediate Cup
    • Winners (1): 2016
  • Isthmian Cup
    • Winners (1): 2015
    • Runners-up (3): 2016, 2017, 2018
  • Kent County Cup
    • Winners (3): 2003, 2009, 2011

References
  1. "Charlton Athletic: SE7 Partners complete takeover from Thomas Sandgaard". BBC. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  2. Pete Davies (27 March 1997). "Lionesses aim to keep pride intact". The Independent. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  3. Cook, Nicky (5 November 2009). Should have gone to Blackgang Chine. AuthorHouse. ISBN 9781467886123. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  4. "Arsenal go for double – Football". The Times. 5 April 1993. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  5. "1993–1994". The Owl Football Historian. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  6. "Hall of Fame: Debbie Bampton". National Football Museum. Archived from the original on 20 May 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
  7. "1994–1995". The Owl Football Historian. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  8. Charlton's Bonus chance
  9. Vivek Choudary (5 August 2000). "To be or not to be an Addick". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  10. Colin Aldis (27 August 2000). "Commentary". Womens Soccer World. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  11. Nick Harris (18 July 2000). "Croydon Ladies set up camp at The Valley". The Independent. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  12. "Charlton shut down women's team". BBC Sport. 23 June 2007. Retrieved 12 October 2007.
  13. "Murphy on Charlton's demise". BBC Sport. 27 June 2007. Retrieved 12 October 2007.
  14. "Door still ajar for threatened women's team". Charlton Athletic F.C. 26 June 2007. Archived from the original on 11 July 2007. Retrieved 12 October 2007.
  15. "Women's team saved". Charlton Athletic F.C. 22 August 2007. Archived from the original on 2 October 2007. Retrieved 12 October 2007.
  16. "SPURS BEAT CHARLTON ATHLETIC ON PENALTIES TO LIFT THE FA WOMEN'S PREMIER LEAGUE CUP". FA. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  17. "First Team". Charlton Athletic Women. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  18. "Women's First Team Coaching Staff". Charlton Athletic Women. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  19. Matt Wright (28 March 2004). "Coss goal gives Charlton cup final win". Charlton Athletic. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013.
  20. "Arsenal 1-2 Charlton Athletic". 5 March 2006.

51°27′21.41″N 0°10′09.94″E

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