FA WSL Spring Series

The FA WSL Spring Series was an interim edition of the FA WSL between the sixth and seventh full seasons. The Spring Series ran from February to May 2017 to bridge the gap from the 2016 FA WSL season which ran from March to September as a summer tournament, and the 2017–18 season which started in September 2017.[1][2]

FA WSL
SeasonSpring Series
ChampionsChelsea
← 2016

While the 2017–18 season planned to feature 21 clubs,[2] the Spring Series contained 20. Notts County Ladies F.C. folded two days before they were due to play their first Spring Series game, leaving 19 teams in total.[3] Teams played each other once, with no promotion or relegation before the full 2017–18 season.[4] WSL 2 began in February, while WSL 1 started in April.[4]

Teams
WSL 1
Locations of the Spring Series WSL 1 teams
TeamLocationGroundCapacity2016 season
ArsenalBorehamwoodMeadow Park4,5023rd
Birmingham CitySolihullDamson Park3,0504th
Bristol CityFiltonStoke Gifford Stadium1,5002nd, WSL 2
ChelseaStainesWheatsheaf Park3,0092nd
LiverpoolWidnesSelect Security Stadium13,3505th
Manchester CityManchesterAcademy Stadium7,0001st
ReadingHigh WycombeAdams Park9,6178th
SunderlandHetton-le-HoleEppleton Colliery Welfare Ground2,5007th
Yeovil TownYeovilHuish Park9,5651st, WSL 2
WSL 2
Locations of the Spring Series WSL 2 teams
TeamLocationGroundCapacity2016 season
Aston VillaTamworthThe Lamb Ground4,0007th
Brighton & Hove AlbionLancingCulver Road2,0001st, 2015–16 WPL
Doncaster Rovers BellesDoncasterKeepmoat Stadium15,2319th, WSL 1
DurhamDurhamNew Ferens Park3,0004th
EvertonWidnesSelect Security Stadium13,3503rd
London BeesCanons ParkThe Hive Stadium5,1766th
Millwall LionessesBermondseySt. Paul's Sports Ground2,5008th
Oxford UnitedAbingdonNorthcourt Road2,0009th
SheffieldDronfieldCoach and Horses2,0005th
WatfordKings LangleyGlobal Metcorp Stadium1,00010th

WSL 1
FA WSL 1
Season2017 Spring Series
Matches played36
Goals scored122 (3.39 per match)
Top goalscorerFran Kirby (6 goals)
Biggest home winChelsea 6–0 Yeovil Town
(30 April 2017)
Biggest away winSunderland 0–7 Chelsea
(21 May 2017)
Highest scoringArsenal 4–4 Liverpool
(4 May 2017)
← 2016

Ten teams were due to compete in this season.[2] Notts County Ladies announced it was folding and withdrew from the league two days before their first scheduled fixture.[3]

Table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Chelsea 8 6 1 1 32 3 +29 19
2 Manchester City 8 6 1 1 17 6 +11 19
3 Arsenal 8 5 3 0 22 9 +13 18
4 Liverpool 8 4 2 2 20 18 +2 14
5 Sunderland 8 2 3 3 4 14 −10 9
6 Reading 8 2 2 4 10 15 −5 8
7 Birmingham City 8 1 4 3 6 10 −4 7
8 Bristol City 8 1 1 6 5 21 −16 4
9 Yeovil Town 8 0 1 7 6 26 −20 1
Source: FA WSL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored

Results
Home \ Away ARS BIR BRI CHE LIV MCI REA SUN YEO
Arsenal 4–2 4–4 1–0
Birmingham City 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–0 0–0
Bristol City 0–5 0–4 1–1 0–3 1–3
Chelsea 2–2 7–0 6–0
Liverpool 1–3 4–2 4–0
Manchester City 0–1 1–1 1–0 5–1
Reading 1–1 0–4 2–3
Sunderland 0–0 1–0 0–7 0–1 1–1
Yeovil Town 1–5 2–3 1–4 0–1 1–2
Source: FA WSL
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top goalscorers

[5]

Rank Player Team Goals
1 England Fran Kirby Chelsea 6
2 Scotland Caroline Weir Liverpool 5
3 England Karen Carney Chelsea 4
England Danielle Carter Arsenal
Scotland Erin Cuthbert Chelsea
England Toni Duggan Manchester City
Wales Natasha Harding Liverpool
South Korea Ji So-yun Chelsea
England Jordan Nobbs Arsenal
England Drew Spence Chelsea

WSL 2
FA WSL 2
FA WSL 2 Spring Series trophy
Season2017 Spring Series
Matches played45
Goals scored138 (3.07 per match)
Top goalscorerCourtney Sweetman-Kirk (9 goals)
Biggest home winEverton 5–0 Brighton & Hove Albion
(30 April 2017)
Biggest away winLondon Bees 0–4 Everton
(20 May 2017)
Oxford United 0–4 Doncaster Rovers Belles
(21 May 2017)
Highest scoringAston Villa 5–4 Durham
(21 May 2017)
← 2016

Ten teams competed in this season.[2] Brighton & Hove Albion was promoted after beating Sporting Club Albion in the 2015–16 FA Women's Premier League Championship play-off.[6][7] Following the closure of Notts County Ladies in April 2017, one team was promoted at the end of the Spring Series to the WSL1 for the 2017–18 season, based on an evaluation by the FA of applicant clubs' business plans, budget, youth development, facilities and on-pitch performance.[8]

Table
Everton celebrates winning the FA WSL 2 Spring Series.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Everton 9 7 1 1 25 7 +18 22 Applied for promotion to the 2017–18 FA WSL. Promotion approved.[9]
2 Doncaster Rovers Belles 9 5 3 1 19 9 +10 18 Applied for promotion to the 2017–18 FA WSL.
3 Millwall Lionesses 9 5 2 2 12 8 +4 17
4 Aston Villa 9 5 2 2 19 16 +3 17
5 Durham 9 5 1 3 14 10 +4 16
6 Brighton & Hove Albion 9 2 4 3 8 13 −5 10
7 London Bees 9 3 1 5 13 21 −8 10
8 Watford 9 2 2 5 12 17 −5 8
9 Sheffield 9 2 0 7 9 18 −9 6
10 Oxford United 9 0 2 7 7 19 −12 2
Source: FA WSL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored

Results
Home \ Away AST BRH DON DUR EVE LON MIL OXF SHE WAT
Aston Villa 3–1 5–4 3–2 1–1 3–2
Brighton & Hove Albion 0–0 1–1 3–1 2–1
Doncaster Rovers Belles 2–1 2–1 3–3 4–1
Durham 1–0 3–0 1–0 2–1 1–0
Everton 3–0 5–0 1–0 4–0
London Bees 1–1 0–4 1–2 3–1 2–1
Millwall Lionesses 0–0 2–1 2–1 2–0 1–2
Oxford United 0–0 0–4 1–2 1–2
Sheffield 1–3 0–2 1–2 3–2
Watford 1–1 1–1 2–3 1–2 2–0
Source: FA WSL
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top goalscorers

[5]

Rank Player Team Goals
1 England Courtney Sweetman-Kirk Doncaster Rovers Belles 9
2 England Claudia Walker Everton 7
3 Northern Ireland Simone Magill Everton 5
Scotland Zoe Ness Durham
5 England Natasha Baptiste Aston Villa 4
England Ashleigh Goddard London Bees
Nigeria Ini-Abasi Umotong Oxford United
England Jo Wilson London Bees

References
  1. "New calendar for FA WSL". Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  2. "Women's Super League to switch to winter season in 2017". Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  3. "Notts County Ladies: WSL 1 club fold on eve of Spring Series season". BBC Sport. 21 April 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  4. "Spring Series Fixtures". FA. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  5. "PLAYER STATS". Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  6. "Women's Premier League: Brighton beat Sporting Club Albion in play-off". BBC Sport. 29 May 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  7. "Brighton & Hove Albion Women promotion to Women's Super League approved". BBC Sport. 2 June 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  8. Garry, Tom. "Women's Super League: WSL 2 clubs invited to apply to replace Notts County Ladies". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  9. "Everton Ladies chosen for vacant spot in WSL 1". BBC Sport. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
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