Stoke City F.C. Women

Stoke City Football Club Women are an English women's association football club affiliated with Stoke City. They are currently members of the FA Women's National League North.

Stoke City F.C. Women
Full nameStoke City Football Club Women
Nickname(s)The Potters
Founded2001
GroundCommunity Drive
Smallthorne, Stoke-on-Trent
ChairmanAlyson Pattinson
Head CoachMarie Hourihan
LeagueFA Women's National League North
2022–23FA Women's National League North, 10th of 12
WebsiteClub website

The club were formed in the summer of 2001 and had a successful first season in the West Midlands league Division One finishing third before gaining promotion to the Premier Division via the play-offs. Season 2008–09 saw the Ladies gain promotion into the Midland Combination League. A title-winning 2012–13 campaign saw the team gain promotion to the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division.

History

Early history

An early Stoke Ladies team was formed in 1921 by Len Bridgett, a director at Stoke.[1] His side were generally referred as "Stoke United" and their games were mostly for charitable causes. They played against Dick, Kerr's Ladies from Preston twice in April 1921 in aid of the Royal Staffordshire Infirmary.[1] However, in December 1921 the FA banned woman's football claiming it to be "unsuitable for females".[1] Undeterred Bridgett arranged for his side to play in Barcelona against French side Les Sportives de Paris. They played two matches against Paris and won both. Their final match was against Dick Kerr's in Colne, on 22 September 1923.[1]

Modern history

Stoke City Ladies were formed in 2001 and began playing in the West Midlands League Division One, the sixth tier of Woman's football in England. They finished in third position gaining promotion to the West Midlands League Premier Division. They spent the next seven season's in the fifth tier before winning the league title in 2008–09 after amassing 81 points scoring 95 goals and conceding only 14 in just 22 matches. They also won the Staffordshire County Cup four time in a row from 2009 to 2012. In March 2013 with the side well on top of the Midland Combination League the club decided to apply to join the expanding FA Woman's Super League, however their attempt was unsuccessful.[2] They won their sixth County Cup by beating their reserve team 5–1 on 19 March 2013.[3] They won the Midland Combination League title on 26 March 2013 beating Leafield Athletic 1–0.[4]

The club re-branded in July 2019 dropping the "Ladies" sub-title becoming Stoke City F.C. Women.[5] In March 2023 it was announced that the team are to turn semi-professional for the 2023–24 season.[6] In July 2023, the team appointed Marie Hourihan as their first full-time head coach.[7]

Honours

Leagues

Cups
  • Staffordshire County Cup: (14) 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23
  • Midland Combination League Cup: 2012–13

League history

Source:[8]

Season League Women's FA Cup County Cup League Cup
DivisionPWDLFAPtsPos
2001–02 West Midlands Division One ↑ 20 14 2 4 83 17 44 3rd — — —
2002–03 West Midlands Premier Division 20 10 4 6 58 43 34 4th — — —
2003–04 West Midlands Premier Division 20 9 6 5 44 35 33 4th — — —
2004–05 West Midlands Premier Division 18 7 3 8 34 33 24 6th — — —
2005–06 West Midlands Premier Division 20 7 3 10 36 53 24 7th QR1 R2 RU
2006–07 West Midlands Premier Division 21 14 0 7 55 29 45 3rd QR2 W —
2007–08 West Midlands Premier Division 21 14 1 6 67 21 46 3rd — RU —
2008–09 West Midlands Premier Division ↑ 22 20 1 1 95 14 81 1st R2 W —
2009–10 Midland Combination League 22 9 6 7 49 44 33 6th R3 W —
2010–11 Midland Combination League 22 10 6 6 46 30 36 4th R2 W R1
2011–12 Midland Combination League 22 14 3 3 55 23 45 2nd R3 W R1
2012–13 Midland Combination League ↑ 22 18 1 1 72 9 55 1st R3 W W
2013–14 FA Women's Premier League 20 10 3 7 51 45 33 5th R3 W R1
2014–15 FA Women's Premier League 22 8 2 12 38 38 28 7th R4 W R1
2015–16 FA Women's Premier League 22 14 2 6 59 28 46 4th R3 W R3
2016–17 FA Women's Premier League 20 8 6 6 43 37 30 4th R1 W R2
2017–18 FA Women's Premier League 22 12 4 6 52 38 40 4th R2 W R1
2018–19 FA Women's National League North 24 9 6 9 59 51 33 7th R4 W QF
2019–20 FA Women's National League North 14 8 1 5 32 17 25 4th — — —
2020–21 FA Women's National League North 8 3 2 3 15 22 11 7th — — —
2021–22 FA Women's National League North 24 8 1 15 36 54 25 9th R3 W R2
2022–23 FA Women's National League North 22 7 3 12 32 49 24 10th R3 W R3

References
  1. "Stoke Ladies FC". Donmouth. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  2. "Ladies in bid to join big league". The Sentinel. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  3. "Stoke City Ladies win County Cup". The Sentinel. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  4. "Stoke City ladies on course for treble after winning league title". The Sentinel. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  5. "New Name For Club's Female Team". Stoke City. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  6. "Ricky Martin: Stoke City technical director says Potters women are to turn semi-pro". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  7. "Marie Hourihan appointed head coach of women's team". Stoke City. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  8. "Stoke City FC Women - League History & League Tables". Stoke City Ladies FC. Archived from the original on 19 January 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
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