Chelsea L.F.C.

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This article is about the women's football club. For the men's football club, see Chelsea F.C..
Chelsea Ladies
Full name Chelsea Ladies Football Club
Nickname(s) The Blues
Founded 1992
Ground Wheatsheaf Park, Staines
Ground Capacity 3,002 (300 seated and 800 covered)
President John Terry[1]
Chairman Peter Steward
Manager Emma Hayes
League FA WSL
2013 6th, FA WSL
Website Club home page
Home colours
Away colours
Third colours
Current season
Imperial Fields Chelsea's 2011 home ground

Chelsea Ladies Football Club (Chelsea L.F.C.) are an English women's football based in Fulham, England. Since 2004, the club has been affiliated with Chelsea F.C., a men's team in the Premier League. Chelsea L.F.C. was a founding member of the FA WSL in 2010, the top level of women's football in England since 2011. From 2005 to 2010, the side competed in the Premier League National Division, the top tier of women's football in England at the time.

History

Establishment

Chelsea Ladies Football Club was formed in 1992 after supporters of Chelsea FC expressed demand for a women's side.[2] In June 2004, Chelsea Ladies voted to be taken over and funded by Chelsea FC's Football in the Community department.[3] The club then won promotion as champions from the Southern Division in 2004–05 to the Premier League National Division and have participated at the top level ever since.

FA Premier League National Division, 2005–2010

After starting 2005–06 with one point from six games, manager George Michealas was fired in September after four years in charge.[4] They finished bottom of the league that season under Shaun Gore, but won a promotion/relegation play-off against Northern Division runners-up Liverpool 4–1 on aggregate to stay in the Premier League National Division.[5]

After an eighth-placed finish in 2006–07, Gore drafted in England players Siobhan Chamberlain, Casey Stoney and Eniola Aluko that summer.[6] World Cup winner Lorrie Fair, regarded as one of the best midfielders in the women's game, joined in January as Chelsea finished 2007–08 in fifth position.[7]

Chelsea Ladies introduced a new manager for the 2008–09 season, former Arsenal Ladies reserve team coach Steve Jones. On 2 July 2008 Chelsea surprisingly signed Lianne Sanderson and Anita Asante from Arsenal Ladies,[8] in addition to veteran Mary Phillip. Then Arsenal Ladies manager Vic Akers criticised his former players as disrespectful,[8] while pursuing players from other clubs to bolster his own squad.

Chelsea Ladies finished the 2008–09 season third behind Arsenal and Everton. Mary Phillip retired a month into the new season,[9] Eniola Aluko and Anita Asante left for the new WPS in March 2009,[10] while Lorrie Fair missed the whole campaign with a cruciate ligament injury sustained in May 2008.[11] Jones departed as manager in January 2009, leaving Casey Stoney to act as player/manager.[12]

At Casey Stoney's recommendation, Matt Beard became manager for 2009–10.[13] Cuts to the Ladies club's funding were offset by financial assistance from John Terry and other Chelsea FC players.[13] A further blow arrived when Lianne Sanderson left for the 2010 WPS season.[14]

FA Women's Super League (FAWSL), 2011–present

The club bid successfully to be one of eight founding teams in the FA Women's Super League in March 2011.[15] Beard led the club to the FA Women's Cup final for the first time in 2012, but Chelsea were eventually beaten by Birmingham City on a penalty shootout after twice taking the lead in a 2–2 draw.[16] In July 2012 Matt Beard resigned as manager after three years in the post,[17] to be replaced by Emma Hayes.

In May 2013, Edda Garðarsdóttir revealed that club rules prevent Chelsea Ladies players from talking to their male clubmates, unless the male player initiates the conversation.[18]

Players

2014 squad

As of 18 January 2014.[19]
No. Position Player Nation
3 Defender Rafferty, ClaireClaire Rafferty      England

4 Midfielder Spence, DrewDrew Spence      England

5 Defender Flaherty, GillyGilly Flaherty      England

6 Defender Bassett, LauraLaura Bassett      England

7 Forward Ōgimi, YūkiYūki Ōgimi      Japan

8 Midfielder Buet, DanielleDanielle Buet      England

9 Forward Aluko, EniolaEniola Aluko      England

10 Forward Williams, RachelRachel Williams      England

12 Forward Muya, KarinKarin Muya      England

13 Goalkeeper Hourihan, MarieMarie Hourihan      England

16 Defender Ingle, SophieSophie Ingle      Wales

17 Midfielder Chapman, KatieKatie Chapman      England

19 Defender Coombs, LauraLaura Coombs      England

20 Midfielder Brett, JodieJodie Brett      England

21 Defender Blundell, HannahHannah Blundell      England

22 Midfielder Ayane, RosellaRosella Ayane      England

— Midfielder So-Yun, JiJi So-Yun      South Korea

Former players

For details of former players, see Category:Chelsea L.F.C. players.

Stadium

Chelsea L.F.C. play their home games at Wheatsheaf Park, the home of the Staines Town F.C..[20] The stadium is located in Staines-upon-Thames, Middlesex and features capacity for 3,002 spectators.[21]

The team previously played at Imperial Fields during the 2011-12 season, the home ground of Isthmian League club Tooting & Mitcham United.[22]

Ownership and team management

John Terry, the current captain of the Chelsea men's team, is President of Chelsea LFC.[23]

Honours

Domestic Competitions

  • Surrey County Cup
    • (7): 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

International Competitions

See also

References

  1. ↑ Leighton, Tony (18 October 2009). "John Terry digs deep to rescue Chelsea Ladies after funding cuts". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 17 May 2010. 
  2. ↑ "Club history". Chelsea L.F.C. Retrieved 8 December 2013. 
  3. ↑ "Chelsea FC Take Over Ladies". Fair Game. Retrieved 17 May 2010. 
  4. ↑ "Chelsea Sack Manager". Fair Game. Retrieved 17 May 2010. 
  5. ↑ "Sunderland & Chelsea Survive Play-Offs". Fair Game. Retrieved 17 May 2010. 
  6. ↑ "Chelsea Ladies Start Season". Chelsea FC. Retrieved 17 May 2010. 
  7. ↑ "Lorrie Fair Joins Chelsea". Fair Game. Retrieved 17 May 2010. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Chelsea Ladies sign Arsenal pair". BBC. 3 July 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2010. 
  9. ↑ "Mary Phillip Retires". Fair Game. Retrieved 17 May 2010. 
  10. ↑ Gray, Ashley (30 March 2009). "It was a wrench to leave Arsenal but I couldn't pass up the American dream, says England striker Kelly 'Zidane' Smith". London: The Daily Mail. Retrieved 17 May 2010. 
  11. ↑ "Chelsea F.C. likes the Carolina way". The Chapel Hill News. Retrieved 17 May 2010. 
  12. ↑ "FA Women's Cup Quarter-Finals". Fair Game. 22 February 2009. Retrieved 9 December 2009. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Leighton, Tony (18 October 2009). "John Terry digs deep to rescue Chelsea Ladies after funding cuts". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 17 May 2010. 
  14. ↑ Leighton, Tony (24 January 2010). "Lianne Sanderson cites Super League delay as reason for US move". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 8 March 2010. 
  15. ↑ "Lincoln Ladies FA Women's Super League bid success". BBC. 22 March 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2010. 
  16. ↑ Nisbet, John (2012-05-27). "Shoot-out has unhappy ending for Chelsea Ladies". The Independent. Retrieved 2012-05-27. 
  17. ↑ "Matt Beard leaves Chelsea". She Kicks (magazine). 2012-07-06. Retrieved 2012-07-07. 
  18. ↑ Ólafsson, Guðjón (31 May 2013). "Atvinnumaðurinn Edda Garðarsdóttir: "Ekki leyfilegt að tala við karlalið Chelsea nema þeir eigi frumkvæðið"". Pressan.is. Retrieved 9 August 2013. 
  19. ↑ Ladies player index Chelsea FC
  20. ↑ "Getting to the ground". Chelsea L.F.C. Retrieved 8 December 2013. 
  21. ↑ "Wheatsheaf Park". Soccer Way. Retrieved 8 December 2013. 
  22. ↑ Lomas, Mark (April 14, 2011). 's-football?cc=5901 "A new day for women's football". ESPN. Retrieved 8 December 2013. 
  23. ↑ Leighton, Tony (18 October 2009). "John Terry digs deep to rescue Chelsea Ladies after funding cuts". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved 20 February 2011. 

External links

2014 WSL 1 teams
former WSL teams
Associated competitions
Seasons
Home stadium
Other teams
Media
Rivalries
Other
National teams
League system
Cup competitions
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