Bradford City W.F.C.

Bradford City Women
Full name Bradford City Women's Football Club
Nickname(s) City
Founded 1988
Ground Dennyfield,
Bradford
Capacity 3,000
Chairperson England Sally Thackray
Manager England Steve Winterburn
League FA Women's Premier League Northern Division
2012–13 3rd, Northern Combination Women's Football League
Website Club home page

Bradford City Women's Football Club is an English women's football club which represents the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire. Founded in 1988, they currently play in the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division following promotion from the Northern Combination Women's Football League in 2013.

The club also has a number of youth teams as well as a Reserve Team and an 'A' Team.

History

Founded in 1988 under the auspices of Bradford City's Football in the Community department, the club became founder members of the Yorkshire and Humberside League the following year. After success at local level, the club won promotion into the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division in 1996.[1] The club earned a second successive promotion in 1996–97, into the top level of Women's football in England.[2]

In 1997–98 the club avoided relegation[3] and also reached the semi–final of the FA Women's Premier League Cup – losing on penalties to eventual winners Arsenal after a 2–2 draw.[4] This was despite Arsenal's goalkeeper Sarah Reed being sent–off and defender Tina Mapes taking over in goal.[5] City dropped out of the top division in 1998–99,[6] and suffered a further relegation in 1999–00,[7] into the Northern Combination Women's Football League. The Club gained promotion back to the FA Women's Premier League ahead of the 2013/2014 season.

Stadium

The club currently shares Thackley FC's Dennyfield ground, having previously played home matches at Peel Park and the grounds of Bradford Park Avenue and Guiseley.

Link with Bradford City A.F.C.

The women's club wears the claret and amber kit of Bradford City. Although no formal affiliation exists with the men's club,[8] there is a close relationship between the two clubs. In particular, the women's team were favoured as a natural exit route for players from Bradford City's girls Centre of Excellence before its closure. Recently, the clubs has both co–operated with sports charity One in a Million[9] with its Junior Girls set-up.

In 2008 an exhibition on the women's team was staged at the bantamspast museum at Valley Parade, with the aim of forging closer links between the clubs.[10]

The women's Under–16 section played at Wembley Stadium as a curtain-raiser to the 1996 Football League Second Division play-off Final.[8]

Current squad

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

No. Position Player
- England GK Carrie Simpson
- England DF Abby Parkin
- England DF Katy Woodcock
- England DF Emma Dobson
- England DF Faye Boshell
- England DF Louise Berry
- England DF Katy Woodcock
- England DF Georgia Clipson
- England DF Paige Crosby
- England DF Jessica Pearson
- England MF Sarah Binns
- England MF Dominique Hoad
- England MF Charlotte Stuart
- England MF Kathryn Connell
- England MF Vicki Wood
- England MF Bridie Hannon (captain)
No. Position Player
- England MF Becky Teale
- England MF Aimee Driver
- England MF Jodie Litherland
- England MF Jodie Redgrave
- England MF Izzy Hunt
- England MF Kerry Playle
- England MF Chantelle O'Hara
- England MF Taylor Rushworth
- England MF Charlotte Stuart
- England FW Kath Connell
- England FW Kerry Mcloughlin
- England FW Chelsey Faulkner
- Kenya FW Caroline Omboyi
- England FW Clare Fawcett
- England FW Melanie Garside-Wight

Player of the Year

YearWinner
2007England Alice Thackray
2008England
2009England Caroline Cropp
2010England Whitney Taiwo
2011England Emma Dobson
2012England Abby Parkin
2013England Carrie Simpson

Captains

The following is a list of the officially-appointed captains of the Bradford City WFC first-team.

Name Nation Years
Dawn Lindley England2006–2007
Becky Griggs England2007–2009
Mel Garside-Wight England2009–2010
Sarah Binns England2010-2011
Bridie Hannon England2011–

Honours

References

  1. ↑ "1996-1997". The Owl Football Historian. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  2. ↑ Pete Davies (1997-09-07). "Football: New year for Belles of the ball". The Independent. Retrieved 2010-11-15.
  3. ↑ "1997-1998". The Owl Football Historian. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  4. ↑ "League Cup 1998". The Owl Football Historian. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  5. ↑ Colin A. Aldis. "ENGLAND Clubs 1997 - 1998 Season". WomenSoccer.com. Retrieved 2011-07-30.
  6. ↑ "1998-1999". The Owl Football Historian. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  7. ↑ "1999-2000". The Owl Football Historian. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Catherine Mills. "Introduction". Bradford City Women's FC. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  9. ↑ "One in a Million". One in a Million. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  10. ↑ David Pendleton (2008-01-12). "Programme Notes". bantamspast.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  11. ↑ "Players". Bradford City Women's FC. Retrieved 2011-10-31.

External links

Coordinates: 53°50′50.82″N 1°43′58.76″W / 53.8474500°N 1.7329889°W