Chelsea F.C. Women

(Redirected from Chelsea LFC)

Chelsea Football Club Women, formerly known as Chelsea Ladies Football Club, are an English women's football club based in Kingston upon Thames, London. Founded in 1992, they compete in the Women's Super League, the top flight of women's football in England, and play their home games at the Kingsmeadow with some select games at Stamford Bridge. Since 2004, the club has been affiliated with Chelsea F.C., the men's team in the Premier League. Chelsea Women were a founding member of the Super League in 2010. 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.

Chelsea Women
Chelsea F.C. crest
Full nameChelsea Football Club Women
Nickname(s)The Blues
Founded1992; 32 years ago (1992)[1]
GroundKingsmeadow
Stamford Bridge (select home games)
Capacity4,850 (Kingsmeadow)
40,173 (Stamford Bridge)
OwnerBlueCo[2]
Head coachSonia Bompastor
LeagueWomen's Super League
2023–24WSL, 1st of 12 (champions)
Websitehttps://www.chelseafc.com/en/teams/chelsea-women
Current season
Imperial Fields, Chelsea's home ground in 2011

One of the most successful clubs in English women's football, Chelsea have won a record seven Women's Super League championships, as well as the FA WSL Spring Series in 2017, and have the second-highest number of outright league championships after Arsenal.[3] They have also won five Women's FA Cup titles, two FA Women's League Cup titles, and were Women's FA Community Shield winners in 2020. They reached their first UEFA Women's Champions League final in 2021, where they finished as runners-up.

History

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Establishment and promotion (1992–2005)

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Chelsea Ladies Football Club was formed in 1992 after supporters of Chelsea F.C. expressed desire for a women's side.[4] Tony Farmer, a longtime Chelsea supporter who became interested in women's football when his girlfriend Val Lightfoot joined Crystal Palace,[5] wrote a letter to Chelsea F.C. to propose adding a women's side.[6][7]

Upon approval, Farmer became the club's first manager, lobbied for it to be promoted in men's match programmes,[7][8] and began recruiting youth players to the club, including Casey Stoney and Fara Williams as 12-year-olds in 1994 and 1996, respectively.[6] The side's first home pitch was Hurlingham Park in Fulham.[5] Farmer managed the club from the third division of the Greater London Women's Football League to the Premier League Southern Division before resigning in 1997.[6]

In June 2004, Chelsea Ladies were taken over and funded by Chelsea's Football in the Community department,[9] and in 2004–05 Chelsea won promotion to the Premier League National Division. The club has participated at the top level ever since.[7]

FA Premier League National Division (2005–2010)

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After starting 2005–06 with one point from six games, manager George Michealas was fired in September after four years in charge.[10] 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.[11] During the season the club had been linked with a transfer bid for North American star players Tiffeny Milbrett and Christine Sinclair.[12]

After an eighth-place finish in 2006–07, Gore drafted in England players Siobhan Chamberlain, Casey Stoney and Eniola Aluko that summer.[13] American 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.[14]

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,[15] in addition to veteran Mary Phillip. Then Arsenal Ladies manager Vic Akers criticised his former players as disrespectful,[15] 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,[16] Aluko and Asante left for the new WPS in March 2009, while Fair missed the whole campaign with a cruciate ligament injury sustained in May 2008.[17] Jones departed as manager in January 2009, leaving Stoney to act as player/manager.[18]

At Stoney's recommendation, Matt Beard became manager for the 2009–10 season. Cuts to the Ladies club's funding were offset by financial assistance from John Terry and other Chelsea F.C. players.[18] A further blow arrived when Sanderson left for the 2010 WPS season.[19]

Women's Super League (2011–present)

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The club bid successfully to be one of eight founding teams in the FA Women's Super League (WSL) in March 2011.[20] On 13 April 2011, the first-ever WSL fixture was played — at Imperial Fields, Chelsea's home ground — between them and Arsenal, which they lost 1–0.[21] Beard led the club to the Women's FA 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.[22]

In July 2012, Matt Beard resigned as manager after three years in the post.[23]

 
Chelsea players celebrating their first FA Women's League Cup win in 2020

Former assistant at Arsenal, Emma Hayes, was brought in as manager in 2012, one of the first female managers in the WSL.[24] In Hayes's first season in charge, Chelsea, who were still a part-time professional club,[24] finished third-bottom of the league.[25] The following season, they finished second from the bottom.[26]

The 2014 season was successful for Chelsea, as they finished second in the FA Women's Super League behind Liverpool on goal difference, after eight wins, two draws and four losses.[27] A final day win would have clinched them the league title, but they lost 2–1 away to Manchester City. Their second-place finish meant that they qualified for the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time in the club's history. They also reached the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and the League Cup, where they lost to both eventual winners, Arsenal and Manchester City, respectively.

In 2015, it was announced that many of Chelsea's players would be becoming full professionals for the first time.[28]

On 1 August 2015, Chelsea won their first ever Women's FA Cup. They beat Notts County Ladies at Wembley Stadium. Ji So-yun scored the only goal of the game and Eniola Aluko won the player of the match award.[29] The team then beat Sunderland 4–0 in October 2015 to secure the FA WSL title and a League and Cup double.[30] Chelsea repeated that feat in the 2017–18 season, winning another FA WSL and Women's FA Cup double; in the same season, the team also reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time.[31] On 23 May 2018, the club rebranded as Chelsea Football Club Women.[32]

 
Chelsea's squad ahead of a game against Brighton in 2023

Chelsea were awarded the 2019–20 WSL title on a points-per-game basis after the season had to be abruptly terminated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[33]

Chelsea began the 2020–21 season by winning their first ever FA Community Shield, against Manchester City.[34] The season also saw them win their second consecutive League Cup, winning 6–0 against Bristol City.[35] Chelsea and manager Hayes won their fourth WSL title, the most by any WSL team, by two points on the final day of the 2020–21 FA WSL season with a 5–0 victory over Reading.[36] Chelsea broke the record for most points in a season (57) and tied the record for most wins in a season (18). In addition, they became just the third team to defend the League title after Liverpool and Arsenal.[37] Sam Kerr won the WSL Golden Boot for most goals scored by an individual (21), while Fran Kirby was joint top for assists (11) and goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger registered the most clean sheets (12), winning the Golden Glove.[37] Given their remarkable performances over the season, Suzanne Wrack of The Guardian stated that Chelsea was "one of the best women's teams to ever play in England's top flight".[38] On 16 May 2021, Chelsea, on course for a quadruple, lost 4–0 to Barcelona in their first-ever Champions League final appearance.[39] On 5 December 2021, Chelsea won the delayed 2020–21 FA Cup, beating the league leaders Arsenal 3–0 in a dominant display with goals from Kirby and two from Kerr, winning their first domestic treble.[40]

Stadium

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Kingsmeadow in 2023

Chelsea Women play at Kingsmeadow in Norbiton, Kingston upon Thames, London. Chelsea F.C. bought Kingsmeadow for their youth and women's teams from AFC Wimbledon in 2016 so that Wimbledon could fund their new ground, Plough Lane.[41] Kingsmeadow has a capacity of 4,850.[42]

Between 2012 and 2017, Chelsea played their home games at Wheatsheaf Park.[43] The stadium is located in Staines-upon-Thames and has a capacity for 3,002 spectators.[44]

The team previously played at Imperial Fields during the 2011–12 season, the home ground of Tooting & Mitcham United.[45]

Attendance

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The current home attendance record of a Chelsea Women's match is 39,398, set on 27 April 2024 during the 2023–24 UEFA Women's Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona, played at Stamford Bridge.[46] Their current home attendance record at their primary ground of Kingsmeadow is 4,670, set on 28 April 2019 in a Champion's League semi-final leg against Lyon.[47]

Players

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Current squad

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As of 14 September 2024[48]

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   SWE Zećira Mušović
2 FW   USA Mia Fishel
3 DF   NED Aniek Nouwen
4 DF   ENG Millie Bright (captain)
5 MF   WAL Sophie Ingle
6 MF   GER Sjoeke Nüsken
7 FW   COL Mayra Ramírez
8 MF   SCO Erin Cuthbert
9 FW   USA Catarina Macario
10 FW   ENG Lauren James
11 MF   NOR Guro Reiten
12 DF   CAN Ashley Lawrence
14 DF   SWE Nathalie Björn
15 DF   FRA Ève Périsset
16 MF   ESP Júlia Bartel
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 FW   FRA Sandy Baltimore
18 MF   NED Wieke Kaptein
19 MF   SWE Johanna Rytting Kaneryd
20 FW   AUS Sam Kerr
21 DF   ENG Niamh Charles
22 DF   ENG Lucy Bronze
23 FW   JPN Maika Hamano
24 GK   ENG Hannah Hampton
25 DF   FRA Maelys Mpomé
26 DF   CAN Kadeisha Buchanan
27 MF   FRA Oriane Jean-François
29 DF   ESP Alejandra Bernabé
33 FW   ENG Aggie Beever-Jones
40 GK   ENG Katie Cox

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
31 FW   ENG Aimee Claypole (at Linköping FC until 31 December 2024)
34 MF   ENG Charlotte Wardlaw (at Sheffield United until 30 June 2025)
36 MF   ENG Ashanti Akpan (at Birmingham City until 30 June 2025)
38 DF   ENG Cerys Brown (at London City Lionesses until 30 June 2025)
DF   ENG Brooke Aspin (at Crystal Palace until 30 June 2025)
DF   NED Veerle Buurman (at PSV until 30 June 2025)
No. Pos. Nation Player
DF   ENG Jorja Fox (at Crystal Palace until 30 June 2025)
DF   ENG Greta Humphries (at Bristol City until 30 June 2025)
MF   ENG Lexi Potter (at Crystal Palace until 30 June 2025)
FW   FRA Louna Ribadeira (at Paris FC until 30 June 2025)
FW   ENG Lucy Watson (at Southampton until 30 June 2025)

Former players

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

Player of the Year

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Year Player Position Ref.
2015   Eniola Aluko Forward [49]
2016   Katie Chapman Midfielder [49]
2017   Karen Carney Midfielder [49]
2017–18   Fran Kirby Forward [49]
2018–19   Erin Cuthbert Midfielder [49]
2019–20   Bethany England Forward [50]
2020–21   Fran Kirby Forward [51]
2021–22   Sam Kerr Forward [52]
2022–23   Sam Kerr Forward [53]
2023–24   Lauren James Forward [54]

Management team

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Position Staff
Head coach   Sonia Bompastor
Assistant coaches   Camille Abily
  Théo Rivrin
General manager   Paul Green
First-team coach   Gemma Davison
Goalkeeping coach   Seb Brown
Assistant goalkeeping coach   Dan Smith
Movement coaches   Harry McCulloch
  Ed Ryan-Moore
Match analyst   Jamie Cook
Opposition analyst   Jack Stephens
Lead scout   TJ O'Leary

Source: Chelsea F.C.

Honours

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Chelsea players celebrating winning the 2014–15 FA Women's Cup.

Chelsea's first major trophy was the Women's FA Cup, won in 2015. In the same year, the club also won its first league title. After winning the 2021–22 FA Women's Super League (FA WSL) season, Chelsea became the first team to win the WSL title for three seasons in a row.[55] Their most recent success came in May 2024, when they won their seventh Women's Super League title.

Domestic competitions

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League titles

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  • FA WSL Spring Series

Cups

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  • Surrey County Cup[58]
    • Winners (9): 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13
    • Runners-up (2): 2004–05, 2010–11

Notes

  1. ^ The 2017 Spring Series was a shortened competition played in a single round-robin format,[56] and is not considered an official WSL title by the FA.[57]

International competitions

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Runners-up (1): 2020–21
Runners-up (1): 2013

Other

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Doubles

Trebles

Season-by-season records

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Record in UEFA Women's Champions League

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All results (home, away and aggregate) list Chelsea's goal tally first.

Season Round Opponents Home Away Aggregate
2015–16 Round of 32   Glasgow City 1–0 3–0 4–0
Round of 16   VfL Wolfsburg 1–2 0–2 1–4
2016–17 Round of 32   VfL Wolfsburg 0–3 1–1 1–4
2017–18 Round of 32   Bayern Munich 1–0 1–2 2–2 (a)
Round of 16   Rosengård 3–0 1–0 4–0
Quarter-final   Montpellier 3–1 2–0 5–1
Semi-final   VfL Wolfsburg 1–3 0–2 1–5
2018–19 Round of 32   SFK 2000 6–0 5–0 11–0
Round of 16   Fiorentina 1–0 6–0 7–0
Quarter-final   Paris Saint-Germain 2–0 1–2 3–2
Semi-final   Lyon 1–1 1–2 2–3
2020–21 Round of 32   Benfica 3–0 5–0 8–0
Round of 16   Atlético Madrid 2–0 1–1 3–1
Quarter-final   VfL Wolfsburg 2–1 3–0 5–1
Semi-final   Bayern Munich 4–1 1–2 5–3
Final   Barcelona 0–4
2021–22 Group stage   VfL Wolfsburg 3–3 0–4 3rd place
(Group A)
  Juventus 0–0 2–1
  Servette 1–0 7–0
2022–23 Group stage   Paris Saint-Germain 3–0 1–0 1st place
(Group A)
  Vllaznia 8–0 4–0
  Real Madrid 2–0 1–1
Quarter-final   Lyon 1–2 1–0 2–2 (4–3 p)
Semi-final   Barcelona 0–1 1–1 1–2
2023–24 Group stage   Real Madrid 2–1 2–2 1st place
(Group D)
  Paris FC 4–1 4–0
  BK Häcken 0–0 3–1
Quarter-final   Ajax 1–1 3–0 4–1
Semi-final   Barcelona 0–2 1–0 1–2
2024–25 Group stage   Real Madrid 3–2
  Twente 3–1
  Celtic

Colour key: Green = Chelsea win; Yellow = draw; Red = opponents win.

UEFA club coefficient ranking

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Rank Team Points
1   Barcelona 113.899
2   Lyon 95.933
3   Chelsea 86.966
4   Paris Saint-Germain 77.933
5   Bayern Munich 76.766
As of 16 August 2024[59]

References

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  2. ^ "Group Tax Strategy". Chelsea F.C. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  3. ^ "England – List of Women Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Club history". Chelsea L.F.C. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  5. ^ a b Page, Sarah (14 February 1992). "Ladies Love the Blues". The Informer. p. 88.
  6. ^ a b c Twomey, Liam (11 May 2020). "Making Chelsea Women: spotting superstars, stellar signings and ruthless Hayes". The Athletic. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "The History of Chelsea Women – part two: From a 90s rebirth to the Women's Super League" (Press release). Chelsea F.C. 27 August 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
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  31. ^ Hunt, Josh (15 May 2018). "Bristol City Women 0–2 Chelsea Ladies". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
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  39. ^ Wrack, Suzzane (16 May 2021). "Barcelona stun Chelsea with early blitz to win Women's Champions League". The Guardian. Gothenburg. Archived from the original on 15 May 2023.
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