Bristol Rovers W.F.C.

Bristol Rovers W.F.C. are a women's association football club based in Bristol in the United Kingdom, and are affiliated to Bristol Rovers F.C.. They are known colloquially as the Gas Girls in recognition of Bristol Rovers' unofficial nickname of The Gas.[1]

This article is about the team formed in 2019. For the team formed in 1998 (later known as Bristol Academy and Bristol City), see Bristol City W.F.C.

Bristol Rovers W.F.C.
Full nameBristol Rovers Women's Football Club
Nickname(s)Gas Girls
Founded2019
GroundLockleaze Sports Centre
Coordinates51.496769°N 2.566179°W / 51.496769; -2.566179
ChairmanAdam Tutton
ManagerNathan Hallett-Young
LeagueGloucestershire Women's League, Division One
WebsiteClub website

History

Bristol Rovers Football Club launched their original women's team in 1998, and although they were successful (rising from the South West Combination to the top flight of women's football in England within five years) the financial situation within the football club in the mid-2000s led to the funding for the women's team being cut and them being re-named Bristol Academy W.F.C. in 2005,[2] eventually being re-branded again as Bristol City in 2016.[3]

In 2019, fourteen years after the name disappeared from women's football, it was announced that a new Bristol Rovers Women's team was being launched in time for the 2019–20 season and that they would be playing in the Gloucestershire County Women's Football League.[4] The launch of the new Bristol Rovers Women's Team was Co-Founded by Club Secretary & Media Manager, Matthew Davies and First-Team Manager, Nathan Hallett-Young. The first team was eventually accepted into Division One of the Gloucestershire League and the development team was granted a place in Division Two and a new logo was commissioned, based on the Bristol Rovers club badge and featuring a female pirate.[5] They play their home games at Lockleaze Sports Centre in the Lockleaze area of Bristol,[6] and are funded by the Bristol Rovers Community Trust.[7]

The first team played their first competitive match on 8 September 2019, a 5–0 win away to Abbeymead Rovers.[8]

The 'Gas Girls' pride themselves on their four key values (Community, Education, Participation & Performance). In its first year, the club was awarded the 'Best Community Football Development Initiative Award' at the 2020 FA Women's & Girls Football Awards. In September of 2020, the club also announced a community partnership with Bristol Pride and launched a special edition away shirt.

Season by season
SeasonLeagueFA CupLeague cupCounty cupTop scorerManager
DivisionPositionWDLFAPtsLeague onlyAll matches
2019–20Gloucestershire League First DivisionN/A[lower-alpha 1]110045633Not enteredSemi-final[lower-alpha 2]2nd roundRossana Rocha (10)Georgia Vandries (17)Nathan Hallett-Young
2020–21Season in progressRound 1QN/A[lower-alpha 3]


Notes
  1. The 2019–20 season was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Results of matches and player records still stand for the season, but the league tables were annulled.[9]
  2. Rovers had reached the semi-final of the Gordon Perrett League Cup in 2019–20 when the season was suspended. The match, which was due to be against Pucklechurch Sports, was never played.
  3. The Gloucestershire County FA elected not to hold any county cup competitions in the 2020–21 season due to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]

Players & Staff

First team
Squad list last updated 12 November 2020[11]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
– GK  ENG Betty Platt
– DF  ENG Natalie Coles (captain)
– DF  ENG Kelly Cutler
– DF  ENG Shannon Francis
– DF  ENG Natasha Galpin
– DF  ENG Sarah Harris
– DF  ENG Anna Hubble
– DF  ENG Cheyenne Lee
– DF  ENG Poppy Warren
– MF  ENG Libby Bell
No. Pos. Nation Player
– MF  WAL Georgia John
– MF  ENG Jess Lumber
– MF  ENG Katie Rawlings
– MF  ENG Jamie-Leigh Worlock
– FW  ESP Katie-May O'Hara Nash
– FW  POR Rossana Rocha
– FW  ENG Hannah Thompson
– FW  ENG Annys Turner
– FW  ENG Georgia Vandries

Development team
Squad list last updated 12 November 2020[12]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
– GK  ENG Freya Jones-Griffiths
– DF  ENG Katie Davies
– DF  ENG Shannon Francis
– DF  ENG Emily Hulbert
– DF  ENG Josie James
– DF  SWE Alva Lang
– DF  ENG Lucy Whiteford
– MF  ENG April Lucia Scadding
– MF  ENG Georgina Burgess
– MF  ENG Chloe Campbell
No. Pos. Nation Player
– MF  ENG Lauren Harris
– MF  ENG Kelsey Manning
– MF  WAL Lauren Roberts
– MF  ENG Freya Sheedy
– FW  ENG Jen Atherton
– FW  ENG Zoe Fielden-Stewart
– FW  ENG Jess Frazer
– FW  ENG Rosie Hall
– FW  ENG Zoe Jones
– FW  WAL Tamsin Shipley

Club staff
Non-Playing Volunteer Staff
NameRoleNation
Nathan Hallett-Young First Team Manager
Lottie Weeks First Team Assistant Manager
Abbie Jones Development Team Manager
Will Dixon Development Team Assistant Manager
Paul Mason Fitness Coach
Javier Gorodi Club Analyst
Jake Lane Goalkeeper coach
Jack Sully Goalkeeper Coach
Matthew Davies Co-Founder, Club Secretary & Media Manager
Debs Phillips Matchday Secretary & Mental Health First Aider

References
  1. Hill, Ryan (2 November 2014). "Bristol Rovers and the Gas tale: What's in a nickname". In Bed With Maradona. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  2. "'We're just out there to enjoy it' - Bristol Rovers Women's FC look forward to their first football game". ITV News. 16 August 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  3. "Bristol Academy to rebrand as Bristol City Women's FC". BBC Sport. 20 November 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  4. Wilf Frith (2 May 2019). "Return of the Gas Girls". She Kicks. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  5. John Evely (5 June 2019). "Bristol Rovers reveal new Gas Girls logo". Bristol Live. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  6. Alexander Howick (29 May 2019). "Bristol Rovers female team make return after 14 years". BBC News. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  7. Having a Gas (Radio broadcast). BBC Radio Bristol. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  8. Martin Booth (9 September 2019). "Gas Girls return with resounding wins". Bristol 24/7. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  9. "AN UPDATE ON THE WOMEN'S FOOTBALL PYRAMID AHEAD OF THE 2020-21 SEASON". The Football Association. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  10. "GLOUCESTERSHIRE FA COUNTY CUP 2020-21 SEASON". Gloucestershire County Football Association. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  11. "First Team Squad". Bristol Rovers Women's Football Club. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  12. "Development Squad". Bristol Rovers Women's Football Club. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
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