Chelsea F.C. Women

Chelsea Football Club Women, formerly known as Chelsea Ladies Football Club, are an English women's football club based in Fulham, England. Since 2004, the club has been affiliated with Chelsea F.C., a men's team in the Premier League. Chelsea Women were 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.

"Chelsea Women" redirects here. For various subjects titled Chelsea Girls, see Chelsea Girl (disambiguation).
Chelsea
Full nameChelsea Football Club Women
Nickname(s)The Blues
Founded1992 (1992)
GroundKingsmeadow, Kingston upon Thames
Capacity4,850 (2,265 seated)
PresidentsJohn Terry
Peter Steward
ChairmanBruce Buck
ManagerEmma Hayes
LeagueFA WSL
2019–20FA WSL, 1st of 12 (champions)
WebsiteClub website
Imperial Fields, Chelsea's home ground in 2011

History

Establishment

Chelsea Ladies Football Club was formed in 1992 after supporters of Chelsea F.C. expressed desire for a women's side.[1] In June 2004, Chelsea Ladies voted to be taken over and funded by Chelsea's Football in the Community department.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4] During the season the club had been linked with a transfer bid for North American star players Tiffeny Milbrett and Christine Sinclair.[5]

After an eighth-placed finish in 2006–07, Gore drafted in England players Siobhan Chamberlain, Casey Stoney and Eniola Aluko that summer.[6] 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.[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, while Lorrie Fair missed the whole campaign with a cruciate ligament injury sustained in May 2008.[10] Jones departed as manager in January 2009, leaving Casey Stoney to act as player/manager.[11]

At Casey Stoney's recommendation, Matt Beard became manager for 2009–10.[12] Cuts to the Ladies club's funding were offset by financial assistance from John Terry and other Chelsea FC players.[12] A further blow arrived when Lianne Sanderson left for the 2010 WPS season.[13]

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

The club bid successfully to be one of eight founding teams in the FA Women's Super League in March 2011.[14] 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.[15] In July 2012 Matt Beard resigned as manager after three years in the post,[16] 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.[17]

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. 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 and Continental Cups, 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.[18]

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 at the 39th-minute while Eniola Aluko won the player of the match award.[19] The team then beat Sunderland 4–0 in October 2015 to secure the FA WSL title and a League and Cup "double".[20] 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.[21] On 23 May 2018, the club rebranded as Chelsea Football Club Women.[22]

Players
Chelsea in November 2019 before a match against Lewes

Current squad
As of 22 January 2021[23]

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
3 DF  ENG Hannah Blundell
4 DF  ENG Millie Bright
5 MF  WAL Sophie Ingle
7 DF  ENG Jessica Carter
8 MF  GER Melanie Leupolz
9 FW  ENG Bethany England
10 MF  KOR Ji So-Yun
11 MF  NOR Guro Reiten
14 FW  ENG Fran Kirby
16 DF  SWE Magdalena Eriksson (captain)
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 MF  CAN Jessie Fleming
18 MF  NOR Maren Mjelde
20 FW  AUS Sam Kerr
21 FW  ENG Niamh Charles
22 FW  SCO Erin Cuthbert
23 FW  DEN Pernille Harder
24 MF  ENG Drew Spence
25 DF  SWE Jonna Andersson
28 GK  ENG Carly Telford
30 GK  GER Ann-Katrin Berger

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
27 MF  SCO Jamie-Lee Napier (at Birmingham City until 30 June 2021)

Former players

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

Management team
As of 19 August 2020
Position Staff
Manager Emma Hayes
Assistant manager Paul Green
Head of technical/Goalkeeping coach Stuart Searle
Head of performance Bart Caubergh
Assistant coach Denise Reddy
Opposition analyst & coach Leanne Champ

Source: Chelsea F.C.

Stadium

Chelsea Women play at Kingsmeadow in Norbiton, Kingston upon Thames, London. Chelsea F.C. purchased Kingsmeadow for the Women from its former occupant AFC Wimbledon, so that Wimbledon could finance their new ground, New Plough Lane.[24] Kingsmeadow has a capacity of 4,850 (2,265 of which is seated).

Until 2017, the team played their home games at Wheatsheaf Park, the home of the Staines Town F.C..[25] The stadium is located in Staines-upon-Thames, Middlesex and features capacity for 3,002 spectators.[26]

The team previously played at Imperial Fields during the 2011–12 season, the home ground of Isthmian League club Tooting & Mitcham United.[27]

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

League titles

Cups

Doubles
  • 2015: League and FA Cup
  • 2018: League and FA Cup
  • 2020: League and League Cup

Record in UEFA Women's Champions League
Main article: English women's football clubs in international competitions § Chelsea

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

SeasonRoundClubHomeAwayAggregate
2015–16 Round of 32 Glasgow City 1–0 [f] 3–0 4–0
Round of 16 Wolfsburg 1–2 [f] 0–2 1–4
2016–17 Round of 32 Wolfsburg 0–3 [f] 1–1 1–4
2017–18 Round of 32 Bayern Munich 1–0 [f] 1–2 2–2 (a)
Round of 16 Rosengård 3–0 [f] 1–0 4–0
Quarter-final Montpellier 3–1 2–0 [f] 5–1
Semi-final Wolfsburg 1–3 [f] 0–2 1–5
2018–19 Round of 32 SFK 2000 6–0 5–0 [f] 11–0
Round of 16 Fiorentina 1–0 [f] 6–0 7–0
Quarter-final Paris Saint-Germain 2–0 [f] 1–2 3–2
Semi-final Lyon 1–1 1–2 [f] 2–3
2020–21 Round of 32 Benfica 3–0 5–0 [f] 8–0
  • f First leg.

References
  1. "Club history". Chelsea L.F.C. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  2. "Chelsea FC Take Over Ladies". Fair Game. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  3. "Chelsea Sack Manager". Fair Game. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  4. "Sunderland & Chelsea Survive Play-Offs". Fair Game. Archived from the original on 8 February 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  5. Cocozza, Paula (13 February 2006). "Tiffeny breaks Chelsea fast". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  6. "Chelsea Ladies Start Season". Chelsea FC. Archived from the original on 3 December 2007. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  7. "Lorrie Fair Joins Chelsea". Fair Game. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  8. "Chelsea Ladies sign Arsenal pair". BBC. 3 July 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  9. "Mary Phillip Retires". Fair Game. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  10. "Chelsea F.C. likes the Carolina way". The Chapel Hill News. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  11. "FA Women's Cup Quarter-Finals". Fair Game. 22 February 2009. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2009.
  12. Leighton, Tony (18 October 2009). "John Terry digs deep to rescue Chelsea Ladies after funding cuts". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  13. Leighton, Tony (24 January 2010). "Lianne Sanderson cites Super League delay as reason for US move". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
  14. "Lincoln Ladies FA Women's Super League bid success". BBC. 22 March 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  15. Nisbet, John (27 May 2012). "Shoot-out has unhappy ending for Chelsea Ladies". The Independent. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  16. "Matt Beard leaves Chelsea". She Kicks. 6 July 2012. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  17. Ólafsson, Guðjón (31 May 2013). "Atvinnumaðurinn Edda Garðarsdóttir: "Ekki leyfilegt að tala við karlalið Chelsea nema þeir eigi frumkvæðið"". Pressan.is. Archived from the original on 9 June 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  18. "Chapman targets Wembley double". Sporting Life. 28 July 2015. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2015. Chelsea Ladies turned full-time at the beginning of this season and are based alongside the men at the club’s Cobham training complex.
  19. "Chelsea lift FA Cup in front of record crowd". She Kicks. 2 August 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  20. Garry, Tom (4 October 2015). "WSL 1: Chelsea Ladies 4–0 Sunderland Ladies". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  21. Hunt, Josh (15 May 2018). "Bristol City Women 0–2 Chelsea Ladies". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  22. "Chelsea: Women's Super League champions renamed Chelsea FC Women". BBC Sport. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  23. "Player profiles". Chelsea F.C. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  24. "Welcome to Chelsea Ladies".
  25. "Getting to the ground". Chelsea L.F.C. Archived from the original on 13 August 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  26. "Wheatsheaf Park". Soccer Way. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  27. Lomas, Mark (14 April 2011). "A new day for women's football". ESPN. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
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