Manchester United W.F.C.

A team called Manchester United Supporters Club Ladies began operations in the late 1970s and was unofficially recognised as the club's senior women's team. They became founding members of the North West Women's Regional Football League in 1989.[2] The team became increasingly competitive throughout the 90s at various levels of the FA Women's National League up until 2001.[3]

In 2001, the team formed an official partnership with Manchester United. However, the club began to stagnate with a string of successive mid-table finishes in the third division.[2] The team were disbanded four years later, in 2005, shortly after Malcolm Glazer's completed takeover with the new regime deeming the women's team to not be part of the "core business" and unprofitable.[5] A media spokesman for Manchester United also claimed the club wanted to focus on its women's academy instead of its senior team.[4]

Manchester United celebrate winning the Championship title in their inaugural season.

In March 2018, Manchester United announced their intentions to reintroduce a women's football team.[6] Manchester United Women Football Club were founded on 28 May 2018, following the club's successful application to join the newly-formed 2018–19 FA Women's Championship.[7][1] It marked the club's return to women's football after a thirteen-year absence; though the club's academy continued via the Manchester United Foundation, with the likes of Izzy Christiansen and Katie Zelem being produced by United's Centre of Excellence academy.[8][9] Casey Stoney was appointed as the club's first head coach on 8 June,[10] with their inaugural 21-player squad announced just over a month later.

The team's first game back was on 19 August 2018, where they won 1–0 in an away game against Liverpool in the FA Women's League Cup, with Lizzie Arnot scoring their first competitive goal in thirteen years.[11] Three weeks later, their opening Championship encounter ended in a 12–0 victory away to Aston Villa.[12] On 17 April 2019, United secured promotion to the FA Women's Super League following a 5–0 win against the same opposition.[13] They clinched the FA Women's Championship title three days later following a 7–0 win at home to Crystal Palace.[14] In May 2019, Manchester United were named FA Women's Championship Club of the Year at the 2019 FA Women’s Football Awards.[15]

The 2019–20 season was the team's maiden FA WSL campaign. The season opener was a Manchester derby, held at the City of Manchester stadium. Manchester City won the match 1–0 in front of a then league record attendance of 31,213.[16][17] United's first top-flight campaign was ended prematurely after the season was curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic with the team awarded fourth place on a points per game basis.[18] The last game was a 3–2 victory over Everton on 23 February 2020, with Leah Galton scoring twice and Ella Toone scoring once for Manchester United in the first game played at Everton's new Walton Hall Park stadium.[19] In the FA Cup, Manchester United lost 3–2 to Manchester City in the fourth round, the first time they had lost in the first knockout round of a competition.[20] However, they repeated their best League Cup finish by reaching the semi-finals for the second consecutive year, losing 1–0 to eventual cup winners Chelsea.[21]

Manchester United in February 2019 before a match against Arsenal

As of 21 January 2021[25]

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  ENG Emily Ramsey 2 DF  ENG Martha Harris 3 DF  NOR Maria Thorisdottir 4 DF  ENG Amy Turner (vice-captain) 7 FW  ENG Ella Toone 9 FW  ENG Jessica Sigsworth 10 MF  ENG Katie Zelem (captain) 11 FW  ENG Leah Galton 12 MF  WAL Hayley Ladd 13 FW  GER Ivana Fuso 14 MF  NED Jackie Groenen 16 FW  ENG Lauren James

No. Pos. Nation Player 17 DF  ESP Ona Batlle 18 FW  SCO Kirsty Hanson 19 FW  SCO Jane Ross 20 DF  SCO Kirsty Smith 21 DF  ENG Millie Turner 22 GK  ENG Fran Bentley 23 FW  ENG Alessia Russo 24 FW  USA Christen Press 27 GK  ENG Mary Earps 37 MF  ENG Lucy Staniforth 77 FW  USA Tobin Heath

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 5 DF  ENG Abbie McManus (at Tottenham Hotspur until 30 June 2021)[26]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 26 FW  ENG Megan Hornby 28 MF  WAL Carrie Jones 29 MF  ENG Rebecca May 30 MF  WAL Chloe Williams 32 MF  ENG Tara Bourne 33 DF  ENG Poppy Lawson 34 MF  ENG Lara Miller 35 DF  ENG Chloe Broughton 36 MF  ENG Fran Stables 38 FW  NOR Karna Solskjær

No. Pos. Nation Player 39 FW  ENG Holly Davenport 40 DF  ENG Niamh Murphy 41 DF  ENG Emelia Wilson 42 DF  ENG Izzy Reidford 43 DF  ENG Pheobe Hollin 44 GK  ENG Sophie Hillyerd 45 MF  ENG Ella Kinzett 46 FW  ENG Alyssa Aherne 47 MF  ENG Polly Watson

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 Maria Edwards (at Blackburn Rovers until 30 June 2021)[31]

The following is a list of academy players who have made senior team appearances. Bold indicates the player is still at the club.

• Ella Toone
• Emily Ramsey
• Fran Bentley
• Katie Zelem
• Kirsty Hanson
• Rebecca May
• Millie Turner
• Naomi Hartley

As of 13 July 2020.

Position	Staff
Manager	Casey Stoney[10]
Assistant manager	Martin Ho[32]
Goalkeeping coach	Ian Willcock[33]
Performance coach	Elle Turner
Strength & Conditioning Coach	Tommy Munday
Lead physiotherapist	Kitty Forrest
Physiotherapist	Eva Gibson

Information correct as of 7 February 2021. Only competitive matches are counted.

List of Manchester United W.F.C. managers

Image	Name	Nationality	From	To	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	Win%[nb 1]	Honours	Notes
	Casey Stoney	England	8 June 2018	present	67	46	6	15	193	50	068.66	1 FA Women's Championship title	[10][34]