Southampton F.C. Women

Southampton F.C. Women are an English women's football club based in Southampton who play in the FA Women's National League (Division One South West; Tier 4 of the English Women's national league system). They are sponsored by Virgin Media and affiliated with Southampton F.C. who play in the Premier League.

This article is about the women's football club. For the men's football club, see Southampton F.C. For the similarly-named Southampton women's football club (founded 1970), see Southampton Women's FC. For the women's football club (1979) previously affiliated to Southampton F.C., see Southampton Saints Girls & Ladies F.C.
Southampton
Full nameSouthampton Football Club Women
Nickname(s)The Saints
Founded2016
GroundTestwood Park, Totton
Capacity3,000
OwnerLander Sports Investment
ChairmanGao Jisheng
ManagerMarieanne Spacey-Cale, MBE
LeagueFA Women's National League Division One (Tier 4)
WebsiteClub website

History

Origins

Several women's football teams associated or affiliated to Southampton F.C. have played in at least the last 50 years. In 1970, Southampton Women's FC was formed by female fans of the men's team. Another team, Southampton Saints Girls & Ladies F.C. were also formed, in 1979 (initially as Red Star FC). Saints Girls & Ladies were founder members of the FA Women's Premier League in 1991, and absorbed by Southampton FC in 2001. Later in 2005, with the club in financial difficulties and men's senior side relegated from the Premier League after 27 years of top-flight football, Southampton F.C. withdrew support for the female side. Southampton Saints Girls & Ladies continued without major club support for another 14 years, before announcing their demise due to financial difficulties in July 2019[1][2]

Revival

By 2016 Southampton FC, under new ownership, had realised the need for a competitive senior women's team as the profile of women's football in the UK grew. A senior women's team formally affiliated to Southampton F.C. was formed. In May 2017 an Under-21 side was formed.[3] In March 2018, Southampton unsuccessfully applied to enter the FA Women's Championship (Tier 2).[4] The club intend to reapply.[5] In May 2018 the club was promoted from the Southern Region Women's Football League Division One as champions.

In July 2018, the club appointed former senior England international Marieanne Spacey-Cale, MBE as Head of Women's And Girls' Football.[6] Spacey-Cale has 91 senior England caps.

In May 2019 the club won the Southern Region Women's Football League (Premier Division), with a perfect win of 18 wins,[7] their second successive league title, earning promotion to the FA Women's National League (Division One). They also beat Oxford City Women in the League Cup, achieving a domestic Double.[8]

Squad
As of 3 August 2020.[9][10]

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 Kayla Rendell
2 DF  ENG Ella Morris
3 DF  ENG Shelly Provan
4 MF  SCO Kirsty Whitton
5 DF  ENG Rosanna Parnell
6 DF  ENG Kelly-Marie Fripp
7 MF  ENG Georgie Freeland
8 MF  ENG Phoebe Williams
9 FW  ENG Ella Pusey
10 MF  ENG Shannon Sievwright
11 MF  ENG Ellie Chaffe
12 FW  ENG Sophia Pharoah
13 GK  ENG Sara Luce
14 DF  ENG Kelly Snook
15 DF  ENG Tash Angel
16 DF  WAL Caitlin Morris
17 MF  ENG Alisha Ware
18 FW  ENG Chloe Newton
No. Pos. Nation Player
19 FW  ENG Rachel Panting
20 DF  ENG Sam Burt
21 MF  ENG Rachel Woods
22 DF  ENG Charley Evans
23 FW  ENG Chloe Gilroy
24 FW  ENG Shannon Albuery
25 DF  ENG Emma Godden
26 MF  ENG Harriet Eastham
27 MF  ENG Kitty Cleeve
28 GK  ENG Grace Jenman
29 DF  ENG Jess Tanner
— DF  ENG Chloe Podger
— DF  ENG Rachel Richards
— MF  ENG Sophie Lee
— MF  ENG Rebecca Quinn
— MF  POR Laura Da Silva
— MF  ENG Emma Whitlock
— FW  ENG Georgie Lowe

    Youth Development

    Southampton F.C. are well known for their youth development and scouting programmes.[11] The club run a female-specific development programme, spanning talent clubs, summer camps, and the FA-approved Premier League Girls' Football Programme. In May 2017 the club announced the formation of a dedicated U-21 women's squad to complement their coaching programme and provide a feeder route into the women's first team.[3]

    Honours

    League
    Southern Region Women's Football League Premier Division
    • Champions (2018-2019)[7]
    Southern Region Women's Football League First Division
    • Champions (2017-2018)

    Cup
    League Cup
    • Champions (2018-2019)

    Doubles
    Double
    • Southern League Women's Premier Division: Champions (2018-2019) / League Cup: 2018-2019

    References
    1. Garry, Tom (4 January 2020). "Women's FA Cup third round: Southampton's eight-time winners among sides bidding to join WSL giants". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
    2. "Southampton Saints Girls & Ladies FC". en-gb.facebook.com.
    3. "Saints announce new under-21 women's team". Southampton FC.
    4. "Southampton apply to join Women's Championship". March 23, 2018 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
    5. "Southampton: Saints' application for Women's Championship team denied". May 28, 2018.
    6. "Saints appoint Marieanne Spacey-Cale MBE". Southampton FC.
    7. "Southern Region Women's Football League". fulltime-league.thefa.com.
    8. "Saints complete domestic double!". Southampton FC.
    9. "First team". Southampton F.C.
    10. "Squad numbers confirmed for 2019/20". Southampton F.C. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
    11. "Southampton continue to invest in youth after Gao Jisheng's reshuffle | Football | The Guardian".
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