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]
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Full name | Bristol Rovers Women's Football Club | ||
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Nickname(s) | Gas Girls | ||
Founded | 2019 | ||
Ground | Lockleaze Sports Centre | ||
Coordinates | 51.496769°N 2.566179°W | ||
Manager | Nathan Hallett-Young | ||
League | Gloucestershire Women's League, Division One | ||
Website | Club website | ||
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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 Womens Football League.[4] 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]
Season by season
Season | League | League cup | County cup | Top scorer | Manager | ||||||||
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Division | Position | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | League only | All matches | ||||
2019–20 | Gloucestershire League First Division | N/A[lower-alpha 1] | 11 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 6 | 33 | 2nd round | Rossana Rocha (10) | Georgia Vandries (17) | Nathan Hallett-Young |
- Notes
- 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]
References
- Hill, Ryan (2 November 2014). "Bristol Rovers and the Gas tale: What's in a nickname". In Bed With Maradona. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
- "'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.
- "Bristol Academy to rebrand as Bristol City Women's FC". BBC Sport. 20 November 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- Wilf Frith (2 May 2019). "Return of the Gas Girls". She Kicks. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- John Evely (5 June 2019). "Bristol Rovers reveal new Gas Girls logo". Bristol Live. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- Alexander Howick (29 May 2019). "Bristol Rovers female team make return after 14 years". BBC News. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- Having a Gas (Radio broadcast). BBC Radio Bristol. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
- Martin Booth (9 September 2019). "Gas Girls return with resounding wins". Bristol 24/7. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- "AN UPDATE ON THE WOMEN'S FOOTBALL PYRAMID AHEAD OF THE 2020-21 SEASON". The Football Association. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.