Liverpool L.F.C.



Liverpool Ladies Football Club is a semi-professional women's football club affiliated with Liverpool Football Club and playing in the FA WSL. After being relegated from the FA Women's Premier League National Division to the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division for 2009–10, Liverpool won the league after losing only one game all season. On September 29th, 2013 Liverpool Ladies clinched their first Women's Super League title. The triumph completes a remarkable turnaround for Liverpool, who finished bottom of the table for the last two seasons.

Contents

 * 1 History
 * 2 Current squad
 * 2.1 Former players
 * 3 Staff
 * 4 Honours
 * 5 References
 * 6 External links

History[edit]
The club was founded in 1989 as Newton LFC. It changed its name to Knowsley United WFC two years later; becoming founder members of the National Premier Division organised by the WFA.[1]  Knowsley United reached the final of the Premier League Cup in 1993, but were beaten by Arsenal at Wembley.[2]  The local MP, Eddie O'Hara, tabled an Early Day Motion congratulating the club on extending the annual sequence of Merseyside clubs playing in Cup finals at Wembley.[3]  In 1994 the club reached the final of the FA Women's Cup, losing 1–0 to Doncaster Belles at Glanford Park.[4]  That summer the club linked with Liverpool F.C. and took on its name.[5]

For most of the 1990s they were National Premier League mainstays but a lack of support and investment saw them relegated to the Northern Division in 2000. In 2004 they won the Northern Division and earned promotion, but did not stay long as they were relegated again at the end of the season, having won only two games.

As in the men's game, their biggest rivalry is with Everton L.F.C., but their recent spells in the second tier have led them to develop rivalry with counterparts of lower-level male rivals, such as Tranmere Rovers and Lincoln Ladies. The Merseyside derby was rekindled in the 2007–08 season, after Liverpool won back promotion as 2006–07 Northern Division champions.

Surviving their first season back in the FA Women's Premier League National Division, finishing third bottom, they sacked manager David Bradley at the end of the season.[6]  The club were relegated into the Northern Division for 2009–10, but won the league losing just one game all season. Liverpool also won the FA Fair Play Award after playing for the whole season without having a single player booked or sent-off.[7]

The club was one of eight founding teams in the FA WSL in April 2011.[8]

In June 2012, the manager for four seasons Robbie Johnson stepped down from his position. Under Johnson, the team won just two of their 20 games in his last two seasons in charge, having finished bottom in 2011, and with a similar record in 2012.[9] Johnson's assistant Andy Williams was subsequently promoted to the manager's role.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10">[10]

<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:TimesNewRoman;font-size:medium;line-height:normal;">In August 2012 Matt Beard, who had left Chelsea Ladies the previous month, was appointed manager on a full–time contract until 2014.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11">[11]  When the club finished bottom of the WSL for the second successive season, Beard overhauled his squad by releasing ten players and signing United States national team defender Whitney Engen.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12">[12]  The club then announced a move from the West Lancashire College Stadium in Skelmersdale, to the Halton Stadium in Widnes for 2013. On September 29th, 2013 Liverpool Ladies clinched their first Women's Super League title by beating Bristol in the end-of-season decider ending Arsenal’s nine-year dominance of women’s football in England.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13">[13]

Current squad[edit]
<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:TimesNewRoman;font-size:medium;line-height:normal;">FA WSL squad <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14">[14]  Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. LawsBonner EngenBronzeSchröderKatrínWilliamsDaCostaDowieForsRolser===Former players[edit]=== <p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:TimesNewRoman;font-size:medium;line-height:normal;">For details of former players, see Category:Liverpool L.F.C. players.

Staff[edit]

 * Manager: Matt Beard
 * Assistant Coach: Luke Swindlehurst
 * Assistant Coach: Joanne Broadhurst
 * Goalkeeper Coach: Joe Potts
 * Head of Sports Science: Tessa Morris
 * Physio: Kathryn Wise

Honours[edit]

 * FA Women's Super League:
 * Winners (1): 2013
 * FA Women's Premier League Northern Division:
 * Winners (3): 2003–04, 2006–07, 2009–10
 * Keele Classic:
 * Winners (1): 2010
 * Preston Tournament
 * Winners (1): 2010