2017–18 FA WSL

FA WSL
Season2017–18
ChampionsChelsea
Champions LeagueChelsea
Manchester City
Matches played90
Goals scored282 (3.13 per match)

The 2017–18 FA WSL was the seventh edition of the FA WSL since it was formed in 2010. It was the first season of WSL which ran as a winter league.[1] It started in September 2017 and ended in May 2018, with ten teams competing in both leagues.[1][2][3]

The Football Association removed promotion and relegation between the two tiers for the end of the season. The league was instead restructured, with clubs required to apply for licenses under new criteria for the top tier in the 2018–19 season.[4]

A one-off competition, the FA WSL Spring Series, ran from February to May 2017 to bridge the gap from the 2016 FA WSL season.[5]

Teams

[edit]

With the collapse of Notts County Ladies just prior to the Spring Series, the ten clubs of WSL2 were invited to apply for a place in the 2017–18 season. Two sides, champions Everton and runners-up Doncaster Rovers, applied. On 9 June 2017, subject to appeal, Everton were awarded the position.[6]

WSL 1
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Locations of the 2017–18 WSL 1 teams
Team Location Ground Capacity 2016 season Spring Series
Arsenal Borehamwood Meadow Park 4,502 3rd 3rd
Birmingham City Solihull Damson Park 3,050 5th 7th
Bristol City Filton Stoke Gifford Stadium 1,500 2nd, WSL 2 8th
Chelsea Kingston upon Thames Kingsmeadow 4,850 2nd 1st
Everton Widnes Select Security Stadium 13,350 3rd, WSL 2 1st, WSL2
Liverpool Widnes Select Security Stadium 13,350 4th 4th
Manchester City Manchester Academy Stadium 7,000 1st 2nd
Reading High Wycombe Adams Park 9,617 8th 6th
Sunderland South Shields Mariners Park 3,000 7th 5th
Yeovil Town Yeovil Huish Park 9,565 1st, WSL 2 9th
WSL 2
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Locations of the 2017–18 WSL 2 teams
Team Location Ground Capacity 2016 season Spring Series
Aston Villa Tamworth The Lamb Ground 4,000 7th 4th
Brighton & Hove Albion Lancing Culver Road 2,000 1st, 2015–16 WPL 6th
Doncaster Rovers Belles Doncaster Keepmoat Stadium 15,231 9th, WSL 1 2nd
Durham Durham New Ferens Park 3,000 4th 5th
London Bees Canons Park The Hive Stadium 5,176 6th 7th
Millwall Lionesses Bermondsey St. Paul's Sports Ground 2,500 8th 3rd
Oxford United Marston Court Place Farm 3,200 9th 10th
Sheffield Dronfield Coach and Horses 2,000 5th 9th
Tottenham Hotspur Cheshunt The Stadium 3,000 1st, 2016–17 WPL n/a
Watford Kings Langley Global Metcorp Stadium 1,000 10th 8th

WSL 1

[edit]
FA WSL 1
Season2017–18
ChampionsChelsea
Matches played90
Goals scored282 (3.13 per match)
Top goalscorerEllen White (15 goals)
Biggest home winLiverpool 8–0 Yeovil Town
(6 January 2018)
Biggest away winSunderland 0–6 Chelsea
(30 September 2017)
Highest scoringLiverpool 8–0 Yeovil Town
(6 January 2018)

Ten teams competed this season.[1] Following the closure of Notts County Ladies in April 2017, the FA announced that one place in the league would be given to a team which competed in the Spring Series, based on an evaluation by the FA of applicant clubs' business plans, budget, youth development, facilities and on-pitch performance.[3] The place was subsequently given to Everton.[6]

There was no relegation based on results at the end of the season due to the league's restructure.[4]

Table

[edit]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Chelsea (C, Q) 18 13 5 0 44 13 +31 44 Qualification for the Champions League
2 Manchester City (Q) 18 12 2 4 51 17 +34 38
3 Arsenal 18 11 4 3 38 18 +20 37
4 Reading 18 9 5 4 40 18 +22 32
5 Birmingham City 18 9 3 6 30 18 +12 30
6 Liverpool 18 9 1 8 30 27 +3 28
7 Sunderland (R) 18 5 1 12 15 40 −25 16 Did not apply for a licence, Relegated to the FA Women's National League
8 Bristol City 18 5 1 12 13 47 −34 16
9 Everton 18 4 2 12 19 30 −11 14
10 Yeovil Town 18 0 2 16 2 54 −52 2
Source: FA WSL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (R) Relegated

Results

[edit]
Home \ Away ARS BIR BRI CHE EVE LIV MCI REA SUN YEO
Arsenal — 3–2 1–1 1–1 1–0 3–0 2–1 3–1 3–0 4–0
Birmingham City 3–0 — 2–0 0–2 2–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 3–0
Bristol City 1–6 0–2 — 0–2 2–1 0–2 1–6 0–5 1–2 1–0
Chelsea 3–2 2–1 6–0 — 1–0 1–0 0–0 2–2 2–1 6–0
Everton 0–2 0–3 1–2 0–1 — 0–2 2–3 2–1 5–1 3–1
Liverpool 0–3 1–0 2–0 2–3 1–1 — 1–0 0–3 3–1 8–0
Manchester City 5–2 3–1 4–0 2–2 3–0 4–0 — 0–2 3–0 5–0
Reading 0–0 2–2 4–0 2–2 3–0 3–0 2–5 — 0–1 3–0
Sunderland 0–2 3–0 1–2 0–6 1–1 1–4 0–3 0–2 — 2–1
Yeovil Town 0–0 0–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–4 0–1 —
Updated to match(es) played on 15 May 2018. Source: FA WSL
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top goalscorers

[edit]
As of 20 May 2018[7][8]
Rank Player Team Goals
1 England Ellen White Birmingham City 15
2 England Nikita Parris Manchester City 11
3 England Beth England Liverpool 10
4 England Remi Allen Reading 9
England Isobel Christiansen Manchester City
6 England Brooke Chaplen Reading 8
England Fran Kirby Chelsea
England Beth Mead Arsenal

WSL 2

[edit]
FA WSL 2
Season2017–18
ChampionsDoncaster Rovers Belles
Matches played90
Goals scored325 (3.61 per match)
Top goalscorerJessica Sigsworth
(15 goals)
Biggest home winDoncaster Rovers Belles 6–0 Aston Villa
(29 October 2017)
Tottenham Hotspur 6–0 Watford
(22 February 2018)
Biggest away winWatford 0–5 Sheffield
(16 May 2018)
Highest scoringTottenham Hotspur 6–3 Durham
(29 April 2018)

Ten teams competed during this season.[1][3]

There was no promotion or relegation based on results at the end of the season due to the league's restructure.[4]

Table

[edit]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion
1 Doncaster Rovers Belles (C, R) 18 15 2 1 52 15 +37 47 Obtained then gave up Tier 2 licence, Relegated to the FA Women's National League
2 Brighton & Hove Albion (P) 18 12 1 5 35 26 +9 37 Awarded a Tier 1 licence
3 Millwall Lionesses[a] 18 12 3 3 40 23 +17 36
4 Durham 18 11 2 5 44 26 +18 35
5 Sheffield (R) 18 9 1 8 40 31 +9 28 Obtained then gave up Tier 2 licence, Relegated to the FA Women's National League
6 London Bees 18 6 5 7 29 32 −3 23
7 Tottenham Hotspur 18 6 4 8 32 34 −2 22
8 Oxford United (R) 18 3 3 12 24 41 −17 12 Failed to obtain a Tier 2 licence, Relegated to the FA Women's National League
9 Aston Villa 18 3 2 13 21 40 −19 11
10 Watford (R) 18 1 1 16 8 57 −49 4 Failed to obtain a Tier 2 licence, Relegated to the FA Women's National League
Source: FA WSL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Millwall Lionesses had three points deducted for fielding an ineligible player in their first game of the season against Watford.[9]

Results

[edit]
Home \ Away AST BRI DON DUR LON MIL OXF SHE TOT WAT
Aston Villa — 0–1 0–4 1–3 3–3 0–2 1–0 3–4 1–1 4–0
Brighton & Hove Albion 2–1 — 1–0 3–2 3–1 0–3 5–1 1–0 2–0 4–1
Doncaster Rovers Belles 6–0 4–1 — 3–1 3–1 2–2 4–0 3–2 3–0 3–1
Durham 3–0 4–0 1–2 — 0–0 2–1 1–1 3–2 2–1 4–0
London Bees 2–1 2–1 1–4 1–3 — 2–3 2–1 0–0 1–2 3–1
Millwall Lionesses 2–1 4–3 0–1 3–2 1–1 — 1–0 2–1 4–1 3–1
Oxford United 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–4 2–3 2–4 — 1–0 1–2 1–2
Sheffield 2–1 1–4 1–2 0–4 3–1 3–0 4–1 — 4–3 4–0
Tottenham Hotspur 2–0 0–1 1–4 6–3 1–1 1–1 2–1 2–4 — 6–0
Watford 0–3 0–1 0–2 0–2 0–4 0–4 1–3 0–5 1–1 —
Updated to match(es) played on 20 May 2018. Source: FA WSL
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top goalscorers

[edit]
As of 20 May 2018.[7]
Rank Player Team Goals
1 England Jessica Sigsworth Doncaster Rovers Belles 15
2 England Melissa Johnson Sheffield F.C. Ladies 12
3 Scotland Kirsty Hanson Doncaster Rovers Belles 11
England Beth Hepple Durham W.F.C.
5 England Charlie Devlin Millwall Lionesses 9

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Women's Super League to switch to winter season in 2017". Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  2. ^ "FA Women's Super League to move to new calendar in 2017". Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Garry, Tom. "Women's Super League: WSL 2 clubs invited to apply to replace Notts County Ladies". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Garry, Tom. "Women's Super League: Restructure can help make league best in world – Katie Brazier". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
  5. ^ "New calendar for FA WSL". Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Everton have been elected to FA Women's Super League 1". Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  7. ^ a b "PLAYER STATS". Retrieved 1 October 2017.
  8. ^ "Top Scorers – Womens Super League – Football". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  9. ^ "Club Statement". Millwall Lionesses. The Football Association. 8 November 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.[permanent dead link]
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