| Full name | Kilmarnock Football Club Women | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname | Killie | |
| Founded | 1961(as Stewarton Thistle) | |
| Ground | Rugby Park,Kilmarnock | |
| Capacity | 15,003 | |
| Chairman | David Howie | |
| Head Coach | Jim Chapman | |
| League | SWPL 2 | |
| 2023–24 | SWPL 2, 2nd of 8 | |
| Website | http://fckillie.killiefc.com/ | |
Kilmarnock Football Club Women is awomen's football team based inKilmarnock,East Ayrshire that plays in theSWPL 2. Founded as Stewarton Thistle, the club is the oldest women's football team in Scotland and celebrated its 50th anniversary in July 2011.[1]
Local historian Alastair Barclay wrote in 1973 that a girls' soccer team was founded inStewarton 12 years previously "more or less for laughs" but had quickly eclipsed the modest achievements of the town's male teams.[2]
Sue Lopez recorded in herWomen on the Ball book (1997) that the club was formed in 1961 at theLord Provost's request, to raise money for theFreedom from Hunger campaign. The club enjoyed local success and, with star playerRose Reilly, reached the final of the first everWomen's FA Cup in1971. Played under the auspices of the EnglishWomen's Football Association, the competition admitted Scottish and Welsh teams in its early years. Stewarton Thistle lost 4–1 to Lopez's Southampton atCrystal Palace National Sports Centre.[3] A few months later, however, Thistle did manage to defeat Southampton in the final of the Deal International Tournament, which featured teams from across Europe.[4] In the same year, Stewarton Thistle won the inaugural edition of theScottish Women's Cup, winning 4-2 over Aberdeen Prima Donnas in the final.[5]
In1972 they reached the Women's FA Cup final again, playing under the name ofLee's Ladies due to a naming–rights sponsorship deal. Southampton beat them again, 3–2 atEton Park inBurton upon Trent.[6]
In 1999 the club became known asFC Kilmarnock Ladies.[7] The early part of the 2000s saw managerJim Chapman assemble a strong squad with severalScotland women's national football team players.[8] The club won the league championship twice[9] and was Scotland's representative in theUEFA Women's Cup in2002–03 and2003–04.
Later in the decade Kilmarnock were much less successful, with a young and inexperienced side who often suffered heavy defeats. May 2010 saw a 29–0 loss at championsGlasgow City.[10] In 2011 they finished last in the Scottish Women's Premier League but were spared relegation because of a shortage of teams.[11] The team's only win of the season, 2–0 against Falkirk, was changed to a 3–0 defeat when it emerged one of Kilmarnock's players was six weeks short of her 15th birthday and ineligible for senior football.[12] However, in the 2012 season, they finished bottom again and they were relegated.
In 2017, former Kilmarnock playerShelley Kerr became theScotland Women's national coach.[13]
In the2018 SWPL season, newly promoted Kilmarnock lost their first league match of the season at home againstMotherwell 2-1. After the match Kilmarnock complained that Motherwell had not followed correctSWF procedures. Kilmarnock were subsequently rewarded with a 3-0 win over Motherwell. The result put them top of theSWPL2.[14]
In January 2020, FC Kilmarnock Ladies was brought in house and under full control byKilmarnock Football Club and was re-branded asKilmarnock FC Women with formerRangers coach Andy Gardner being appointed as the team's new head coach ahead of the 2020 season.[15]
In July 2022, Kilmarnock Women's playing squad signed their first ever professional contracts in a landmark move for the club.[16] Former head coachJim Chapman also made a return for a second spell in charge ahead of the team's move into the newly formedScottish Women's Premier League.[17]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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For details of former players, seeCategory:Kilmarnock F.C. Women players.
