 | ||||
| Full name | Southampton Football Club Women | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Saints | |||
| Founded | 2017; 8 years ago (2017)[1] | |||
| Ground | St Mary's Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 32,384[2] | |||
| Owner | Sport Republic[3] | |||
| Chairman | Henrik Kraft | |||
| Head coach | Vacant | |||
| League | Women's Championship | |||
| 2023–24 | Women's Championship, 4th of 12 | |||
| Website | https://southamptonfc.com | |||
Southampton Football Club Women is an Englishwomen's football club affiliated withSouthampton FC. Based inSouthampton, the club plays in theFA Women's Championship in the2024–25 season after winning promotion from theFA Women's National League South in 2022.
In 1970,Southampton Women's F.C. was formed by female fans of the men'sSouthampton, but the two clubs were unaffiliated. Southampton Women's F.C. went on to great success in England, winning theWFA Cup (now Women's FA Cup) eight times.
Another team,Southampton Saints Girls & Ladies F.C. were formed in 1979 as Red Star FC, who were founder members of theWFA Women's National League in 1991. The club adopted the name Southampton Saints Girls & Ladies on affiliating to Southampton F.C. in 1995, and was absorbed by Southampton F.C. in 2001. The club had financial difficulties in 2005; the men's senior side were relegated from the Premier League after 27 years of top-flight football, andSouthampton men's side 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.[4]
By 2016Southampton FC, under new ownership, saw the need for a competitive senior women's team as the profile of women's football in the UK grew. With the club's Regional Talent Centre, a Southampton Under-16 team was formed,[5] and an Under-21 side in May 2017.[6] The club formed an adult women's side for the 2017–18 season and were admitted to the Hampshire Women's League Division 1.[7] In March 2018, Southampton unsuccessfully applied to enter theFA Women's Championship (Tier 2).[8][9]
In June 2018, after winning the Hampshire Women's League Division 1, the senior team was listed for the following season'sSouthern Region Women's Football League First Division South.[10] In July 2018, the club appointed former England internationalMarieanne Spacey-Cale as head of Women's and Girls' Football.[11] Spacey-Cale has 91 senior England caps.
In the 2018–19 season, the club in fact played in the Southern Region Premier Division, and won the title with a perfect record of 18 wins,[12] earning promotion to theFA Women's National League Division One. They also beatOxford City Women in the League Cup, achieving a domesticDouble.[13]
In both the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons, the club were top of the FA Women's National League Division 1 South West at the point when the season was curtailed due to the coronavirus outbreak.[14][15]
The club applied for, and were granted, upward club movement in the summer of 2021, being placed in the FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division for the 2021–22 season.[16]
In the2021–22 season, the club won theFA Women's National League Southern Premier Division to earn a chance to get promoted to the second-tier by beating theFA WNL Northern Premier Division champions in a play-off.[17] On 21 May 2022, Southampton earned a first ever promotion to theFA Women's Championship by defeatingWolverhampton Wanderers 1–0 in the play-off.[18]
Following promotion to the FA Women's Championshipin, the club announced they would turn professional and play all of their home games at St Mary's.[19][20] After a 0–1 defeat toSheffield United in the final game of the season, the club finished in sixth place in the league.[21]
At the end of the 2023–24 seasonMarieanne Spacey-Cale stepped down from the manager's position and moved into the position of head of women's football within the club.[22] On 12 July 2024,Remi Allen was appointed as head coach.[23]
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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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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| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head of women's football | Marieanne Spacey-Cale |
| First team head coach | Remi Allen |
| First team Assistant coach | Emma Byrne |
| First team goalkeeping coach | Will Britt |
Southampton F.C. are well known for their youth development and scouting programmes.[26] The club run a female-specific development programme, spanning talent clubs, summer camps, and the FA-approvedPremier 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.[6]
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