| Full name | Tranmere Rovers | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | Rovers | ||
| Founded | 1990 | ||
| Ground | Ellesmere Port Sports Village | ||
| Chairman | Steve Williams | ||
| Manager | Louise Edwards | ||
| League | North West Women's Regional Football League Premier | ||
| 2023-24 | North West Women's Regional Football League Premier, 3rd of 11 | ||
| Website | https://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/teams/women/ | ||
Tranmere Rovers Women are an Englishfootball team founded in 1990, based in theWirral, and affiliated withTranmere Rovers F.C. Between 1996 and 2004 they competed in theFA Premier League National Division, then the top tier of theEnglish women's football pyramid. They are currently members of theNorth West Women's Regional Football League Premier and play their home games at the Ellesmere Port Sports Village.[1]
Tranmere Rovers Ladies were formed in 1990 named by Jayne Lewis indeed Jayne Lewis got the original team together and entered of the North West Regional League with Steve Williams as manager.[2] They played their first competitive game against Bury Girls in September of that year.[2] They won Division Four at their first attempt,[3] and followed this success by winning Division Three in the next year.[4] In the 1992–93 season, they came third in Division Two, winning promotion to the top division of the league.[5] Tranmere finished mid-table in their first season in Division One,[6] but won the division in the following season.[7]
Tranmere won the next tier of theEnglish women's football pyramid – theFA Premier League Northern Division – at the first attempt, with only one defeat all season.[2][8] They were promoted to theFA Premier League National Division, at the time the top tier of the English league system. The four promotions required to reach this league had been achieved in only five seasons. 1995–96 also saw the team win the Cheshire Shield for the first time, beating Stockport 6–2 in the final.[2]
The team spent eight seasons in the top flight, the most successful period in the club's short history. After finishing 8th in their first season,[9] they came 7th in 1997–98,[10] 5th in each of the following three seasons,[11][12][13] 6th twice,[14][15] before relegation back to the Northern Division with a 10th-placed finish in 2003–04.[16] The team were also successful in the cup competitions during this period; they reached theFA Cup semi-final in 1998–99, losing 2–1 toSouthampton Saints.[2] They repeated this feat in 2001–02, but lost 3–1 toDoncaster Belles.[14] In 1999, Tranmere won the Reebok Women's Football Festival in Mansfield, then the traditional curtain-raiser to the season, beating local rivalsEverton 1–0 in the final. In 2000, the players featured in a television advert forDaz washing powder alongsideJulian Clary.[17] In 2000–01, Tranmere reached the final of thePremier League Cup – their first major cup final – againstArsenal at theDeva Stadium.[13] Though the game was level at half time, Arsenal dominated and eventually ran out 3–0 winners, to secure their fourth successive title.[18] In 2002, Steve Williams stepped down as manager to be replaced by player Louise Edwards.[2]
Tranmere spent five seasons in the Premier League Northern Division, finishing 8th,[19] 3rd,[20] 6th,[21] and 8th,[22] respectively, before being relegated to theNorthern Combination with an 11th-placed finish in 2008–09.[23] In 2006, Louise Edwards stepped down as manager, with assistant Shirley Waring taking over.[2] Waring resigned after relegation in 2009; Edwards returned in an interim role,[24] though was still in charge two years later.[25] Edwards and Waring were joint managers. />
In the 2010–11 season, Tranmere came 12th and last in the Northern Combination,[26] and were relegated to North West Regional League, Premier Division.[27] However, in the same season they won the Cheshire Cup for a record 11th time.[28]
Rovers finished 3rd in the North West Regional Football League in the 2023-24 season, behindBlackburn Community Sports Club Women and the championsCheadle Town F.C. Women. In the following 2024-25 season, Tranmere suffered a 6 point points deduction.
Tranmere'scolours follow those used by their affiliatedmen's team. In 1961,Dave Russell joined the club as manager.[29] Tranmere had worn a kit of blue shirts, white shorts and blue socks since 1904 – the same colours as local rivals,Division One clubEverton.[30] Russell introduced an all-white strip to set the teams apart;[29] these have been Tranmere's usual colours since.[30]
During their first years, Tranmere played in several venues.[2] In 1997, they moved to Gayton Park, the home ofWest Cheshire League club Heswall F.C..[2] In 2006, they moved to Victoria Park,[31] the home of Poulton Victoria F.C.[32] In 2009, Poulton Victoria folded,[33] so Tranmere moved to Villa Park,[34] the home of Ashville F.C. inWallasey,Wirral.[35]
Upon its completion, the club are due to move their home games to Tranmere's training ground, Solar Campus.[36][needs update]
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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A number of Tranmere players have represented their country. In 1992,Sammy Howarth made herEngland debut againstDenmark, going on to win fivecaps.[38] GoalkeeperJo Fletcher also played for England,[39] whilstKatie Williams has representedWales twenty times.[40]
Tranmere's most capped international player isSue Smith. Smith first appeared for England in 1997,[41] and went on to win 93 caps, scoring 16 goals.[42] Whilst playing for Tranmere, Smith won a number of awards. In 1999, she was voted international player of the year, for her performances in theEngland team, and players' player of the year.[43] In 2001, she was again awarded the title of international player of the year.[44]
TheSwedish international playerTina Nordlund played for Tranmere in1998–99. She was in a relationship and living withJesper Blomqvist who was contracted toManchester United at the time.[45]
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(October 2023) |
