Millwall Lionesses L.F.C.

Millwall Lionesses
Full name Millwall Lionesses
Ladies Football Club
Nickname(s) The Lionesses
Founded 1972 (1972)
Ground Princes Park, Dartford, Kent
Chairperson Diane Culligan
Director of Football Pedro Martínez Losa
Manager Chris Phillips
League FA Women's Championship
2017–18 FA WSL 2, 3rd of 10
Website Club website

Millwall Lionesses Ladies Football Club is an English women's football club based in East Dulwich, south-east London, that plays in the FA WSL2, the second tier of English women's football. Founded in 1972, the group of women who made up the Lionesses were at first snubbed by Millwall FC but went on to become the first women's football team to affiliate to a professional men's team, Millwall F.C. who are nicknamed "The Lions". The Lionesses pioneered the now common "Football in the Community Scheme".

History

Millwall Lionesses remained an independent club in their initial years of existence. In the mid–1980s Millwall FC, who were trying to mitigate an appalling reputation for football hooliganism and racism, embraced the female club as part of their community project.[1] Development officer Gary Stempel sourced funding from the Greater London Council (GLC) and then a combination of Lewisham and Greenwich Councils, as well as the Sports Council.

Millwall Lionesses became a leading force in both the women's game as well as the "Millwall Community Programme", and played an active part in the development of girls' football. Millwall Lionesses were the first club to have a female Centre of Excellence, of which there eventually became 42 in England. Millwall Lionesses field teams with an age range of eight, to thirty plus.[2]

The former England women's national football team coach Hope Powell began her career with The Lionesses at the age of eleven, making her international debut at the age of 16.

The Lionesses won the FA Women's Cup in 1991 and 1997.[3]

The Lionesses won promotion back to the FA Women's Premier League National Division in 2008–09, following an eight-year absence since their relegation in 2001.[4]

In 2014 the Lionesses were founding members of the FA Women's Super League 2, the new 2nd tier of Women's football in England later renamed the FA Women's Championship. [5]

Players

As of 14 July 2018.[6]
Millwall Lionesses team in February 2015
No. Position Player Nation
— Goalkeeper Chloe Sansom  England
— Defender Chantelle Mackie  England
— Defender Riva Casley  England
4 Defender Phoebe Read  England
14 Defender Georgina Giddings  England
18 Forward Brionne Fowle  England
32 Defender Leanne Cowan  England
— Defender Jasmine Augustus  England
— Midfielder Ellie Stenning  England
— Forward Gabby Ravenscroft  England
— Midfielder Lia Cataldo  England
— Defender Yelani Priest  England
— Defender Kelani Peart  England
— Forward Beth Lumsden  England
— Forward Evie Clarke  England
— Goalkeeper Grace Taylor (Footballer)  England
— Midfielder Annie Rossiter  England
— Midfielder Freya Bailes  England
— Midfielder Michelle Young (footballer)  England
— Midfielder Sara Guzowska  Poland
— Defender Asanteni Charles  England

References

  1. ↑ Davies, John (22 September 2007). "Football gets a kick start". Times Educational Supplement. Retrieved 19 May 2012. "The mid-80s was a violent era, and the club was desperate to get away from its (fans’) racist image and really take the club back to the local community," recalls Hicks.
  2. ↑ Millwall Lionesses History and Honours
  3. ↑ Mike Rowbottom (5 May 1997). "Football: Lionesses bring pride to Millwall". The Independent. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
  4. ↑ Tony Leighton (13 April 2009). "Millwall Lionesses set for Premier League return". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  5. ↑ FA WSL (5 September 2018). "CLUB TIMELINE". FA WSL.
  6. ↑ Millwall Lionesses LFC
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