Melbourne City FC (W-League)

Melbourne City Women Football Club, also known as the Melbourne City Women or simply as City, represents Melbourne City in the W-League, the top division soccer league in Australia. Founded in 2015, the club has its training and administration based at the City Football Academy in Melbourne and plays home games at both the John Ilhan Memorial Reserve in the northern suburb of Broadmeadows and at AAMI Park near the Melbourne city centre. The current manager of the team is Rado Vidošić.[1]

Melbourne City FC (W-League)
Full nameMelbourne City Women Football Club
Founded2015 (2015)
GroundCB Smith Reserve
AAMI Park
Capacity2,000
30,035
ManagerRado Vidosic
LeagueW-League
2019–20W-League, 1st of 9 (premiers and champions)
WebsiteClub website
Departments of Melbourne City
Football
(Men's)		 Football
(Youth Men's)		 Football
(Women's)

History

Following on from their purchase of and investment into Manchester City in England, City Football Group turned their eyes to investment into the women's game as well, funding a serious overhaul of the Manchester club's female affiliate.[2] Only months after their takeover of the men's team Melbourne City FC, they followed likewise on the women's side, contacting the FFA regarding entering a team into the W-League to be affiliated to the men's Melbourne side.[3]

After a year of negotiations, their involvement was sealed with an announcement that a women's team competing under the name Melbourne City FC would compete in the W-League as of the beginning of the 2015–16 season.[3]

Four championships and two premierships (2015–20)

Melbourne City CEO Scott Munn revealed that his club had been in consultation with Football Federation Australia (FFA) for over 12 months regarding the introduction of a new W-League side.[4] In July 2015, Melbourne City Women's FC made Matildas co-captain Lisa De Vanna their first-ever signing. She is widely regarded as one of the world's best women's strikers.[5] After De Vanna, the club's next foundation signings were Laura Alleway and Brianna Davey. In September 2015, Young Matildas Larissa Crummer, Alex Chidiac, Beattie Goad and former Adelaide United defender Monique Iannella joined the club.[6] Matilda Steph Catley also signed up in September. Regarded as a Matlidas' fan favourite, Catley created history when she was voted as the first female to appear on the cover of the video game FIFA 16.[7]

The club created history in its inaugural 2015–16 season, winning all 12 of its regular season games to become Premiers (regular-season winners) and becoming Champions by winning the 2016 W-League Grand Final, completing a perfect season.[8] In the following season, City suffered a six-match winless run during the middle part of the season before storming back into the finals series and claiming a second successive championship in the 2017 Grand Final. This achievement meant the club was equal with several other clubs for the greatest number of championships won in the league.[9] The club then eclipsed this record the following season when it defeated Sydney FC in the 2018 W-League Grand Final making it 3 championships[10] in a row.

City had an undefeated 2019/20 season, with 11 wins and one draw, and secured their second premiership. Under Head Coach Rado Vidošić, and with elite talent on the pitch such as the returning Steph Catley and new players Kyah Simon and Claire Emslie, the team went on to win the double following wins over Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC in the 2020 Finals Series. Consequently City became the first team in W-League history to secure four championships.[11]

Stadium

Melbourne City Women play most of their home matches at CB Smith Reserve (2,500 capacity) in Fawkner, though have also played home matches at John Ilhan Memorial Reserve in Broadmeadows and ABD Stadium. City also have played several matches at AAMI Park (30,050 capacity), home stadium of the men's team.

Players

First-team squad
As of 19 January 2020

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 GK Lydia Williams
2 DF Yukari Kinga
4 DF Chelsea Blissett
6 MF Aivi Luik
7 DF Steph Catley (captain)
8 MF Nia Stamatopoulos
10 MF Emily van Egmond
11 FW Rhali Dobson
No. Position Player
13 DF Rebekah Stott
15 DF Emma Checker
16 MF Sofia Sakalis
19 DF Tyla-Jay Vlajnic
20 FW Milica Mijatović
23 GK Melissa Barbieri

Former players

For notable current and former players, see Category:Melbourne City FC (W-League) players.

Management

Current technical staff
Position Name
Head Coach Rado Vidosic
Assistant Coach Melissa Barbieri
Team Manager Louisa Bisby

Managerial history
NameNationalityFromTo
Joe Montemurro  Australia 1 July 2015 4 January 2017
Jess Fishlock  Wales 5 January 2017 31 March 2017
Patrick Kisnorbo  Australia 1 July 2017 30 June 2018
Rado Vidosic  Australia 1 July 2018 —

Honours

Domestic
Winners (2): 2015–16, 2019–20
Winners (4): 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020

Notable former players

Below is a list of notable players for Melbourne City. Generally, this list includes former players that have played 50 or more first-class matches for the club, have at least one senior international cap, and/or have made significant contributions to the club's history. For a full list of current and former players see Category:Melbourne City FC (W-League) players.

See also

References
  1. "Melbourne City announcne coaching restructure". thewomensgame.com.au. 19 June 2018.
  2. "Manchester City aim for Women's Super League success too". BBC. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  3. "Melbourne City FC set to field W-League team in 2015". melbournecityfc.com.au. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  4. "Melbourne City to join W-League next season". SBS. 14 May 2015.
  5. "Melbourne City FC signs inaugural W-League player". Football Federation Australia. 14 July 2015.
  6. "Melbourne City sign four more W-League signings". Football Federation Australia. 10 September 2015.
  7. "Melbourne City signs Steph Cately for 2015/16 W-League season". Football Federation Australia. 16 September 2015.
  8. "W-League grand final: Melbourne City beat Sydney FC". ABC News. 31 January 2016.
  9. "W-League grand final: Melbourne City first club to win two titles in a row". ABC News. 12 February 2017.
  10. "Melbourne City have clinched a historic W-League three-peat with a 2-0 grand final triumph over Sydney FC". SBS. 18 February 2018.
  11. "Melbourne City crowned W-League champions after beating Sydney FC". ABC News. 21 March 2020.
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