Bridgwater United W.F.C. facts for kids
| Full name | Bridgwater United Football Club Women |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1990 (as Yetminster Ladies) |
| Ground | Fairfax Park, Bridgwater |
| Capacity | 2,500 (128 seated) |
| Chairman | Tony McCarthy & Mike Kushner |
| Manager | Trevor Jenkins |
Bridgwater United Women's Football Club is an English women's football team. They are based in Bridgwater, Somerset. The club was started in 1990. Over the years, they have been known by several names. These include Yetminster Ladies, Sherborne Ladies, Yeovil Town Ladies, and Yeovil United. Today, they play in the league.
Before 2013, the team played in the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division. They had earned promotion to this league in 2012. In 2021, the women's team joined with the men's team, Bridgwater Town. This created the club known as Bridgwater United.
Contents
Club History
Early Years and Name Changes
The team began in 1990 as Yetminster Ladies. Tony Baverstock was the founder. Their first game was on September 16, 1990. They played against Weymouth Vikings. In 1993, the club changed its name to Sherborne Ladies.
In 1997, the team made it to the 4th Round of the Women's FA Cup. They played against Everton in front of over 500 fans. In 1999, the team became Yeovil Town Ladies. John Flatters helped the team improve a lot. After he left, Steve Phelps took over as coach.
Winning Trophies and Promotions
The 2004–05 season was exciting. Yeovil Town Ladies won the Somerset County Cup Final. They beat Keynsham Town Ladies. A young player named Helen Bleazard left the team that year. She had played for Yeovil since she was nine. She went to play for Bristol City Ladies.
In the next season, the team almost won the league. They finished second, just one point behind Frome Town. They also lost in the League Cup final. But in the 2006–07 season, they finally got promoted. They moved up to the South West Combination League.
The team did well in their first season back in the South West Combination (2007–08). They finished in a good fourth place. In 2008–09, they continued to improve. Nathan Jones, a Yeovil Town footballer, joined as a coach. The team finished third in the league. The reserve team won their league.
Big Wins and FA Cup Runs
The next season, the team made headlines. They won a game 21–0 against Reading Town in August! This win helped them reach the top of the league. They also had a great run in the FA Cup. They beat Saltash United, Forest Green Rovers, and Newquay. This led to a big game against Norwich City. They won 3–0, setting up a match with Nottingham Forest. They lost that game 1–0, but it showed their potential.
The team won the South West Combination Women's League that season. They won 17 games, drew one, and lost only two. They scored 103 goals and let in just 15.
Challenges and Changes
In the 2010–11 season, the club played in the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division. This was their first time in this league. Unfortunately, they were relegated back to the South West Combination. However, they won the county cup. They beat Keynsham Town 3–1 in the semi-final.
In March 2011, long-time manager Steve Phelps left the club. Nigel Williams and Sarah Lawler became joint managers. They helped the team win the Somerset Women's Senior Cup. They beat Larkhall Athletic 3–0 in the final.
The 2011–12 season was very successful. The team won two trophies. They lifted the South West Women's Combination Football League Trophy. They also won the Somerset FA Women's Senior Cup again. The club also received a special award. It was the FA National Respect Gold award. This was for being a fair and respectful team. They went unbeaten in the league that season. They were crowned champions in April. This meant they were promoted back to the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division.
Reaching the Top League
In the 2012–13 season, the club finished 3rd in their league. This was their highest finish ever. They also reached the 5th round of the FA Women's Cup. They lost 4–0 to Leeds United. In April 2013, the club was accepted into the new FA WSL Division 2.
Yeovil was named FAWSL 2 Club of the Year in 2014. They finished fourth in the league. They also finished fourth in 2015. The 2016 season was a big one. Yeovil won the WSL Division 2. This meant they were promoted to FA WSL 1, the top league! They also won FAWSL 2 Club of the Year for a second time.
They played in the top league during the 2017 spring series. This series was created to change the football calendar. The team finished last in this series. But there was no promotion or relegation that year. They also finished last in the 2017–18 season. However, they stayed in the FA WSL.
Recent Changes and Rebranding
In March 2019, the club faced financial challenges. They had 10 points taken away during the 2018–19 season. This meant they were relegated. In May 2019, they were not given a license for the FA Women's Championship. So, they had to play in the third tier instead. In June 2019, the owner, Steve Allinson, wanted to find new investors.
In July 2019, Adam Murry took over the club. He had also helped A.F.C. Bournemouth men's team. Murry changed the team's name. They became Yeovil Town Women. They also got a new team badge. Jamie Phillip became the new head coach. The team started the season well. But Jamie Philip later left the club. Jamie Sherwood, a former manager, returned in November 2020.
In March 2020, the 2019–20 season was stopped. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yeovil was in 5th place at the time. In late 2020, Sarah Murry became the new chair of the board. In September, the club changed its name again. They became Yeovil United FC.
Becoming Bridgwater United
In March 2021, Yeovil United joined with the men's club Bridgwater Town. This created the new club, Bridgwater United. In January 2023, a new Yeovil Town W.F.C. team was formed.
In April 2023, Bridgwater United Women were relegated. This happened after a 4–0 loss to London Bees. They moved down from the Southern Premier Division.
Players
Current squad
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Backroom staff
Management
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head Coach |  Steve Perkins |
| Head of Youth |  Samantha Cox |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Steve Phillips |
| Sports Therapist | Naomi Patten |
| Sports Science Data Analyst | Hannah Stephens |
Source:
Honours
These are the main achievements of the club: FA WSL 2
- Winners (1): 2016
South West Combination
- Winners (2): 2009–10, 2011–12
Somerset FA Women's Senior Cup
- Winners (4): 2004–05, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13
