Bridgwater United W.F.C. facts for kids
| Full name | Bridgwater United Women's Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Robins |
| Founded | 1990 (as Yetminster Ladies) |
| Ground | The Hand Stadium, Clevedon |
| Capacity | 3,500 (300 seated) |
| Chairman | Tony McCarthy & Mike Kushner |
| Head Coach | Steve Perkins |
Bridgwater United Women's Football Club is a football team for women in Bridgwater, England. They started in 1990 and have had a few different names over the years, like Yetminster Ladies and Yeovil Town Ladies. The team is known as "The Robins." They play in the league.
In 2016, the club moved up to the top league in English women's football, the Women's Super League. They played there during the 2017 and 2018-2019 seasons. In 2021, the women's team joined with the men's team, Bridgwater Town, to become Bridgwater United. However, in 2024, they became an independent women's club again, keeping the same name.
Team History and Key Moments
Early Years and Name Changes
The team began in 1990 as Yetminster Ladies. Tony Baverstock formed the club. Their first game was on September 16, 1990, against Weymouth Vikings. In 1993, the team changed its name to Sherborne Ladies.
A big moment came in 1997 when they reached the 4th Round of the FA Women's Cup. They played against Everton in front of over 500 fans at Huish Park. They lost that game, but it showed how much they had improved. In 1999, the team became Yeovil Town Ladies. John Flatters managed the team well during this time.
Winning Cups and Promotions
The 2004–05 season was exciting for Yeovil Town Ladies. They won the Somerset County Cup Final against Keynsham Town Ladies. A talented young player named Helen Bleazard left the team this season to play for Bristol City Ladies.
In the 2006–07 season, the team, also known as the Glovers, finally won promotion to the South West Combination Women's Football League. This was a big step up for them. They did well in their first season in the new league, finishing in a respectable fourth place in 2007–08.
The 2008–09 season saw more progress. Nathan Jones, a footballer from Yeovil Town's men's team, joined as a coach in November 2009. The team finished third in the league. The reserve team also did great, winning their league and moving up.
FA Cup Runs and League Titles
The team made headlines in the next season with a huge 21–0 win over Reading Town in August. They continued to play well, winning the South West Combination Women's League. They won 17 games, drew one, and lost only two out of 20 matches. They scored 103 goals and only let in 15.
They also had a good run in the FA Cup. They won against Saltash United, Forest Green Rovers, and Newquay. This led them to an exciting fourth-round match against Norwich City, which they won 3–0. Their journey ended with a narrow 1–0 loss to Nottingham Forest, but they showed they could compete with higher-level teams.
Moving Up and Down Leagues
In the 2010–11 season, the club played in the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division for the first time. However, they were relegated back to the South West Combination at the end of the season. They did win the county cup, beating Keynsham Town 3–1 in the semi-final. In March 2011, their long-serving manager, Steve Phelps, left the club.
Nigel Williams and Sarah Lawler took over as joint managers. They helped the team win two trophies in the 2011–12 season: the South West Women's Combination Football League Trophy and the Somerset FA Women's Senior Cup. The club also received the FA National Respect Gold award. They went unbeaten in the league and won promotion back to the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division.
Reaching the Top League
The 2012–13 season was their best yet in the Premier League Southern Division, finishing 3rd. They also reached the 5th round of the 2012–13 FA Women's Cup before losing 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 and again in 2016. In the 2016 season, Yeovil won the WSL Division 2, earning promotion to FA WSL 1, the top league in English women's football.
They played in the top league during the 2017 spring series and the 2017–18 season. Even though they finished last in these seasons, they managed to stay in the FA WSL through a special club licensing process.
Challenges and New Beginnings
In March 2019, the club faced financial difficulties. They had 10 points taken away during the 2018–19 season, which led to them being relegated. In May 2019, they were not given a license to play in the FA Women's Championship. This meant they would play in the FA Women's National League South, which is the third tier of women's football.
In July 2019, Adam Murry took over ownership of the team. He changed the team's name from Yeovil Town Ladies to Yeovil Town Women and created a new team badge. The team started the season well, but then their coach, Jamie Philip, left. Jamie Sherwood, a former manager, returned in November 2020.
In March 2020, the 2019–20 season was stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yeovil was in 5th place at the time. Later in 2020, the team changed its name again to Yeovil United FC.
In March 2021, Yeovil United joined with the men's club Bridgwater Town to form Bridgwater United. In April 2023, Bridgwater United Women were relegated from the Southern Premier Division of the FA Women's National League after losing to London Bees.
In April 2025, the club once again won the Somerset Senior Women's County Cup. They beat Keynsham Town Ladies 2-1 in the final.
Team Players
Current Squad Members
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Past Players
Team Staff and Management
Coaches and Support Staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| General Manager |  Trevor Jenkins |
| Director of Football | Jamie Sherwood |
| Head Coach | Steve Perkins |
| Head of Youth |  Samantha Cox |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Steve Phillips |
| Sports Therapist | Naomi Patten |
| Sports Science Data Analyst | Hannah Stephens |
Source:
Team Achievements
FA WSL 2
- Winners (1): 2016
South West Combination
- Winners (2): 2009–10, 2011–12
Somerset FA Women's Senior Cup
- Winners (5): 2004–05, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2024-25
