2023–24 Women's Championship

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Women's Championship
Season2023–24
Matches played126
Goals scored344 (2.73 per match)
Top goalscorerElise Hughes
(16 goals)
Biggest home winCrystal Palace 9–1 Durham
10 September 2023
Biggest away winBlackburn Rovers 0–4 Crystal Palace
1 October 2023
Sheffield United 0–4 Birmingham City
15 October 2023
Reading 0–4 Birmingham City
20 March 2024
Durham 1–5 Crystal Palace
31 March 2024
Highest scoringCrystal Palace 9–1 Durham
10 September 2023
2024–25 →
All statistics correct as of 21 April 2024.

The 2023–24 Women's Championship season (known Barclays Women's Championship for sponsorship reasons) is be the sixth season of the rebranded Women's Championship, the second tier of women's football in England, and the ninth season since the creation of the WSL 2.[1]

In April 2023, The Football Association board announced changes to the Women's Championship, increasing the number of relegation spots in the 2023–24 season to two in order for both FA Women's National League champions (North and South) to win promotion at the end of the season. Previously only one team had been relegated and replaced by the winner of a playoff match between the Northern Premier Division and Southern Premier Division champions. The changes will not impact the structure of the Women's Super League with a one up, one down system. It was though not made clear how the north south structure in the third tier would be impacted, with the possibility of teams being forced to move geographic division in order to maintain balance of numbers.[2]

Teams[edit]

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Location of clubs for the 2023–24 season

Twelve teams will compete in the Championship for the 2023–24 season, the same number as the previous season. Bristol City were promoted to the Women's Super League as 2022–23 Women's Championship winners.[3] They will be replaced by Reading who were relegated on the final day of the 2022–23 Women's Super League season,[4] ending a seven-season stay in the WSL which began in 2016 following the club's promotion as 2015 WSL 2 winners.[5] Coventry United were relegated to the FA Women's National League after four seasons in the second division.[6] They were replaced by the winners of the 2022–23 FA Women's National League playoff, Southern Premier Division winners Watford, who beat Northern champions Nottingham Forest 1–0. They returned after just one season away having been relegated at the end of the 2021–22 season.[7]

Team Location Ground Capacity 2022–23 season
Birmingham City Birmingham St Andrew's 29,902 2nd
Blackburn Rovers Bamber Bridge Sir Tom Finney Stadium 3,000 10th
Charlton Athletic Crayford Oakwood 1,180 4th
Crystal Palace Sutton Gander Green Lane 5,032 5th
Durham Durham Maiden Castle 1,700 7th
Lewes Lewes The Dripping Pan 3,000 9th
London City Lionesses Dartford Princes Park 4,100 3rd
Reading Reading Madejski Stadium 24,161 WSL, 12th
Sheffield United Sheffield Bramall Lane 32,050 8th
Southampton Southampton St Mary's Stadium 32,384 6th
Sunderland Hetton-le-Hole Eppleton CW 2,500 11th
Watford Ruislip Grosvenor Vale 4,085 WNL, 1st

Managerial changes[edit]

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Reading England Kelly Chambers Resigned 20 June 2023[8] End of season (WSL, 12th) England Liam Gilbert 18 August 2023[9]
London City Lionesses England Nikita Runnacles (interim) End of interim period 4 July 2023 End of season (3rd) Italy Carolina Morace 4 July 2023[10]
Crystal Palace England Mike Lowne (interim) End of interim period 14 July 2023 End of season (5th) England Laura Kaminski 14 July 2023[11]
Blackburn Rovers England Matt Bee (interim) End of interim period 17 July 2023 End of season (10th) England Simon Parker 17 July 2023[12]
Sheffield United England Jonathan Morgan Sacked 2 February 2024 8th England Luke Turner (interim) 2 February 2024[13]
London City Lionesses Italy Carolina Morace Sacked 7 February 2024 10th England Darren Smith (interim) 7 February 2024[14]
London City Lionesses England Darren Smith (interim) End of interim period 2 March 2024 10th England Remi Allen 2 March 2024[15]
Birmingham City England Darren Carter Mutual consent 11 April 2024[16] 5th

Table[edit]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Crystal Palace 21 14 3 4 55 20 +35 45 Promotion to the WSL[a]
2 Charlton Athletic 21 12 6 3 30 17 +13 42
3 Sunderland 21 12 4 5 31 18 +13 40
4 Southampton 21 13 0 8 39 23 +16 39
5 Birmingham City 21 11 3 7 33 18 +15 36
6 Blackburn Rovers 21 10 3 8 22 27 −5 33
7 Sheffield United 21 9 2 10 31 28 +3 29
8 London City Lionesses 21 6 4 11 23 34 −11 22
9 Reading 21 5 7 9 18 37 −19 22
10 Durham 21 5 5 11 23 44 −21 20
11 Lewes (R) 21 4 4 13 20 36 −16 16 Relegation to the National League
12 Watford (R) 21 3 3 15 19 42 −23 12
Updated to match(es) played on 21 April 2024. Source: FA
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Dependent on obtaining a licence.

Results[edit]

Home \ Away BIR BLB CHA CRY DUR LEW LCL REA SHU SOU SUN WAT
Birmingham City 0–0 0–1 1–2 3–1 2–0 1–0 2–1 1–0 1–2 1–1 5–2
Blackburn Rovers 1–0 0–1 0–4 2–2 2–1[a] 0–3 0–0[b] 2–1 2–1 0–2 1–0
Charlton Athletic 3–1 3–2 3–2 1–1 1–1 1–2 0–1[c] 1–1 28 Apr 1–1 2–3
Crystal Palace 1–0[d] 4–0 0–1 9–1 3–2 6–1 1–1 1–0[e] 3–4 28 Apr 3–0
Durham 28 Apr 2–1 0–1 1–5 2–0 1–0 0–2 2–5 1–0 0–1 0–2
Lewes 0–0 0–2 0–1 0–2 1–1 2–1 2–2 2–1 1–4 0–2 2–1
London City Lionesses 0–1 0–1 0–2 0–2 2–2 28 Apr 1–1 1–2 1–0 1–0 3–2
Reading 0–4[f] 1–4 0–0 1–1 1–0 1–0 1–2 1–3 1–4 1–0 0–0
Sheffield United 0–4 28 Apr 2–2 2–0 0–1 1–0 3–1 5–1 0–1 0–1 1–0
Southampton 1–3 2–0 0–2 1–2 2–1 2–1 3–1 5–0 2–1 0–1 3–0
Sunderland 0–3 0–1 0–1 1–1 5–3 4–3 0–0 3–1 3–0 1–0 2–1
Watford 2–0 0–1 0–2[g] 0–3 1–1 1–2 3–3 28 Apr 1–3 0–2 0–3
Updated to match(es) played on 21 April 2024. Source: Source
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:
  1. ^ Originally scheduled to be played on 17 December, the Blackburn Rovers match against Lewes was postponed due to Lewes playing in the FA Cup.
  2. ^ Originally scheduled to be played on 19 November, the Blackburn Rovers match against Reading was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
  3. ^ Originally scheduled to be played on 18 February, the Charlton match against Reading was postponed due a waterlogged pitch.
  4. ^ Originally scheduled to be played on 3 March, the Crystal Palace match against Birmingham City was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
  5. ^ Originally scheduled to be played on 30 September, the Crystal Palace match against Sheffield United was postponed due to the death of Maddy Cusack.
  6. ^ Originally scheduled to be played on 21 January, the Reading match against Birmingham City was postponed due to an outbreak of illness in the Reading camp.
  7. ^ Originally scheduled to be played on 3 March, the Watford match against Charlton was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Season statistics[edit]

As of 21 April 2024[17]

Top scorers[edit]

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Wales Elise Hughes Crystal Palace 16
2 England Isobel Goodwin Sheffield United 15
3 England Annabel Blanchard Crystal Palace 11

Top assists[edit]

Rank Player Club Assists
1 England Felicity Gibbons Crystal Palace 8
2 England Annabel Blanchard Crystal Palace 7
England Katie Wilkinson Southampton 7
3 Republic of Ireland Lucy Quinn Birmingham City 6

Awards[edit]

Monthly awards[edit]

Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month Goal of the Month Ref.
Manager Club Player Club Player Club
September England Laura Kaminski Crystal Palace England Annabel Blanchard Crystal Palace England Annabel Blanchard (vs. Durham) Crystal Palace [18][19]
October England Melanie Reay Sunderland Republic of Ireland Lucy Quinn Birmingham City England Araya Dennis (vs. Charlton Athletic) Crystal Palace [20][21][22]
November England Karen Hills Charlton Athletic England Gemma Lawley Birmingham City England Shauna Guyatt (vs. Watford) Crystal Palace [23][24][25]
December England Michelle Agyemang Watford Republic of Ireland Lily Agg (vs. Sunderland) Birmingham City [26][27]
January England Karen Hills Charlton Athletic England Emily Scarr Sunderland Malta Maria Farrugia (vs. Reading) Lewes [28][29][30]
February England Laura Kaminski Crystal Palace Republic of Ireland Isibeal Atkinson Crystal Palace England Emily Scarr (vs. Lewes) Sunderland [31][32][33]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "New brand identity". www.thefa.com.
  2. ^ Rampling, Ali (28 April 2023). "Women's National League gains extra promotion spot from 2023-24". The Athletic.
  3. ^ "Smith 'excited' as Bristol City return to WSL". BBC Sport.
  4. ^ "What next for Reading after relegation from WSL?". BBC Sport.
  5. ^ "Royals crowned champions after 3-2 win away at Aston Villa". www.thefa.com.
  6. ^ "Coventry United relegated from the Barclays Women's Championship". FAWSL Full-Time. 2 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Women: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Watford". www.watfordfc.com.
  8. ^ "Kelly Chambers set to leave the club for pastures new". Reading FC. 20 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Liam Gilbert takes the reins of Reading FC Women". Reading FC. 18 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Italian legend Morace appointed head coach of London City Lionesses". FAWSL Full-Time. 4 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Palace Women appoint Laura Kaminski as head coach". Crystal Palace F.C. 14 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Blackburn Rovers Women appoint Simon Parker as head coach". Lancashire Telegraph.
  13. ^ "Club Statement: Jonathan Morgan". Sheffield United FC. 2 February 2024.
  14. ^ "London City Lionesses part company with Carolina Morace & Nicola Williams". London City Lionesses. 7 February 2024.
  15. ^ "Birmingham City midfielder Allen appointed London City Lionesses first team head coach". WSL Full-Time. 2 March 2024.
  16. ^ "Darren Carter leaves Blues Women". Birmingham City FC.
  17. ^ "Women's Championship Top Scorers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  18. ^ "Laura Kaminski named Championship Manager of the Month". Crystal Palace F.C. 13 October 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Blanchard wins Women's Championship POTM and GOTM". Crystal Palace F.C. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  20. ^ "Mel Reay wins October Manager of the Month". Sunderland F.C. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  21. ^ "Lucy Quinn wins monthly award". Birmingham City F.C. 7 November 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  22. ^ "Dennis wins Championship Goal of the Month for Charlton thunderbolt". Crystal Palace F.C. 7 November 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  23. ^ "Karen Hills named November Manager of the Month". Charlton Athletic F.C. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  24. ^ "Gemma Lawley wins monthly award". Birmingham City F.C. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  25. ^ "Guyatt wins Women's Championship Goal of the Month". Crystal Palace F.C. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  26. ^ Barclays Women's Champions [@BarclaysWC] (January 17, 2024). "In fantastic form for @WatfordFCWomen! Michelle Agyemang is the #BarclaysWC Player of the Month! 🤩" (Tweet). Retrieved 18 January 2024 – via Twitter.
  27. ^ "Lily Agg strike wins Goal of the Month". Birmingham City F.C. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  28. ^ "Karen Hills named January Manager of the Month". Charlton Athletic F.C. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  29. ^ "Emily Scarr wins Player of the Month award". Sunderland F.C. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  30. ^ Barclays Women's Champions [@BarclaysWC] (February 13, 2024). "Sensational strength and strike from Maria Farrugia 🤩 The #BarclaysWC Goal of the Month goes to the @LewesFCWomen midfielder's finish 🙌" (Tweet). Retrieved 2 March 2024 – via Twitter.
  31. ^ "Kaminski wins second Manager of the Month award". Crystal Palace F.C. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  32. ^ "Atkinson wins Championship Player of the Month". Crystal Palace F.C. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  33. ^ Barclays Women's Champions [@BarclaysWC] (March 7, 2024). "A cheeky finish from @emilyscarr11! Her goal against Lewes is the #BarclaysWC Goal of the Month 🤩 @SAFCWomen" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 March 2024 – via Twitter.

External links[edit]

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