2015 Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. season

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Doncaster Rovers Belles
2015 season
ChairmanTeresa Aitken
ManagerGlen Harris
StadiumKeepmoat Stadium
WSL 22nd (promoted)
FA CupFifth Round
WSL CupGroup stage
← 2014
2016 →

The 2015 season was Doncaster Rovers Belles' fifth season in the FA WSL, and their second season in the second tier of English women's football.

After the Belles narrowly missed out on promotion in the previous season, Gordon Staniforth resigned on 30 October 2014.[1] Former Lincoln Ladies manager Glen Harris was appointed on December 8, 2014, beating competition from all over Europe; including Belgium, Croatia, Italy and the UK.[2]

This season also saw the introduction of a new club crest, combining the old-style Doncaster Belles badge, with the more recently used Doncaster Rovers badge.[3]

Squad[edit]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK England ENG Nicola Hobbs
2 DF England ENG Lyndsey Cunningham
3 DF England ENG Samantha Tierney
4 DF England ENG Leandra Little (Captain)
5 DF England ENG Rhiannon Roberts
6 MF England ENG Kasia Lipka
7 DF England ENG Molly Johnson
8 MF England ENG Sue Smith
9 FW England ENG Courtney Sweetman-Kirk
10 MF England ENG Emily Roberts (on loan from Notts County)
11 MF England ENG Bethany England
No. Pos. Nation Player
12 MF England ENG Reanne Thomas
13 MF England ENG Sophie Stamp
16 MF England ENG Ashleigh Mills
17 FW England ENG Nicole Dale
18 MF England ENG Sophie Barker
22 GK England ENG Danielle Hill
23 DF England ENG Lauren Cresswell
24 MF England ENG Hope Knight
GK England ENG Megan Govier
FW England ENG Jody Handley

Transfers[edit]

In[edit]

No. Pos. Name Country Transfer From Date Source
18 MF Sophie Barker  ENG Sheffield 13 January 2015 [1]
10 MF Emily Roberts  ENG Notts County (loan) 26 January 2015 [2]
FW Jody Handley  ENG Everton 28 January 2015 [3] Archived 2015-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
22 GK Danielle Hill  ENG Durham 29 January 2015 [4]

Out[edit]

No. Pos. Name Country Transfer To Date Source
10 MF Millie Bright  ENG Chelsea 27 November 2014 [5]
5 FW Jessica Sigsworth  ENG Notts County 6 January 2015 [6]
15 DF Victoria Williams  ENG Sunderland February 2015 [7][permanent dead link]
14 FW Lucy Sowerby  ENG Bradford City March 2015 [8] Archived 14 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine
FW Jody Handley  ENG Retired 6 May 2015 [9]

Statistics[edit]

As of 12 June 2015
No. Pos Nat Player Total WSL 2 FA Cup WSL Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK England ENG Nicola Hobbs 11 0 9 0 2 0 0 0
2 DF England ENG Lyndsey Cunningham 9 0 7 0 2 0 0 0
3 DF England ENG Samantha Tierney 4 0 0+4 0 0 0 0 0
4 DF England ENG Leandra Little 11 1 9 1 2 0 0 0
5 DF England ENG Rhiannon Roberts 11 1 9 1 2 0 0 0
6 MF England ENG Kasia Lipka 11 0 9 0 2 0 0 0
7 DF England ENG Molly Johnson 4 0 1+2 0 0+1 0 0 0
8 MF England ENG Sue Smith 11 7 9 5 2 2 0 0
9 FW England ENG Courtney Sweetman-Kirk 11 9 9 7 2 2 0 0
10 MF England ENG Emily Roberts (on loan from Notts County) 9 4 8 4 1 0 0 0
11 MF England ENG Bethany England 10 5 8 4 2 1 0 0
12 MF England ENG Reanne Thomas 7 0 1+5 0 0+1 0 0 0
13 MF England ENG Sophie Stamp 5 0 0+5 0 0 0 0 0
14 FW England ENG Lucy Sowerby 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 MF England ENG Ashleigh Mills 2 0 1 0 0+1 0 0 0
17 FW England ENG Nicole Dale 2 0 0+2 0 0 0 0 0
18 MF England ENG Sophie Barker 11 1 9 1 2 0 0 0
22 GK England ENG Danielle Hill 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 DF England ENG Lauren Cresswell 9 0 4+3 0 2 0 0 0
24 MF England ENG Hope Knight 8 0 5+2 0 1 0 0 0
GK England ENG Megan Govier 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW England ENG Jody Handley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Players who left the club during the season:

Goals record[edit]

As of 12 June 2015
Rank No. Po. Name WSL 2 FA Cup WSL Cup Total
1 9 FW Courtney Sweetman-Kirk 7 2 0 9
2 8 MF Sue Smith 5 2 0 7
3 11 MF Bethany England 4 1 0 5
4 10 MF Emily Roberts 4 0 0 4
5 18 MF Sophie Barker 1 0 0 1
4 DF Leandra Little 1 0 0 1
5 DF Rhiannon Roberts 1 0 0 1
Own Goals 0 0 0 0
Total 23 5 0 28

Matches[edit]

Pre-Season Friendlies[edit]

On 15 January 2015 Arsenal Ladies announced that they would play a friendly against the Belles, in a clash of two former heavyweights.[4] On 28 January, Liverpool Ladies became the second club to announce a friendly against Doncaster.[5]

15 February 2015 Friendly Arsenal Ladies 4–1 Doncaster Rovers Belles Hatfield
14:00 GMT Nobbs 53', 80'
Sanderson 64'
Sampson 83'
Report Barker 60' Stadium: Hertfordshire Sports Village

FA Cup[edit]

On 12 January 2015 the draw for the Third Round Proper of the FA Women's Cup was made. The Belles were drawn at home to London Bees, with the match to be played on 1 February 2015.[6] This fixture was then rearranged to be played a day earlier on 31 January.[7] In the Fourth Round, Doncaster were drawn away to either Bradford City Women or FC Reedswood, depending on who won the postponed tie.[8] The postponed match was won by Bradford, with the Fourth Round tie to be played on 8 March.[9]

31 January 2015 Third Round Doncaster Rovers Belles 3–0 London Bees Doncaster
18:30 GMT England 53'
Sweetman-Kirk 62'
Smith 79'
Report Stadium: Keepmoat Stadium
22 March 2015 Fifth Round Manchester City 3–1 Doncaster Rovers Belles

FA WSL Cup[edit]

Rovers were drawn in Group 2. They play 5 matches in the group.

Group Stage Doncaster Rovers Belles 0–3 Manchester City
30 July 2015 Group Stage Doncaster Rovers Belles v Liverpool
16 August 2015 Group Stage Everton v Doncaster Rovers Belles
27 August 2015 Group Stage Doncaster Rovers Belles v Durham
30 August 2015 Group Stage Sunderland v Doncaster Rovers Belles

FA WSL 2[edit]

On 26 January 2015, the fixtures for the coming season's WSL were released, with the Belles starting their fixtures at home to Durham Women.[10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "CLUB STATEMENT: Staniforth Resigns". Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. 30 October 2014. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  2. ^ "STATEMENT: Harris Appointed". Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. 8 December 2014. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  3. ^ "CLUB: New Badge Unveiled". Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. 27 January 2015. Archived from the original on 29 January 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  4. ^ "Pre-season schedule announced". Arsenal Ladies F.C. 15 January 2015. Archived from the original on 27 January 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  5. ^ "Reigning champions to play Belles". Liverpool Ladies F.C. 28 January 2015. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  6. ^ "The draw for The FA Women's Cup was made at Wembley". The FA. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  7. ^ "FIXTURES: London Bees Date Change". Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. 21 January 2015. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  8. ^ "Villa will meet Yeovil in FA Women's Cup Fourth Round". The FA. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  9. ^ "FA CUP: Bradford Trip Up Next". 8 February 2015. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  10. ^ "Belles begin promotion push at home". Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. 26 January 2014. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.