User:Stockportcountyladiesfc/sandbox

Stockport County F.C. were one of the first non-premiership clubs to set up a ladies team following a partnership with the local authority Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council. The Ladies Club was formed in 1989/90 and was an instant hit. The club had some success in the early years but there were a number of problems that resulted in some members breaking away and forming a separate club - Stockport Ladies FC.

In 1997 changes were made that has seen a major redevelopment of Stockport County Ladies FC. Fun nights were held, major recruitment took place and several of the senior players were encouraged to take up coaching roles within the set up.

From 1999 a major focus was on re-establishing a good relationship between ‘County’ and Stockport Ladies with the ultimate aim of bringing the two clubs back together to form one of the biggest Girls’ and Women’s clubs in the country. For the start of season 2000/2001 the junior section of Stockport Ladies was incorporated into the Stockport County set-up and at the end of the season the final link was made with the amalgamation of the two clubs under the umbrella of Stockport County Ladies FC.

In 2002 the club was voted Greater Manchester Sports, Club of the Year. In 2003, the 1st team were promoted from the Northern Combination Women's Football League to the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division, where they enjoyed 5 seasons before relegation back to the Northern Women's Combination League at the end of the 2007/2008 season.

For season 2013/2014, the club has 12 teams: 4 open-age - 1st, Reserves - North West Women's Regional Football League, Blues and HNR (both play in Cheshire Women's & Youth League), a Youth team (U18) who also play in the Cheshire Women's & Youth League, 6 junior teams; U10, U11, U12, U14, U14 Blues and U16 who all compete in the South Manchester Girls League, with an U15 team in the West Lancs Girls League.

All training takes place at Life Leisure's flagship facility in Woodley; Stockport Sports Village, which has undergone an £8M refurbishment, concluding in September 2012. This is also the home venue for 9 of the club's 12 teams.

Famous past players include Andrea Worrall who played in a friendly for England before switching allegiance to become Wales first-choice goalkeeper, and Lynda Shepherd who was a County player whilst representing England U21, although recently played for Northern Ireland at full international level.