Fulham L.F.C.
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| Full name | Fulham Women Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Cottagers[1], The Whites, The Friends | ||
| Founded | 1993, (dissolved May 16, 2006) re-established 2006 |
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| Ground | The Gore, Burnham (Capacity: 2,500) |
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| Chairman | Geoff Bourne | ||
| Manager | Mark Saunderson | ||
| League | FA Women's Premier League Southern Division | ||
| 2008-09 | 12th, relegated from FA Women's Premier League National Division | ||
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Fulham WFC, also known as Fulham LFC, is a Ladies Football Club (LFC) formerly associated with Fulham Football Club. The team were dissolved as of May 16, 2006, but was later re-established with independence from Fulham F.C.
Fulham were the first European Ladies' football team to turn professional in April 2000[2], and were closely followed by Arsenal L.F.C. thereafter. Club Chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed reversed this decision in 2003, however, reverting the club to semi-professional status. Fulham Ladies now also play their home games at The Gore, Burnham
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[edit] History
Fulham L.F.C. are seen as a successor club to Friends of Fulham, once winners of the FA Women's Cup (1985) and twice runners-up (1989,1990). After subsequently moving to become what is now AFC Wimbledon Ladies, there was a need for Fulham F.C. to re-establish a women's team, with ladies football becoming very popular by the early 1990's. Fulham L.F.C.'s debut came in 1993 in the Greater London Division, and quickly rose to the heights of the FA Women's National Premier League, via the Greater London Premier Division, the South East Combination League and the Southern Premier League, corresponding with the success of also the men's professional club. After becoming professional themselves in 2000, a huge investment paid dividence in their first reached the FA Women's Cup final in 2001. with star players like Rachel Yankey, Katie Chapman and Hope Powell.
In the 2001/02 season, where they won promotion to the Premiership, they also won the London County Cup, the Premier League Cup and the FA Women's Cup, scoring 342 goals in an amazing season, conceding just 15. This was their first full season as a Professional team and finished strongly in the UEFA Women's Cup.
They won the treble of FA Cup, League Cup and Premier League in 2002/03, scoring 68 goals and conceding just 13. They were the only English team to compete in the UEFA Women's Cup in 2003, and they came 2nd in the Premier League.
During the 2005–2006 season, having lost most of their squad to a variety of factors (such as the choice to revert to semi-professional status), they struggled in the league, finishing eighth.
On May 16, 2006, Fulham announced that they were withdrawing the team from the Women's Premiership and discontinuing the team altogether. The decision to dissolve the team was made on financial grounds, with Fulham officially laying the blame on a poor media coverage and poor league attendance. Fulham F.C. did announce plans to continue its Girls Development Centre, but clearly stated they would not be fielding any further league teams in the foreseeable future.[3]
Following the withdrawal of the funding of the Ladies, Fulham Football Club agreed to allow club officers, parents and players to take over the reins in order that the team could continue playing at the highest level of women's football - the Women's Premier League. The same fate had befallen several other ladies teams in recent years. As there is now no connection with Fulham FC, it was decided to alter the club's name to Fulham WFC and then WFC Fulham, in order to make this separation clear.
The new committee was presented with a number of difficult problems to solve. Fortunately, with much hard work, these were overcome and in a very short space of time, the new committee moved mountains and obtained the following:
- Funding via generous donations and sponsorships;
- FA and Surrey County FA affiliations;
- A home ground at Burnham FC;
- A back-up ground at Marlow FC;
- A reserve team pitch at Burnham Grammar School;
- Training facilities at the Kingsmeadow Athletics Stadium, Kingston;
- A fully staffed management team of first and reserve team coaches and physiotherapists, a director of football and a fitness coach (with the availability of a performance analyst, nutritionist and sports psychologist if required);
- A squad of 40 players for the two teams;
- Mini-bus transport for first team and reserve away games;
- Playing, match day and training kits and equipment;
- A programme for all home games;
- A club website at www.fulhamwfc.com
Season 2006 -2007 saw the club survive albeit with the expected relegation of the first team from the National Division but with the bonus of a county cup final appearance. With the confirmation of a first class 'footballing package' for season 2007-2008 (see above), the committee was hopeful that the coming seasons would not only be one of consolidation but also of success on the pitch for both teams. [4]
In 2008-09, WFC Fulham finished 12th and were relegated from the Premiership.
[edit] 2009/10 Squad
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[edit] Honours
- FA Women's Premier League National Division
- Champions: 2002/3
- FA Women's Cup
- Winners: 2002, 2003
- Runners-up: 2001
- Winners: 2002, 2003
- FA Women's Premier League Cup
- Winners: 2002, 2003
- Runners-up: 2004
- Winners: 2002, 2003
- London County Cup
- Winners:2002/3
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ This is in reference to the stadium of the men's stadium, Craven Cottage, athlough there is no longer any formal link between Fulham L.F.C and Craven Cottage.
- ^ From BBC news
- ^ From FulhamFC.com
- ^ From http://www.fulhamwomenfc.fusiveweb.co.uk/Club/AboutFulhamWomenFC/tabid/252569/Default.aspx
[edit] External links
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