London City Lionesses
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Full name | London City Lionesses Football Club | ||
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Founded | 13 May 2019 | ||
Ground | Hayes Lane, Bromley | ||
Capacity | 5,150 | ||
Owner | Michele Kang | ||
Head coach | Jocelyn Prêcheur | ||
League | Women's Championship | ||
2023–24 | Women's Championship, 8th of 12 | ||
Website | Club website | ||
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London City Lionesses is a professional women's association football club based in Hayes, Bromley, England.[1] The team competes in the Women's Championship, the second tier of English women's football. The club was founded in May 2019, as an independent breakaway club from Millwall Lionesses.[2][3]
History
[edit]On 13 May 2019, a statement was released by Millwall F.C. announcing that the board of directors and senior management at the team's official women's affiliate, Millwall Lionesses, had declared their intentions to split from the club, becoming an independent entity and operating under a new name.[4][5] The breakaway was already agreed in principle by the FA.[6] The transfer of Millwall's Championship licence was officially approved by the FA on 29 June 2019.[7] The newly-independent club's operations were funded from 2019 by blockchain entrepreneur Anthony Culligan and his wife Diane, with Diane Culligan serving as chairwoman and running the club's operations.[1][8]
The start of the 2022-23 season saw considerable optimism from club management after England's triumph in the 2022 Euros drove an increase in club season-ticket sales.[9] The Lionesses hit challenges later that season, however, with their manager Melissa Phillips resigning in January 2023 to take an assistant manager role with Angel City FC, despite the club sitting in first place.[10][11] In June 2023, all 20 of the club's players sent a collective message to owner Diane Culligan asking her to sell the club or raise additional investment, citing financial instability, a lack of players signed for the upcoming season and the lack of a permanent manager.[12] On 15 December 2023, the Culligans sold the club to entrepreneur and Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang for an undisclosed price.[13]
Players
[edit]Current squad
[edit]- As of 9 August 2024.[14]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Former players
[edit]Club staff
[edit]- As of 26 June 2024.[15]
Position | Staff |
---|---|
Director of football | ![]() |
Manager | ![]() |
Goalkeeper coach | ![]() |
Managerial history
[edit]Information correct as of 27 June 2024. Only competitive matches are counted.
Name | Nationality | From | To | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Win%[nb 1] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chris Phillips | ![]() |
13 May 2019 | 15 October 2019 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 16 | 57.14 | [16] |
John Bayer (interim) | ![]() |
15 October 2019 | 27 May 2020 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 27 | 28.57 | [16] |
Lisa Fallon | ![]() |
27 May 2020 | 9 October 2020 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 0.00 | [17][18] |
Melissa Phillips | ![]() |
9 October 2020 | 24 January 2023 | 61 | 31 | 12 | 18 | 92 | 65 | 50.82 | [19][20] |
Nikita Runnacles (interim) | ![]() |
24 January 2023 | 4 July 2023 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 24 | 18 | 58.33 | [20] |
Carolina Morace | ![]() |
4 July 2023 | 7 February 2024 | 20 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 29 | 28 | 35.00 | [21][22] |
Darren Smith (interim) | ![]() |
7 February 2024 | 2 March 2024 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 0.00 | [22] |
Remi Allen | ![]() |
2 March 2024 | 9 May 2024 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 66.67 | [23][24] |
Jocelyn Prêcheur | ![]() |
27 June 2024 | present | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | [25] |
- ^ Win% is rounded to two decimal places
Seasons
[edit]Season | Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | FA Cup | League Cup | Name | Goals |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
League | Top goalscorer[nb 1] | ||||||||||||
2019–20 | Championship | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 4th | R4 | GS | Elizabeta Ejupi | 4 |
2020–21 | Championship | 20 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 19 | 19 | 24 | 6th | R4 | GS | Atlanta Primus | 4 |
2021–22 | Championship | 22 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 35 | 22 | 41 | 2nd | R4 | GS | Karin Muya Amy Rodgers |
7 |
2022–23 | Championship | 22 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 49 | 20 | 45 | 3rd | R4 | GS | Sarah Ewens | 14 |
2023–24 | Championship | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 26 | 36 | 25 | 8th | R5 | QF | Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah | 8 |
- ^ Goals in all competitions (Championship, FA Cup and League Cup are counted.)
References
[edit]- ^ a b Wrack, Suzanne (18 August 2019). "'Equality has to be more than words': London City Lionesses go it alone". The Guardian.
- ^ "London City Lionesses: Millwall Supporters Club "saddened" by women's team breakaway". BBC News. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- ^ "London City Lionesses: Can a women's team thrive independently?". BBC Sport. 19 September 2019.
- ^ "Club Statement: Millwall Lionesses". www.millwallfc.co.uk.
- ^ McElwee, Molly (13 May 2019). "Millwall women's team to split from club and form new London City Lionesses outfit". The Telegraph.
- ^ "London City Lionesses: FA Women's Football board approve Millwall switch". BBC News. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- ^ "London City Lionesses". womenscompetitions.thefa.com.
- ^ "The New Lionesses". FC Business. 8 January 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ Staunton, Peter (19 August 2022). "Meet the three-year old London football club ready to write more Lionesses history". Football London. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ "Melissa Phillips: London City Lionesses manager leaves Women's Championship leaders". BBC Sport. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ Lacey-Hatton, Jack (24 January 2023). "Women's Championship league leaders lose manager to club owned by Hollywood A-listers". The Mirror. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ Schoninger, Charlie (29 June 2023). "London City Lionesses ask owner to sell: No manager and only four players under contract". The Independent. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ "Washington Spirit owner Kang buys London City Lionesses". ESPN. ESPN News Services. 20 November 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "First Team Squad". Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ https://www.londoncitylionesses.com/club-staff-members [bare URL]
- ^ a b "London City Lionesses sack manager Chris Phillips". 15 October 2019. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ "Lisa Fallon and Melissa Phillips announced as new London City Lionesses coaching team". London City Lionesses. 27 May 2020.
- ^ "Lisa Fallon: London City Lionesses head coach steps down for family reasons". BBC Sport. 9 October 2020.
- ^ "Phillips named London City head coach". BBC Sport.
- ^ a b "Melissa Phillips departs as London City Lionesses head coach". London City Lionesses. 24 January 2023.
- ^ "Italian legend Morace appointed head coach of London City Lionesses". FAWSL Full-Time. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ a b "London City Lionesses part company with Carolina Morace & Nicola Williams". London City Lionesses. 7 February 2024.
- ^ "London City Lionesses appoint Remi Allen as First Team Head Coach". London City Lionesses. 2 March 2024.
- ^ "Remi Allen departs". London City Lionesses. 9 May 2024.
- ^ "Jocelyn Prêcheur agrees to become London City Lionesses Head Coach". London City Lionesses. 27 June 2024.