2016 FA WSL

Sixth season of the top English women's association football league

Football league season

FA WSL
Season	2016
Champions	Manchester City
← 2015 Spring Series →

The 2016 FA WSL was the sixth edition of the FA WSL since it was formed in 2010. The WSL 1 was expanded to nine teams. The WSL 2 included one team promoted from the FA Women's Premier League for the first time. The season started on 23 March and Chelsea were the defending WSL 1 champions.

Manchester City won their first ever WSL 1 championship on 25 September 2016 with a 2–0 win over Chelsea.^[1]^[2]

Teams

WSL 1

Doncaster Rovers Belles

Reading

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Locations of the 2016 Super League teams

Team	Location	Ground	Capacity	2015 season
Arsenal	Borehamwood	Meadow Park	4,502	3rd
Birmingham City	Solihull	Damson Park	3,050	6th
Chelsea	Staines	Wheatsheaf Park	3,009	1st
Doncaster Rovers Belles	Doncaster	Keepmoat Stadium	15,231	2nd, WSL 2
Liverpool	Widnes	Halton Stadium	13,350	7th
Manchester City	Manchester	Academy Stadium	7,000	2nd
Notts County	Nottingham	Meadow Lane	20,229	5th
Reading	High Wycombe	Adams Park	10,000	1st, WSL 2
Sunderland	Hetton-le-Hole	Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground	2,500	4th

WSL 2

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Locations of the 2016 WSL 2 teams

Bristol Academy was renamed Bristol City before the season.^[3]

Team	Location	Ground	Capacity	2015 season
Aston Villa	Sutton Coldfield	Central Ground, Coles Lane	2,000	5th
Bristol City	Filton	Stoke Gifford Stadium	1,500	8th, WSL 1
Durham	Durham	New Ferens Park	3,000	7th
Everton	Widnes	Halton Stadium	13,350	3rd
London Bees	Canons Park	The Hive Stadium	5,176	8th
Millwall Lionesses	London	The Den	20,146	9th
Oxford United	Abingdon	Northcourt Road	2,000	6th
Sheffield	Dronfield	Coach and Horses	2,000	1st, WPL
Watford	Berkhamsted	Broadwater	2,000	10th
Yeovil Town	Yeovil	Huish Park	9,565	4th

WSL 1

Football league season

FA WSL 1
Season	2016
Champions	Manchester City
Relegated	Doncaster Rovers Belles
Matches played	72
Goals scored	212 (2.94 per match)
Top goalscorer	Eniola Aluko (9 goals)
Biggest home win	Manchester City 6–0 Doncaster Rovers Belles (2 May 2016)
Biggest away win	Sunderland 0–5 Chelsea (30 June 2016)
Highest scoring	Chelsea 6–3 Liverpool (8 May 2016)
Highest attendance	4,096 Manchester City 2–0 Chelsea (25 September 2016)
Average attendance	1,128^[4]
← 2015 Spring Series →

Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Manchester City (C)	16	13	3	0	36	4	+32	42	Qualification for the Champions League
2	Chelsea	16	12	1	3	42	17	+25	37	Qualification for the Champions League
3	Arsenal	16	10	2	4	33	14	+19	32
4	Birmingham City	16	7	6	3	18	13	+5	27
5	Liverpool	16	7	4	5	27	23	+4	25
6	Notts County	16	4	4	8	16	26	−10	16	Club folded after end of season
7	Sunderland	16	2	4	10	17	41	−24	10
8	Reading	16	1	6	9	15	26	−11	9
9	Doncaster Rovers	16	1	0	15	8	48	−40	3	Relegation to FA WSL 2

Source: FA WSL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions

Results

Home \ Away	ARS	BIR	CHE	DON	LIV	MCI	NTC	REA	SUN
Arsenal		0–0	0–2	2–0	1–2	0–1	2–0	3–1	5–1
Birmingham City	0–0		0–4	2–1	2–1	0–2	1–0	0–0	1–0
Chelsea	1–2	1–1		4–0	6–3	0–2	2–1	3–2	2–1
Doncaster Rovers Belles	0–5	0–1	1–4		1–3	0–4	1–2	1–4	1–4
Liverpool	3–5	1–0	1–2	1–0		0–0	0–0	2–0	2–2
Manchester City	2–0	1–1	2–0	6–0	1–1		1–0	2–0	3–0
Notts County	0–2	0–1	1–3	2–1	3–2	1–5		2–2	2–1
Reading	1–2	1–1	0–3	0–1	0–1	1–2	1–1		1–1
Sunderland	0–4	1–7	0–5	4–0	0–4	0–2	1–1	1–1

Updated to match(es) played on 30 October 2016. Source: FA WSL
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top goalscorers

As of 16 January 2017. ^[5]^[6]

Rank	Player	Team	Goals
1	Eniola Aluko	Chelsea	9
2	Jane Ross	Manchester City	8
3	Caroline Weir	Liverpool	7
4	Danielle Carter	Arsenal	6
5	Fran Kirby	Chelsea	5
	Beth Mead	Sunderland
	Katie Chapman	Chelsea
	Toni Duggan	Manchester City
	Jessica Clarke	Notts County
	Ji So-yun	Chelsea

WSL 2

Football league season

FA WSL 2
Season	2016
Champions	Yeovil Town
Promoted	Bristol City Yeovil Town
Matches played	90
Goals scored	279 (3.1 per match)
Top goalscorer	Iniabasi Umotong & Jo Wilson (13 goals)
Biggest home win	Yeovil Town 5–0 Watford (1 May 2016)
Biggest away win	Watford 0–5 London Bees (16 May 2016)
Highest scoring	Oxford United 3–5 Millwall Lionesses (24 March 2016)
← 2015 Spring Series →

Bristol Academy were relegated from the WSL 1 last season and renamed Bristol City, while Sheffield became the first team to be promoted to the WSL 2 from the FA Women's Premier League.

Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion
1	Yeovil Town (C)	18	12	3	3	41	16	+25	39	Promotion to FA WSL 1
2	Bristol City	18	12	3	3	37	16	+21	39	Promotion to FA WSL 1
3	Everton	18	10	4	4	35	18	+17	34
4	Durham	18	10	3	5	30	19	+11	33
5	Sheffield	18	7	5	6	25	18	+7	26
6	Aston Villa	18	7	3	8	26	27	−1	24
7	London Bees	18	6	4	8	28	39	−11	22
8	Millwall Lionesses	18	3	7	8	24	31	−7	16
9	Oxford United	18	4	1	13	20	42	−22	13
10	Watford	18	2	1	15	13	53	−40	7

Source: FA WSL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions

Results

Home \ Away	AST	BRI	DUR	EVE	LON	MIL	OXF	SHE	WAT	YEO
Aston Villa		2–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	3–1	2–1	1–2	4–0	0–2
Bristol City	2–0		1–0	0–1	3–0	2–1	4–1	0–0	4–1	3–2
Durham	3–0	0–0		1–3	2–0	2–1	2–1	1–0	3–0	0–2
Everton	2–1	2–3	1–1		5–1	1–1	3–0	1–1	3–0	3–0
London Bees	2–1	0–3	2–2	3–4		2–1	3–1	0–5	2–2	0–2
Millwall Lionesses	2–2	1–2	0–1	2–2	1–1		0–3	1–1	2–1	0–4
Oxford United	0–1	0–5	1–5	0–1	4–2	3–5		1–0	2–0	2–2
Sheffield	1–2	3–1	0–1	1–0	0–1	2–2	2–1		3–0	1–1
Watford	0–2	0–2	1–6	2–1	0–5	1–2	3–2	1–3		1–2
Yeovil Town	4–2	2–0	4–0	1–0	2–3	1–1	2–0	3–0	5–0

Updated to match(es) played on 16 January 2017. Source: FA WSL
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

The match Millwall Lionesses vs Oxford United was initially postponed because Millwall's stadium, The Den, was being used for a men's game. The FA WSL Management Committee then decided to award the match to Oxford United.^[7]

Top goalscorers

Rank	Player	Team	Goals
1	Iniabasi Umotong	Oxford United	13
1	Jo Wilson	London Bees	13
3	Sarah Wiltshire	Yeovil Town	11
4	Claire Emslie	Bristol City	10
5	Millie Farrow	Bristol City	9
	Beth Hepple	Durham
	Bethan Merrick	Aston Villa
8	Ann-Marie Heatherson	Yeovil Town	7
8	Jodie Michalska	Sheffield	7
10	Claudia Walker	Everton	6
	Katie Wilkinson	Aston Villa
	Ashlee Hincks	Millwall Lionesses

WSL Cup

The FA WSL Cup format was changed to a true knock-out tournament.^[8] With 19 teams, the bottom six teams play a preliminary round. The round of 16 following that is seeded, so that WSL 1 teams meet WSL 2 teams, who have home advantage.^[9]

Preliminary round

Team 1	Score	Team 2
8 May 2016
Sheffield	3–1	Durham
Oxford United	1–0	Millwall Lionesses
Watford	0–2	London Bees

8 May 2016

Sheffield	3–1	Durham
Johnson 29' Flanagan 85' Dale 88'		Lee 85'

Home of Football, Sheffield

8 May 2016

Oxford United	1–0	Millwall Lionesses
Timms 79'	Report

Northcourt Road, Abingdon

Attendance: 405

8 May 2016

Watford	0–2	London Bees
		Goddard 45' Watts 48'

Broadwater, Berkhamsted

First round

Team 1	Score	Team 2
2 July 2016
Aston Villa	0–8	Manchester City
Everton	0–1	Liverpool
Reading	1–3	Arsenal
London Bees	3–3 (4–2 p)	Chelsea
Sheffield	2–0	Bristol City
3 July 2016
Doncaster Rovers Belles	2–1	Sunderland
Oxford United	0–2	Birmingham City
Yeovil Town	1–3	Notts County

2 July 2016

Aston Villa	0–8	Manchester City
	Report	Parris 9', 18', 59' Ross 17', 90' Middag 32' Corboz 79' Scott 90'

Central Ground, Sutton Coldfield

Attendance: 492

Referee: Sarah Garrett

2 July 2016

Everton	0–1	Liverpool
		Lundh 45'

Select Security Stadium, Widnes

2 July 2016

Reading	1–3	Arsenal
Follis 66'		Losada 47' Williams 50', 64' (pen.)

The Hive Stadium, Canons Park

2 July 2016

London Bees	3–3 (a.e.t.)	Chelsea
Flaherty 58' (o.g.) Wilson 80' Cooper 114'		England 8', 95' Bright 90+2'
Penalties
Will	4–2

The Hive Stadium, Canons Park

2 July 2016

Sheffield	2–0	Bristol City
Michalska 58' Flanagan 81'

Home of Football Stadium, Sheffield

3 July 2016

Doncaster Rovers Belles	2–1	Sunderland
Little 22' Cresswell	Report	Ramshaw 62'

Home of Football Stadium, Sheffield

Attendance: 188

Referee: Jane Simms

3 July 2016

Oxford United	0–2	Birmingham City
	Report	Hegerberg pen.' Lawley

Northcourt Stadium, Abingdon

Attendance: 454

3 July 2016

Yeovil Town	1–3	Notts County
Lawrence 75'		White 2', 23' Whelan 65'

Raleigh Grove, Sherborne

Second round

Team 1	Score	Team 2
5 August 2016
Arsenal	3–2	Notts County
7 August 2016
Birmingham City	1–0 (a.e.t.)	Liverpool
Manchester City	4–1	Doncaster Rovers Belles
Sheffield	0–2	London Bees

5 August 2016

Arsenal	3–2	Notts County
Stoney 9' Smith 82' Williams 90' (pen.)	Report	Whelan 40' Clarke 52'

The Hive, Canons Park

7 August 2016

Birmingham City	1–0 (a.e.t.)	Liverpool
Haines 120+1'

Damson Park, Solihull

7 August 2016

14:00 BST

Manchester City	4–1	Doncaster Rovers Belles
Christiansen 38' Stanway 76' Duggan 82' Ross 88'	Report	Mathews 80'

Academy Stadium, Manchester

Attendance: 1,153

Referee: Anthony Backhouse

7 August 2016

Sheffield	0–2	London Bees
		Goddard 63' Clarke 90'

Home of Football, Sheffield

Semi-finals

Played on 3 and 4 September 2016.

Team 1	Score	Team 2
London Bees	0–4	Birmingham City
Manchester City	1–0	Arsenal

3 September 2016

London Bees	0–4	Birmingham City
		Linnett 26' Harrop 53' Wellings 84' Davies 90' (o.g.)

The Hive, Canons Park

4 September 2016

Manchester City	1–0	Arsenal
Beattie 79'	Report

Academy Stadium, Manchester

Attendance: 1,643

Final

Played on 2 October 2016. Manchester City won their second cup after 2014 and completed the double.^[10]

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Manchester City	1–0 (a.e.t.)	Birmingham City

2 October 2016 (2016-10-02)

Manchester City	1–0 (a.e.t.)	Birmingham City
Bronze 104'	Report

Academy Stadium, Manchester

Attendance: 4,214

Referee: Rebecca Welch

References

^ Leighton, Tony. "Manchester City seal Women's Super League title with a 2-0 win over Chelsea". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
^ "Man City Women are champions!". Manchester City W.F.C. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
^ Posted 11 December 2015, 12:52 in (11 December 2015). "Bristol Name Change Approved". She Kicks. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ "Year-on-year growth in Women's Super League attendances". thefa.com. 7 November 2016.
^ "Topscorers". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
^ "PLAYER STATS". Retrieved 28 March 2016.
^ United awarded win over Millwall
^ "FA WSL Continental Cup is knockout!". shekicks.net. 10 December 2015. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
^ Posted 29 March 2016, 07:30 in (29 March 2016). "Continental Tyres Cup Draw". She Kicks. Archived from the original on 11 April 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ "Women's Continental Cup final: Manchester City 1-0 Birmingham City (aet)". BBC. 2 October 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.

External links

Official website
WSL Season at soccerway.com
WSL 2 Season at soccerway.com
League Cup at soccerway.com

Women's Super League and Women's Championship

Seasons

Women's Super League	2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Spring Series 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24
Championship	2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24

Clubs

2023–24 Women's Super League	Arsenal Aston Villa Brighton & Hove Albion Bristol City Chelsea Everton Leicester City Liverpool Manchester City Manchester United Tottenham Hotspur West Ham United
2023–24 Championship	Birmingham City Blackburn Rovers Charlton Athletic Crystal Palace Durham Lewes London City Lionesses Reading Sheffield United Southampton Sunderland Watford

Competition

WSL	Clubs Records and statistics Hat-tricks Managers Foreign players English women's champions

Awards

Associated
competitions

Categories: WSL/Championship
Portal

2016–17 in English women's football

« 2015–16

2017–18 »

League
competitions

Level 1	FA WSL 1 ('16, Spring Series)
Level 2	FA WSL 2 ('16, Spring Series)
Level 3	FA Women's Premier League (North, South)
Level 4	FA Women's Premier League Division One (Midlands, North, South East, South West)

Cup competitions

Club seasons
FA WSL	Arsenal 16' 17' Birmingham City Chelsea Durham Liverpool Manchester City 16' 17' Reading Yeovil Town

2015–16 in English women's football

« 2014–15

2016–17 »

National teams

Senior (UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying round)
U19 (UEFA Women's U19 Euro 2016 qualifying round)
U19 (UEFA Women's U17 Euro 2016 qualifying round)

League
competitions

Level 1	FA WSL 1 (15', 16')
Level 2	FA WSL 2 (15', 16')
Level 3	FA Women's Premier League (North, South)
Level 4	FA Women's Premier League Division One (Midlands, North, South East, South West)

Cup competitions

Club seasons
Arsenal 15' 16' Doncaster Rovers Belles 15' 16' Manchester City 15' 16'

v t e 2016–17 in European women's football (UEFA)
Domestic leagues	Austria Croatia Czech Republic Denmark England '16, Spring Series Estonia '16, '17 Faroe Islands '16, '17 France Germany Gibraltar Hungary Iceland '16 '17 Israel Italy Moldova Netherlands Norway '16 '17 Portugal Republic of Ireland '16 '17 Romania Russia '16 '17 Scotland '16 '17 Spain Sweden '16 '17 Turkey Wales
Domestic cups	England Germany Iceland '16 '17 Israel Moldova Poland Romania Scotland '16 '17 Spain Sweden
League cups	England '16 Scotland '16 '17
UEFA competitions	Women's Champions League qualifying round knockout phase Final
International competitions	2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup 2016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2017 Women's Euro qualification 2017 Women's Euro Under-19 qualification 2017 Women's Euro Under-17 qualification

v t e 2015–16 in European women's football (UEFA)
Domestic leagues	Albania Andorra Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belarus '15 '16 Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark England '15 '16 Estonia '15 '16 Faroe Islands '15 '16 Finland '15 '16 France Georgia '15 '16 Germany Gibraltar Greece Hungary Iceland '15 '16 Israel Italy Kazakhstan '15 '16 Latvia '15 '16 Lithuania '15 '16 Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Montenegro Netherlands Northern Ireland '15 '16 Norway '15 '16 Poland Portugal Republic of Ireland Romania Russia '15 '16 San Marino Scotland '15 '16 Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden '15 '16 Switzerland '15 '16 Turkey Ukraine '15 '16 Wales
Domestic cups	Albania Andorra Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belarus '15 '16 Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark England Estonia '15 '16 Faroe Islands '15 '16 Finland '15 '16 France Georgia Germany Gibraltar Greece Hungary Iceland '15 '16 Israel Italy Kazakhstan '15 '16 Latvia '14 '15 Lithuania '15 '16 Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Montenegro Netherlands Northern Ireland '15 '16 Norway '15 '16 Poland Portugal Republic of Ireland '15 '16 Romania Russia '15 '16 San Marino Scotland '15 '16 Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine Wales
League cups	England '15 '16 Scotland '15 '16
UEFA competitions	Women's Champions League qualifying round knockout phase Final
International competitions	UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualification 2016 Women's Euro Under-19 qualification 2016 Women's Euro Under-17 qualification