Charlton Athletic L.F.C.
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| Full name | Charlton Athletic Women's Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Addicks | ||
| Founded | 2000 (from Croydon W.F.C.) | ||
| Ground | Thamesmead Town F.C. | ||
| Capacity | 400 | ||
| Manager |
 Paul McDonagh | ||
| League | FA Women's Premier League National Division | ||
| 2011–12 | 5th, FA Women's Premier League National Division | ||
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Charlton Athletic Women's Football Club (CAWFC) play in the FA Women's Premier League National Division in England.
Between 2000, the year it was founded from Croydon Women's F.C. and 2007, Charlton had one of the most successful women's teams in England. After the parent club's relegation from the Premier League, the women's set up was controversially disbanded in the summer of 2007, causing almost all of the senior squad to depart, although later on a rescue sponsorship package was formed allowing the women's set up to continue. In September 2010 the team secured a two-year shirt sponsorship deal with safety, health and environmental consultancy firm PHSC plc.
History
Early days
The team who eventually became Charlton Athletic was formed in 1991 by disaffected members of Millwall Lionesses' WFA Cup winning squad.[1] They were initially led by Richard Hall with the support of Dan "Le Phyz" Kane. Following a swift rise through the divisions, the club won promotion into the National Premier League as Bromley Borough in 1994, with a team including Hope Powell and Brenda Sempare.[2]
Croydon
The club entered the top-flight as Croydon, having tied up with Croydon FC. Debbie Bampton was appointed player-manager[3] in the 1994 close season. She built a strong team which supplied six of England's squad for the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup including Kerry Davis as well as Bampton, Powell and Sempare. After securing a fourth-placed finish in 1994-95,[4] in 1995–96 Bampton led the team to a domestic double. After losing both domestic Cup finals to Arsenal Ladies in 1998, the club recaptured the League title in 1999. Another League and FA Women's Cup double followed in 2000.[5]
Takeover
At Croydon's AGM in June 2000, the club's players controversially voted to accept a hostile takeover from Charlton Athletic.[6] Bampton resigned as manager, as both the club's committee and the FA declared affiliation with the men's Premier League club to be against the rules. The Croydon F.C. chairman, Ken Jarvie, also attempted to block the move[7] which was eventually sanctioned.[8]
Charlton Athletic
The club's first silverware under the new name came in the same year when the Charity Shield was shared with Arsenal, after the match resulted in a draw. Charlton reached the FA Cup final in 2003 but lost 3–0 to Fulham. In the following season (2003–04) Charlton finished runners-up in the Premier League, just one point behind winners Arsenal, and again reached the F.A. Cup final which they lost to Arsenal. The season did bring success to the club, though, with a victory over Fulham in the final of the League Cup. In 2004–05, Charlton won both the Charity Shield (beating Arsenal) and the FA Cup (beating Everton) and once more finished runners up in the league to Arsenal. In 2005-06, Charlton regained the League Cup, beating Arsenal in the Final. However, in this season, and also the 2006–07 season, Charlton finished third in the league, meaning the club missed the opportunity to participate in the UEFA Cup. In May 2007, Charlton were again runners up in the FA Cup, losing to Arsenal in the final. During these successful years under manager Keith Boanas and assistant Matt Beard, the team included several current and former England internationals, notably club captain Casey Stoney, goalkeeper Pauline Cope, Joanne Broadhurst, Eniola Aluko and Katie Chapman. Aluko and Chapman went on to play professionally in the United States.
Controversial disbandment
The same day as the 2007 FA Cup final, Charlton Athletic's men's team was relegated from the Premier League. It became evident that, in order to ensure the club's financial survival, a number of budget cuts would have to be enacted. On 23 June 2007 it was announced that Charlton's women's set up would form part of this.[9] This decision was criticised by, among others, several of the club's players at the time, including Casey Stoney[9] and Danielle Murphy.[10] Charlton's chief executive, Peter Varney, defended the decision and pointed to the lack of exposure in the media and lack of funding given to the women's game from the Football Association as reasons for undertaking the decision.[11]
Resurrection
On 22 August 2007, it was announced sponsorship had been secured by Charlton for the women's set up, allowing a senior side to continue to compete under Charlton's name.[12] The women's team, now controlled by the Charlton Community Trust, the organisation which operates Charlton's community programmes, appointed former Charlton player Paul Mortimer as the women's team's new coach. However, due to the exodus of players after the original closure announcement, only two players from the previous squad remained by the time the club's rescue was in place although a few more returned as the season progressed. The reconstituted team finished bottom of the National Division of the FA Women's Premier League at the end of the 2007–08 season, thereby relegating them to the League's Southern Division. The team stabilised at this level and a reserve team was successfully re-established, twice winning the Kent Women's Cup in 2008-09 and 2010-11. The first team were promoted back to the National Division at the end of the 2010-11 season as Southern Division champions.
Current squad
Players used in 2011–12
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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