2021–22 Birmingham City W.F.C. season

The 2021–22 Birmingham City W.F.C. season was the club's 54th season in existence and their 11th in the FA Women's Super League, the highest level of the football pyramid, having been founding members of the league in 2011. Along with competing in the WSL, the club also contested two domestic cup competitions: the FA Cup and the League Cup.

Birmingham City
2021–22 season
Head CoachScott Booth
(until 18 November)
Tony Elliott
(interim, 18 November – 21 November)
Darren Carter
(interim, from 21 November)
StadiumSt Andrew's, Birmingham
FA WSL12th (relegated)
FA CupQuarter-final
League CupGroup stage
Top goalscorerLeague:
Louise Quinn
(5 goals)

All:
Louise Quinn
(6 goals)
Highest home attendance1,429
(vs. Chelsea, 1 May)
Lowest home attendance298
(vs. Reading, 7 November)
Average home league attendance732
2022–23 →

Ahead of the 2021–22 season the team moved from Damson Park, where they had been based since 2014, to St Andrew's, the club's main stadium.[1]

Manager Carla Ward resigned at the end of the previous campaign after only one season in charge having kept the team up with an 11th-place finish.[2] Ward was replaced by Scott Booth who ended a six-year spell as manager of Glasgow City to take the role.[3] Having only picked up one point from the opening seven league games and losing both League Cup games, Booth was sacked on 18 November 2021 after five months in charge.[4] Tony Elliott took caretaker control for the WSL game against Chelsea on 21 November before Darren Carter was appointed interim manager later that day having left a coaching role at West Bromwich Albion to take the job.[5]

On 4 May 2022, Birmingham City were relegated following a 6–0 defeat away at Manchester City with one game remaining. Members of the WSL since it was founded in 2011, it ended Birmingham's 20-year stint as a top-flight club having last been promoted as 2001–02 FA Women's Premier League Northern Division champions.[6]

Squad

edit
As of 31 March 2022[7]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   IRL Marie Hourihan
2 DF   DEN Cecilie Sandvej
3 DF   IRL Harriet Scott
4 FW   IRL Lucy Quinn
6 DF   ENG Lily Simkin
7 FW   GRE Veatriki Sarri
8 MF   SCO Lisa Robertson (on loan from Celtic)
9 FW   SCO Sarah Ewens
10 MF   SCO Christie Murray
11 FW   ENG Jade Pennock
12 FW   ENG Libby Smith
14 MF   IRL Jamie Finn
17 DF   IRL Louise Quinn (captain)
19 FW   ENG Lucy Whipp
No. Pos. Nation Player
21 GK   ENG Emily Ramsey (on loan from Manchester United)
22 FW   IRL Eleanor Ryan-Doyle
23 FW   IRL Emily Whelan
26 DF   ENG Arabella Suttie
27 MF   ENG Abbi Jenner
28 DF   ENG Lucy Hepburn
29 GK   ENG Lucy Jones
30 DF   ENG Gemma Lawley
31 FW   ENG Angelina Nixon
32 MF   ENG Abi Cowie
34 MF   WAL Sophie Phillips
36 FW   ENG Louanne Worsey
37 DF   WAL Taylor Reynolds
40 FW   ENG Delphi Cole

Preseason

edit
15 August 2021 Friendly Birmingham City Coventry United Kings Norton
Stadium: Wast Hills Training Ground
Attendance: Behind-closed-doors
Note: No official scoreline released
22 August 2021 Friendly Birmingham City 0–0 Liverpool Birmingham
14:00 Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: Behind-closed-doors
28 August 2021 Friendly Reading Birmingham City Reading
Stadium: Madejski Stadium
Attendance: Behind-closed-doors
Note: No official scoreline released

FA Women's Super League

edit

Results summary

edit
Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
22 3 2 17 15 51  −36 11 1 1 9 5 20  −15 2 1 8 10 31  −21

Last updated: 8 May 2022.
Source: FA WSL

Results by matchday

edit
Round12345678910111213141516171819202122
GroundAHAHAHHAHAHAAHHAHHAHAA
ResultLLLLDLLLLLWLLLLLLDWLLW
Position9101211111111111112111212121212121212121212
Source: [citation needed]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Results

edit
4 September 2021 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1–0 Birmingham City Tottenham
15:00
  • Graham   40'
Report
Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Attendance: 4,681
Referee: Lisa Benn
12 September 2021 2 Birmingham City 0–5 Brighton & Hove Albion Birmingham
14:00 Report
Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 525
Referee: Lucy May
25 September 2021 3 Everton 3–1 Birmingham City Liverpool
11:30
Report
Stadium: Walton Hall Park
Attendance: 605
Referee: Helen Conley
3 October 2021 4 Birmingham City 0–2 Manchester United Birmingham
18:45 Report
Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 650
Referee: Lisa Benn
10 October 2021 5 West Ham United 1–1 Birmingham City Dagenham
14:00
Report
Stadium: Victoria Road
Attendance: 1,142
Referee: Amy Fearn
7 November 2021 6 Birmingham City 0–3 Reading Birmingham
14:00
Report
Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 298
Referee: Louise Saunders
14 November 2021 7 Birmingham City 0–1 Aston Villa Birmingham
14:00
Report
Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 1,386
Referee: Kirsty Dowle
21 November 2021 8 Chelsea 5–0 Birmingham City Kingston upon Thames
14:00
Report
Stadium: Kingsmeadow
Attendance: 2,704
Referee: Elizabeth Simms
12 December 2021 9 Birmingham City 2–3 Manchester City Birmingham
14:00
Report
Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 812
Referee: Helen Conley
19 December 2021 10 Leicester City 2–0 Birmingham City Leicester
14:00
Report
Stadium: King Power Stadium
Attendance: 2,124
Referee: Lisa Benn
9 January 2022 11 Birmingham City 2–0 Arsenal Birmingham
14:00
Report
Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 532
Referee: Lucy May
15 January 2022 12 Manchester United 5–0 Birmingham City Leigh
12:00
Report Stadium: Leigh Sports Village
Attendance: 1,015
Referee: Kirsty Dowle
23 January 2022 13 Reading 3–2 Birmingham City Reading
14:00
Report
Stadium: Madejski Stadium
Attendance: 552
Referee: Lisa Benn
6 February 2022 14 Birmingham City 1–2 Leicester City Birmingham
14:00
Report
Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 810
Referee: Louise Saunders
13 February 2022 15 Birmingham City 0–2 Tottenham Hotspur Birmingham
14:00
Report
Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 487
Referee: Emily Heaslip
6 March 2022 16 Arsenal 4–2 Birmingham City Borehamwood
12:00
Report
Stadium: Meadow Park
Attendance: 1,700
Referee: Richard Massey-Ellis
13 March 2022 17 Birmingham City 0–1 West Ham United Birmingham
14:00 Report
Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 587
Referee: Louise Saunders
27 March 2022 Manchester City P–P Birmingham City Manchester
14:00 Stadium: Academy Stadium
Note: Postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak at Birmingham[8]
1 April 2022 18 Birmingham City 0–0 Everton Birmingham
19:00
Report
Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 537
Referee: Amy Fearn
23 April 2022 19 Brighton & Hove Albion 1–3 Birmingham City Crawley
14:00
Report
Stadium: Broadfield Stadium
Attendance: 1,209
Referee: Elizabeth Simms
1 May 2022 20 Birmingham City 0–1 Chelsea Birmingham
18:45
Report
Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 1,429
Referee: Emily Heaslip
4 May 2022 21 Manchester City 6–0 Birmingham City Manchester
19:00
Report Stadium: Academy Stadium
Attendance: 1,207
Referee: Kirsty Dowle
Note: Rescheduled from 27 March 2022
8 May 2022 22 Aston Villa 0–1 Birmingham City Aston
12:00
Report
Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 8,367
Referee: Rebecca Welch

League table

edit
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
8 Reading 22 7 4 11 21 40 −19 25
9 Aston Villa 22 6 3 13 13 40 −27 21
10 Everton 22 5 5 12 18 41 −23 20
11 Leicester City 22 4 1 17 14 53 −39 13
12 Birmingham City (R) 22 3 2 17 15 51 −36 11 Relegation to the Championship
Source: FA WSL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated

Women's FA Cup

edit

As a member of the first tier, Birmingham City entered the FA Cup in the fourth round proper.

30 January 2022 Fourth round Birmingham City 2–1 (a.e.t.) Sunderland Birmingham
13:00
Report
Stadium: St Andrew's
Referee: Magda Golba
27 February 2022 Fifth round Durham 0–1 Birmingham City Durham
14:00
Report
Stadium: Maiden Castle
Attendance: 593
Referee: Lucy May
20 March 2022 Quarter-final Chelsea 5–0 Birmingham City Kingston upon Thames
14:00
Report
Stadium: Kingsmeadow
Attendance: 1,869
Referee: Lucy May

FA Women's League Cup

edit

Group stage

edit
13 October 2021 Group stage Birmingham City 0–1 Brighton & Hove Albion Birmingham
19:30
Report
Stadium: St Andrew's
Referee: Lisa Benn
17 November 2021 Group stage Birmingham City 0–4 West Ham United Birmingham
19:30
Report
Stadium: St Andrew's
15 December 2021 Group stage London City Lionesses 2–2
(5–4 p)
Birmingham City Dartford
19:00
Report
Stadium: Princes Park
Penalties

Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 West Ham United 3 3 0 0 0 8 0 +8 9 Advances to knock-out stage
2 London City Lionesses 3 1 1 0 1 3 3 0 5 Possible knock-out stage based on ranking
3 Brighton & Hove Albion 3 1 0 0 2 1 4 −3 3
4 Birmingham City 3 0 0 1 2 2 7 −5 1
Source: thefa.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record

Squad statistics

edit

Appearances

edit
As of 8 May 2022

Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances after the + symbol where applicable.

No. Pos Nat Player Total FA WSL FA Cup League Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK   IRL Marie Hourihan 11 0 7 0 2 0 2 0
2 DF   DEN Cecilie Sandvej 6 0 5 0 0 0 1 0
3 DF   IRL Harriet Scott 24 0 20 0 2 0 1+1 0
4 DF   IRL Louise Quinn 27 6 22 5 3 1 2 0
6 DF   ENG Lily Simkin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 FW   GRE Veatriki Sarri 26 4 19+2 3 3 1 1+1 0
8 MF   SCO Lisa Robertson 22 0 16 0 3 0 3 0
9 FW   SCO Sarah Ewens 15 0 4+7 0 2 0 1+1 0
10 MF   SCO Christie Murray 21 1 17 1 3 0 1 0
11 FW   ENG Jade Pennock 23 2 17+2 2 1+1 0 2 0
12 FW   ENG Libby Smith 25 2 14+6 2 2+1 0 0+2 0
14 MF   IRL Jamie Finn 26 0 18+2 0 2+1 0 3 0
17 FW   IRL Lucy Quinn 28 1 19+3 1 2+1 0 3 0
19 MF   ENG Lucy Whipp 15 1 4+7 0 0+1 1 2+1 0
21 GK   ENG Emily Ramsey 17 0 15 0 1 0 1 0
22 FW   IRL Eleanor Ryan-Doyle 16 2 3+9 0 1+1 0 1+1 2
23 FW   IRL Emily Whelan 24 0 3+16 0 1+1 0 1+2 0
26 DF   ENG Arabella Suttie 1 0 0+1 0 0 0 0 0
27 MF   ENG Abbi Jenner 2 0 0 0 0+1 0 0+1 0
28 DF   ENG Lucy Hepburn 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
29 GK   ENG Lucy Jones 1 0 0+1 0 0 0 0 0
30 DF   ENG Gemma Lawley 25 1 18+1 1 3 0 3 0
31 FW   ENG Angelina Nixon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
32 MF   ENG Abi Cowie 9 0 5+2 0 1 0 1 0
34 MF   WAL Sophie Phillips 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
36 FW   ENG Louanne Worsey 5 0 0+3 0 0+1 0 1 0
37 DF   WAL Taylor Reynolds 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
40 FW   ENG Delphi Cole 1 0 0 0 0+1 0 0 0
Players who appeared for the club but left during the season:
25 DF   NIR Rebecca Holloway 21 0 16+1 0 1+1 0 2 0

Transfers

edit

Transfers in

edit
Date Position Nationality Name From Ref.
17 July 2021 FW   Jade Pennock   Sheffield United [9]
23 July 2021 DF   Louise Quinn   Fiorentina [10]
27 July 2021 FW   Sarah Ewens   Celtic [11]
FW   Lucy Quinn   Tottenham Hotspur [12]
28 July 2021 FW   Libby Smith   Leicester City [13]
4 August 2021 DF   Cecilie Sandvej   FC Fleury 91 [14]
27 August 2021 MF   Jamie Finn   Shelbourne [15]
28 August 2021 GK   Marie Hourihan   Braga [16]
2 September 2021 DF   Arabella Suttie   Chelsea [17]
3 September 2021 FW   Eleanor Ryan-Doyle   Peamount United [18]
FW   Emily Whelan   Shelbourne [18]

Loans in

edit
Date Position Nationality Name To Until Ref.
6 August 2021 GK   Emily Ramsey   Manchester United 30 June 2022 [19]
MF   Lisa Robertson   Celtic 30 June 2022 [20]

Transfers out

edit
Date Position Nationality Name To Ref.
15 June 2021 MF   Heidi Logan   Lewes [21][22]
26 June 2021 GK   Hannah Hampton   Aston Villa [23][24]
29 June 2021 MF   Sarah Mayling   Aston Villa [25][26]
30 June 2021 MF   Ella Powell   Loughborough Lightning
1 July 2021 FW   Claudia Walker   West Ham United [27]
MF   Mollie Green   Coventry United [28]
16 July 2021 FW   Abbi Grant   Leicester City [29]
27 July 2021 FW   Emma Kelly   Sunderland [30]
6 August 2021 GK   Sophie Whitehouse   Bristol City [31]
19 August 2021 MF   Connie Scofield   Leicester City [32][33]
23 August 2021 FW   Ruesha Littlejohn   Aston Villa [34]
31 March 2022 DF   Rebecca Holloway   Racing Louisville [35]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Birmingham Women to play at St Andrew's". BBC Sport.
  2. ^ Garry, Tom (14 May 2021). "Carla Ward resigns as Birmingham City Women manager". The Telegraph.
  3. ^ "Scott Booth named Blues Women Head Coach". Birmingham City Football Club.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ Garry, Tom (18 November 2021). "Birmingham City Women sack manager Scott Booth after just four months in charge". The Telegraph.
  5. ^ "Blues Women Interim Head Coach: Darren Carter". Birmingham City Football Club. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  6. ^ Garry, Tom; McElwee, Molly (4 May 2022). "Birmingham relegated from WSL after being hit for six by rampant Manchester City". The Telegraph.
  7. ^ "Women's Team". Birmingham City Football Club. Archived from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Manchester City fixture postponed". Birmingham City Football Club.
  9. ^ "Jade Pennock Pens Blues Deal". Birmingham City Football Club. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Birmingham sign centre-back Quinn". BBC Sport.
  11. ^ "Blues Women Sign Sarah Ewens". Birmingham City Football Club. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Lucy Quinn is back at Blues Women". Birmingham City Football Club. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  13. ^ "Libby Smith is a Blue". Birmingham City Football Club. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  14. ^ "Cecilie Sandvej signs for Blues Women". Birmingham City Football Club. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Jamie Finn is a Blue". Birmingham City Football Club. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Marie Hourihan returns to Blues Women". Birmingham City Football Club. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  17. ^ "Arabella Suttie joins Blues Women". Birmingham City Football Club. Archived from the original on 2 September 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  18. ^ a b "Blues Women sign Irish duo". Birmingham City Football Club. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  19. ^ "Emily Ramsey signs new deal and joins Birmingham on loan". www.manutd.com.
  20. ^ "Lisa Robertson joins Blues Women on loan". Birmingham City Football Club. Archived from the original on 6 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  21. ^ "Blues Women Retained and Released List". Birmingham City Football Club.
  22. ^ "Lewes FC sign England youth star Heidi Logan from Birmingham". www.lewesfc.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  23. ^ "Goalkeeper Hampton to leave Birmingham". BBC Sport.
  24. ^ "Hannah Hampton joins Villa Women". Aston Villa Football Club.
  25. ^ "Sarah Mayling departs". Birmingham City twitter.
  26. ^ "Sarah Mayling joins Villa Women". Aston Villa Football Club.
  27. ^ "West Ham United sign forward Claudia Walker". West Ham United.
  28. ^ "Coventry United announce Mollie Green signing". Coventry United LFC.
  29. ^ "LCFC Women Confirm Abbi Grant Addition". Leicester City. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  30. ^ "Emma Kelly returns to SAFC". Sunderland AFC. 27 July 2021.
  31. ^ "Whitehouse joins City Women". Bristol City.
  32. ^ "Midfielder Scofield opts to leave Birmingham City". FAWSL Full-Time. 19 August 2021.
  33. ^ "Connie Scofield Completes LCFC Women Transfer". Leicester City. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  34. ^ "Littlejohn crosses Birmingham to sign for Aston Villa". RTÉ. 1 September 2021.
  35. ^ "Racing signs Holloway on transfer from Birmingham City". Racing Louisville FC.