2020–21 FA Women's National League explained

Competition:FA Women's National League
Season:2020–21
Winners:not awarded
Promoted:Sunderland (awarded)
Watford (awarded)
Relegated:none
Prevseason:2019–20
Nextseason:2021–22

The 2020–21 FA Women's National League was the 29th season of the competition, and the third since a restructure and rebranding of the top four tiers of English football by The Football Association. Starting in 1992, it was previously known as the FA Women's Premier League.[1] It sits at the third and fourth levels of the women's football pyramid, below the FA Women's Championship and above the eight regional football leagues.[2]

The league featured six regional divisions: the Northern and Southern divisions at level three of the pyramid, and below those Division One North, Division One Midlands, Division One South East, and Division One South West. The league consisted of 71 teams, divided into six divisions of twelve teams apart from Division One South West which contains 11 teams. At the end of the season the winners of the Northern and Southern Premier divisions would have both qualified for a play-off match to decide the overall National League champion. Both teams were due be promoted to the FA Women's Championship.

On 4 January 2021, the National League was suspended due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdown.[3] On 15 March, all tiers of the National League were curtailed for a second consecutive season.[4] Although there was no promotion and relegation between the tiers, including promotion from tier 3 into tier 2 and relegation from tier 6 into tier 7, an alternative method of upward club movement via application and based on set criteria was suggested in order to support the stability and integrity of the women's football pyramid. All clubs from tiers 3 to 6 were eligible to apply to move into the league immediately one tier above where they currently played with applications marked against a criterion weighted 75% on-field and 25% off-field.[5] As a result, Sunderland and Watford were awarded promotion to the FA Women's Championship ahead of the 2021–22 season.[6]

Premier Division

Northern Division

Changes from last season:

ClubHome groundPosition 2019–20
BurnleyArbories Memorial Sports Ground, Padiham5th
Derby CountyThe Don Amott Arena, Derby2nd
FyldeMill Farm, Wesham9th
Huddersfield TownThe Stafflex Arena, Kirkburton6th
Hull CityDransfield Stadium, North Ferriby11th
Loughborough FoxesLoughborough University Stadium, Loughborough10th
MiddlesbroughBedford Terrace, Billingham8th
Nottingham ForestEastwood CFC, Eastwood3rd
Sheffield F.C.Home of Football Ground, Dronfield12th
Stoke CityClayton Wood, Stoke-on-Trent4th
SunderlandEppleton Colliery Welfare Ground, Hetton-le-Hole1st
West Bromwich AlbionWalsall Wood, Walsall7th

League table

Southern Division

Changes from last season:

ClubHome groundPosition 2019–20
Cardiff CityCCB Centre for Sporting Excellence, Ystrad Mynach6th
Chichester & SelseyThe High Street Ground, Selsey12th (as Chichester City)
Crawley WaspsThe New Defence, Horley1st
GillinghamMaidstone Road Sports Ground, Chatham9th
HounslowHoneycroft, West Drayton11th
Keynsham TownThe AJN Stadium, Keynsham10th
MK DonsStadium MK, Milton Keynes8th
Oxford UnitedMarsh Lane, Marston3rd
Plymouth ArgyleManadon Sports Hub, Plymouth4th
PortsmouthWestleigh Park, Havant7th
WatfordCRY Community Stadium, Kings Langley2nd
Yeovil UnitedHuish Park, Yeovil5th

League table

Division One

Division One North

Changes from last season:

ClubHome groundPosition 2019–20
BarnsleyBarnsley FC Academy, Barnsley1st
Bolton LadiesKensite Stadium, Atherton9th (as Bolton Wanderers)
Bradford CityPlumpton Park, Bradford12th
Brighouse TownThe Yorkshire Payments Stadium, Brighouse3rd
Chester-le-StreetMoor Park, Chester Moor7th
ChorleyVictory Park Stadium, Chorley11th
Durham CestriaThe Graham Sports Centre, Durham5th
Leeds UnitedThorp Arch, Wetherby2nd
Liverpool FedsI.M. Marsh Campus, Liverpool4th
Newcastle UnitedDruid Park, Newcastle upon Tyne6th
Norton & Stockton AncientsNorton Teesside Sports Complex, Stockton-on-Tees8th
Stockport CountyStockport Sports Village, Stockport10th

League table

Division One Midlands

Changes from last season:

ClubHome groundPosition 2019–20
Bedworth UnitedThe Oval, Bedworth3rd
Boldmere St. MichaelsTrevor Brown Memorial Ground, Sutton Coldfield2nd (as Birmingham & West Midlands)
Burton AlbionThe Lamb Ground, Tamworth12th
Doncaster Rovers BellesOxford Street, Rossington10th
Holwell SportsWelby Road, Asfordby Hill7th (as Leicester United)
Leafield AthleticStockingford Pavilion, Nuneaton9th
Lincoln CityActive Nation, Yarborough, Lincoln5th
Long Eaton UnitedGrange Park, Long Eaton6th
Solihull MoorsWest Midland Sports & Social Club, Birmingham11th
Sporting KhalsaThe Aspray Arena, Willenhall8th
Wem TownButler Sports Centre, Wem4th (as TNS)
Wolverhampton WanderersCKW Stadium, Castlecroft, Wolverhampton1st

League table

Division One South East

Changes from last season:

ClubHome groundPosition 2019–20
ActoniansRectory Park, Northolt7th
AFC WimbledonWar Memorial Sports Ground, Sutton2nd
Billericay TownAGP Arena, Billericay4th
Cambridge CityThe Ellgia Stadium, Ely11th
Cambridge UnitedRecreation Way, Mildenhall8th
Enfield TownQueen Elizabeth II Stadium, Enfield6th
Hashtag UnitedPark Lane, Canvey Island3rd (as AFC Basildon)
Ipswich TownThe Goldstar Ground, Felixstowe1st
Kent Football UnitedGlentworth Sports Club, Kent12th
Leyton OrientMile End Stadium, Bow, London5th
Norwich CityPlantation Park, Blofield9th
StevenageHertingfordbury Park, Hertford10th

League table

Division One South West

Changes from last season:

ClubHome groundPosition 2019–20
BrislingtonBrislington Stadium, Brislington8th
Buckland AthleticHomers Heath, Newton Abbot7th
Cheltenham TownPetersfield Park, Cheltenham4th
Chesham UnitedThe Meadow, Chesham5th
Exeter CityClifford Hill Training Ground, 3rd
Larkhall AthleticPlain Ham, Larkhall6th
Maidenhead UnitedYork Road Stadium, Maidenhead9th
Poole TownDorset County F.A. County Ground, Poole10th
Southampton F.C. WomenTestwood Stadium, Totton1st
Southampton Women's F.C.Gang Warily Recreation Ground, Southampton2nd
Swindon TownCinder Lane, Fairford11th

League table

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About the FA WPL. The Football Association. https://archive.today/20151129104659/http://www.thefa.com/wpl/about-the-fa-wpl. 29 November 2015. dead. 3 July 2016.
  2. Web site: Naming of restructured women's league pyramid confirmed. 26 February 2018. thefa.com. The Football Association. en. 19 June 2018.
  3. News: Covid in England: Professional sport to continue in national lockdown. BBC Sport. 4 January 2021. 15 March 2021.
  4. News: Women's football: FA ends 2020-21 season for tiers three to six. BBC Sport. 15 March 2021. 15 March 2021.
  5. Web site: Association . The Football . FA provides update on tiers 3-6 of the Women's Football Pyramid . www.thefa.com.
  6. Web site: Sunderland and Watford promoted to FA Women's Championship after successful bids . Sky Sports.
  7. Web site: Confused? Don't be! Chichester City Ladies are nothing to do with Chichester City Women . www.chichester.co.uk . en.
  8. Web site: Club Named Change Announcement . www.pitchero.com . en.
  9. Web site: Gillingham Ladies Senior Team . www.gillinghamfootballclub.com . en-gb.
  10. Web site: Bolton Ladies set to go it alone after severing ties with Wanderers . The Bolton News . 15 June 2020 . en.
  11. Web site: Boldmere St. Michaels Women rebrand . www.themikesfc.co.uk.
  12. Web site: Hadley . Craig . Leicester United become Holwell Sports ahead of next season . Midland Women's Soccer . 4 June 2020 . 2 August 2020 . 12 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201212153850/https://midlandwoso.com/2020/06/04/leicester-united-become-holwell-sports-ahead-of-next-season/ . dead .
  13. Web site: The New Saints Ladies split from parent club to become Wem Town LFC . BBC Sport . 9 August 2020.
  14. Web site: 'Hours from folding' – how AFC Basildon became Hashtag United Women FC . Guardian . en . 4 May 2020.

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