Aston Villa W.F.C. Explained

Clubname:Aston Villa W.F.C.
Upright:0.7
Fullname:Aston Villa Women Football Club
Nickname:The Villans, The Villa, The Lions
Short Name:Villa, AVWFC
Founded: (as Solihull FC)
Ground:Villa Park (league matches)[1]
Bescot Stadium (cup matches)
Capacity:42,600
11,300
Owner:V Sports
Chairman:Nassef Sawiris
Manager:Robert de Pauw[2]
Current:2024–25 Aston Villa W.F.C. season
Website:https://www.avfc.co.uk/avwfc
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Aston Villa Women Football Club is the women's football team of Aston Villa, currently playing in the Women's Super League.[3] The club has been in existence since 1973. Originally titled Solihull F.C., the team affiliated to Aston Villa in 1989, becoming Villa Aztecs, and became the official Aston Villa women's side in 1996. The club have a senior team, a reserve team and several other teams of younger age groups under a Regional Talent Club FA license.

History

Aston Villa Women Football Club was formed in 1973 as Solihull FC. When Aston Villa asked for help in forming a ladies team in 1989, Solihull responded. The club agreed to change their name in 1996 to become the officially recognised ladies team of Aston Villa.

As Villa Aztecs, they reached the 1995 League Cup Final but lost 2–0 to Wimbledon, and played in the 1995–96 FA Women's Premier League but were relegated.

The senior team, renamed to Aston Villa Ladies F.C., continued to play mainly in the 2nd-tier Northern Division. The club won promotion twice more and played in the FA Women's Premier League National Division in 1999–2000[4] and in 2003–04, but ended in the relegation zone in both seasons.

The Lady Villans won the Northern Division for the fourth time in 2011 and gained promotion to the WPL National Division,[5] which had become the 2nd tier below the FA WSL.

On 5 May 2013, the club had its greatest achievement by winning its first ever trophy, the Women's Premier League Cup, beating Leeds United Ladies 5–4 on penalties.[6]

In 2014 they were one of ten teams who were elected to WSL2,[7] and in 2018 to the Women's Championship.[8]

On 4 July 2019, the team was renamed Aston Villa Women F.C., CEO Christian Purslow, said that the name "aligns more appropriately with women’s football in this country".[9] On the same day, Chief Commercial Officer, Nicola Ibbetson, was elected to the FA WSL and Women's Championship board - making Aston Villa Women one of only two Championship clubs to have a representative on the board.[10]

In 2019–20, Villa won promotion to the WSL and entered the top flight of women's football for the first time since 2004. For the 2022-23 Women's Super League season the women played four of their eleven home matches at Villa Park, where the men's team play.

Players

First team squad

[11]

Out on loan

[12]

Former players

Honours

Non-playing staff

Corporate hierarchy

Source:[13]

PositionName
Executive Chairman Nassef Sawiris
Co-chairman Wes Edens
President of Business OperationsChris Heck[14] [15]
President of Football OperationsMonchi[16]

Management hierarchy

PositionName
General ManagerMarisa Ewers
Manager Robert de Pauw
Assistant manager Leanne Hall
First Team Coach Luke Tisdale[17]
Goalkeeper Coach Chris Stygal
Director of Football Lee Billiard
Club Doctor Fadi Hassan
Lead Physiotherapist Dan Dagia

Regional Talent Club

The club also run several other teams under the auspices of an FA Tier Two Regional Talent Club. This centre aims to develop the talent from within the local area. The RTC teams include an under-10, under-12, under-14, under-16 and development squad

In August 2010, Aston Villa Women FC supplied eight players to a 30-strong England Under-17 training camp.[18]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2024-07-19 . Villa Park to be main stadium for Villa Women . 2024-07-20 . Aston Villa FC.
  2. Web site: 2024-06-29 . Robert de Pauw appointed new Women's manager . 2024-06-29 . Aston Villa Football Club.
  3. Web site: 2012/13 National Division table . FA . 30 July 2013 .
  4. Web site: About Aston Villa Ladies football club . AVLFC . 10 September 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070816065624/http://www.avlfc.com/aboutus/index.php . 16 August 2007 . dead.
  5. Web site: 2010/11 Northern Division table . FA . 30 July 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110623060940/http://full-time.thefa.com/ProcessPublicSelect.do?psSelectedSeason=5757264&psSelectedDivision=3324022&psSelectedCompetition=0&psSelectedLeague=872938 . 23 June 2011 . dead.
  6. Web site: 2012/13 FA Women's Premier League Cup fixtures . FA . 30 July 2013 .
  7. Web site: INTRODUCING ASTON VILLA LADIES. FA Women's Super League. Aston villa women's team have won 18 major trophies . The FA. https://web.archive.org/web/20140724211313/http://www.fawsl.com/news/introducing_aston_villa_ladies.html. 10 February 2017. 24 July 2014.
  8. Web site: Villa Secure Place in FA Women's Championship . 18 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181219050613/http://ladies.avfc.co.uk/news/villa_secure_place_in_fa_womens_championship.html . 19 December 2018 . dead .
  9. Web site: Aston Villa Ladies become Aston Villa Women ahead of new season. Styles. Greg. 4 July 2019. Aston Villa F.C.. 4 July 2019.
  10. Web site: Aston Villa Ladies become Aston Villa Women ahead of new season. avfc.co.uk. en. 2019-08-14.
  11. Web site: Aston Villa Women's Team . Aston Villa FC . 2 February 2024.
  12. Web site: Gregory departs on loan . Aston Villa Football Club . 5 July 2024.
  13. Web site: Who's who . Aston Villa F.C. . 11 October 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170715034945/https://www.avfc.co.uk/club/whos-who . 15 July 2017 . live .
  14. Web site: 2023-05-17 . V Sports and Aston Villa announce Chris Heck appointment . 2023-05-17 . Aston Villa Football Club.
  15. Web site: Evans . Gregg . 12 June 2023 . Villa CEO Purslow leaves club . 2023-06-12 . The Athletic . en.
  16. Web site: 2023-06-16 . Monchi appointed President of Football Operations . 2023-06-16 . Aston Villa Football Club.
  17. Web site: 27 June 2022 . Aston Villa Women appoint two coaches . 2022-06-27 . Aston Villa Football Club.
  18. Web site: Training camp squad selected . https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20120502214105/http://www.thefa.com/England/womens-u17s/News/2010/training-camp-0810 . dead . 2 May 2012 . TheFA.com . 9 October 2010 . 3 August 2010 .