2021–22 FA Women's Championship

The 2021–22 FA Women's Championship is the fourth season of the rebranded FA Women's Championship, the second tier of women's football in England. It was renamed from the FA WSL 2 which was founded in 2014.

FA Women's Championship
Season2021–22
Matches played60
Goals scored160 (2.67 per match)
Top goalscorerLeanne Kiernan (7 goals)
Biggest home winBristol City 5–1 Sheffield United (31 October 2021)
Biggest away winWatford 0–4 Charlton Athletic (2 October 2021)
Highest scoringCrystal Palace 4–3 Bristol City (29 August 2021)
Longest winning run5 matches
Durham
Longest unbeaten run9 matches
Liverpool
Longest winless run9 matches
Coventry United
Longest losing run6 matches
Watford
All statistics correct as of 21 November 2021.

Teams
Location of clubs for the 2021–22 season

Twelve teams will compete in the Championship for the 2021–22 season, an increase of one team from the previous season. This was a planned progression of the restructuring of the English women's game, a move prompted to provide for a fully professional Women's Super League (WSL) starting with the 2018–19 season. The expansion was originally scheduled from the 2019–20 season but the demotion of Yeovil Town directly from the WSL to the third-tier in 2019 and then the season's curtailment the following year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic had twice delayed this.

Movement between the WSL and Championship was granted on purely sporting merit as both the 2020–21 FA WSL and Championship seasons were completed in full. Leicester City earned promotion and their place was taken by Bristol City who were relegated after finishing bottom of the WSL. London Bees finished bottom of the 2020–21 Championship and were relegated to the National League. Upward movement from the National League was granted via application based on a set criteria including points-per-game over the previous two seasons in order to support the stability and integrity of the women's football pyramid after the previous two National League seasons had both been curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2] As a result, Sunderland were promoted from the National League North and Watford were promoted from the National League South.[3][4]

TeamLocationGroundCapacity2020–21 season
Blackburn RoversBamber BridgeSir Tom Finney Stadium3,0009th
Bristol CityFailandRobins High Performance CentreWSL, 12th
Charlton AthleticBexleyThe Oakwood1,1808th
Coventry UnitedCoventryButts Park Arena4,00010th
Crystal PalaceBromleyHayes Lane5,0007th
DurhamDurhamMaiden Castle3,0002nd
LiverpoolBirkenheadPrenton Park16,5473rd
LewesLewesThe Dripping Pan3,0005th
London City LionessesDartfordPrinces Park4,1006th
Sheffield UnitedSheffieldOlympic Legacy Park2,0004th
SunderlandHetton-le-HoleEppleton CW2,500WNL North, N/A
WatfordKings LangleyThe Orbital Fasteners Stadium1,500WNL South, N/A

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Bristol City Matt Beard (interim) End of interim period 13 May 2021 End of season (FA WSL, 12th) Lauren Smith (interim)[5] 21 June 2021
Liverpool Amber Whiteley (interim)[6] End of interim period 13 May 2021 End of season (3rd) Matt Beard[6] 13 May 2021
Lewes Simon Parker[7] Sacked 12 October 2021 8th Craig Gill (interim)[8] 13 October 2021

Table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Liverpool 10 7 2 1 16 5 +11 23 Promotion to the WSL[lower-alpha 1]
2 London City Lionesses 10 6 1 3 12 9 +3 19
3 Crystal Palace 10 5 3 2 20 16 +4 18
4 Durham 10 6 0 4 13 10 +3 18
5 Bristol City 10 5 2 3 20 12 +8 17
6 Charlton Athletic 10 5 1 4 15 10 +5 16
7 Lewes 10 5 1 4 14 11 +3 16
8 Sunderland 10 3 3 4 9 12 −3 12
9 Sheffield United 10 3 2 5 11 14 −3 11
10 Blackburn Rovers 10 3 1 6 10 15 −5 10
11 Coventry United 10 1 2 7 10 22 −12 5
12 Watford 10 1 2 7 10 24 −14 5 Relegation to the National League
Updated to match(es) played on 21 November 2021. Source: FA WSL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
Notes:
  1. Dependent on obtaining a licence.

Results
Home \ Away BLB BRI CHA COV CRY DUR LEW LIV LCL SHU SUN WAT
Blackburn Rovers — 3–2 1–2 1–2 2–0 3–1
Bristol City 3–0 — 0–2 2–1 5–1 2–1
Charlton Athletic 2–0 2–1 — 3–1 2–0 0–1
Coventry United 1–1 — 2–3 1–0 0–2 0–3 0–1
Crystal Palace 4–3 3–2 — 3–1 0–0 1–1
Durham 2–0 — 2–0 0–2 1–0 2–1
Lewes 1–0 2–0 4–1 — 1–0 1–2
Liverpool 0–0 0–0 2–1 2–0 — 0–1
London City Lionesses 2–2 2–1 — 1–0 2–1
Sheffield United 0–0 3–1 1–3 0–2 — 3–0
Sunderland 2–0 0–2 1–1 1–3 0–2 —
Watford 0–3 0–4 2–2 2–3 1–1 —
Updated to match(es) played on 21 November 2021. Source: FA WSL
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Positions by round

The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological progress, any postponed matches are not included in the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for round 13, but then postponed and played between rounds 16 and 17, it will be added to the standings for round 16.

Team ╲ Round12345678910111213141516171819202122
Liverpool11684322211
London City Lionesses4255433322
Crystal Palace2569979543
Durham3942111134
Bristol City84710796655
Charlton Athletic6396544466
Lewes71010810681077
Sunderland5113685888
Sheffield United12721257799
Blackburn Rovers18378101091010
Coventry United10121211111111121211
Watford9111112121212111112
Leader and promotion to WSL
Relegation to National League
Updated to match(es) played on 21 November 2021. Source:

Results by round
Team ╲ Round12345678910111213141516171819202122
Blackburn RoversWLWLLLWDLL
Bristol CityLWDLWLWDWW
Charlton AthleticWLWWWLLDLW
Coventry UnitedLLLDLLLDLW
Crystal PalaceWLDLDWDWWW
DurhamWLWWWWWLLL
LewesLWDLWWLLWW
LiverpoolLWDWWWWDWW
London City LionessesWWLDWWLWWL
Sheffield UnitedLWWWDLLDLL
SunderlandWWDDLLWLDL
WatfordLLLLLLDWDL
Updated to match(es) played on 21 November 2021. Source:
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Lose

Season statistics

Top scorers
As of 21 November 2021
RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Leanne Kiernan Liverpool 7
2 Abi Harrison Bristol City 6
3 Rio Hardy Coventry United 5
Lucy Watson Sheffield United
5 Kirsty Barton Crystal Palace 4
Millie Farrow Crystal Palace
Beth Hepple Durham
Rianna Jarrett London City Lionesses
Ini-Abasi Umotong Lewes
10 Lucy Ashworth-Clifford Lewes 3
Emma Follis Charlton Athletic
Paula Howells Lewes
Elise Hughes Charlton Athletic
Melissa Johnson Bristol City
Aimee Palmer Bristol City
Ella Rutherford Charlton
Courtney Sweetman-Kirk Sheffield United
Siobhan Wilson Crystal Palace

See also

References
  1. Association, The Football. "FA provides update on tiers 3-6 of the Women's Football Pyramid". www.thefa.com.
  2. "Women's football: FA ends 2020-21 season for tiers three to six". BBC Sport. 15 March 2021.
  3. "Sunderland handed major boost as bid for promotion to the Women's Championship is successful". Sunderland Echo.
  4. "Oxford United Women miss out on Championship spot". Oxford Mail.
  5. "Smith returns as Interim Head Coach". Bristol City.
  6. "Matt Beard appointed Liverpool FC Women manager". Liverpool F.C. 13 May 2021.
  7. "Rooks part company with Simon Parker". Lewes FC.
  8. "Craig Gill to join the Rooks as Interim Women's First Team Manager". Lewes FC.
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