Burnley F.C. Women

Burnley FC Women

Full name	Burnley Football Club Women
Nickname(s)	The Clarets
Founded	1995
Ground	County Ground, Leyland, Lancashire
Capacity	2,300
Manager	Rebecca Sawiuk
League	FA Women's National League North
2022–23	FA Women's National League North, 3rd of 12
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours

Burnley FC Women is an English women's football club from Burnley, Lancashire, affiliated with Burnley Football Club. From its inception in 1995 until 2018, it was known as Burnley FC Girls and Ladies. The team is currently a member of the FA Women's National League North, the third tier of women's football in England.

History

Burnley FC Girls and Ladies was founded in 1995 by John Lister, just too late for hometown girl and former England international goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis to join as a child. ^[1] The club initially consisted of 15 ladies, who trained in the old sports barn at Turf Moor and played their home games at the club's training facility at Gawthorpe. ^[2] Following the demise of the Lancashire League, the team joined the North West Women's Regional League. ^[3]

The club established a junior set-up from the outset. An Under 10s side was formed by Grahame Meeks and Peter Cooper shortly after the first-team was founded. ^[2] The youth set-up was grassroots for many years, to encourage players of all ages and abilities to take-up football, including England youth international Naomi Hartley. ^[4]

At the end of the 2016–17 season, the management and operation of the club was transferred to Burnley FC in the Community. The following season, in the 2017–18 FA Women's Cup, the team won three preliminary round games to qualify for the first round proper for the first time in their history. Burnley reached the third round, where they were eliminated by third-tier side Cardiff City. ^[5] Burnley were promoted to the FA Women's National League Division One North at the end of the same season. In 2018, the club was rebranded as Burnley FC Women, and for the first time players of all ages were required to negotiate trials to represent the club. In the 2018–19 season, the team won the league title and were promoted to the FA Women's National League North, the third tier in English women's football.

In February 2021, it was announced that the women's team would be integrated into Burnley F.C., as the club's new American owner Alan Pace sought to turn the women's team professional. ^[6] Several months later, Burnley became the first British team to stream their home games on the video-sharing app TikTok, with the club hitting one million views on TikTok live in April 2023. ^{[7] [8]} Burnley Women played their first game at Turf Moor on 30 April 2023, winning 2–1 against Liverpool Feds in front of almost 3,000 supporters. It was the last game of the 2022–23 league season, with Burnley finishing third in the FA Women's National League North. ^{[9] [10]}

Players

First-team squad

As of 12 March 2024 ^[11]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 2 DF   WAL Maria Francis-Jones 3 DF   ENG Alethea Paul (Captain) 4 MF   NIR Brenna McPartlan 5 DF   ENG Georgia Marshall 6 DF   NIR Mikayla Wildgoose 7 FW   ENG Leah Embley 8 MF   ENG Lizzy Hamer 9 FW   ENG Evie Priestley 10 FW   ENG Laura Elford 11 FW   ESP Amaya Coleman-Evans 12 MF   ENG Rhema Lord-Mears 13 DF   ENG Dom Cooper 14 MF   ENG Millie Ravening 15 MF   ENG Lara Miller 16 DF   ENG Lucy Walsh 17 FW   ENG Ginny Lackey (Dual registration from Manchester City) 18 MF   ENG Hollie Kelsh-Ridge

No. Pos. Nation Player 19 DF   ENG Danielle Deehan 20 DF   ENG Gracie Prior (Dual registration from Manchester City) 22 MF   WAL Isabella Reidford (Dual registration from Manchester United) 23 DF   ENG Naomi Hartley 24 DF   ENG Tilly Wilkes 25 FW   ENG Aimee Kelly 26 GK   WAL Lucy Farrell 27 FW   JAM Lachante Paul 28 GK   SCO Kirstie Levell 29 MF   ENG Abby Clarke 30 DF   ENG Emma Siddall (Dual registration from Manchester City) 34 MF   ENG Monique Robinson (on loan from Leicester City) 76 MF   ENG Paris Dalton

Manager: Rebecca Sawiuk

Honours

Women's National League

• Division One North
  • Winners: 2018–19

North West Women's Regional Football League

• Premier Division
  • Winners: 2017–18
• Division Two
  • Winners: 2004–05
• Division Three
  • Winners: 2003–04

Lancashire FA Women’s Senior Cup

• Winners: 2022–23, 2023–24

Lancashire FA Women's Challenge Cup

• Winners: 2021–22

References

1. Geldard, Suzanne (8 September 2014). "England International Rachel Brown-Finnis wants to see the Burnley girls on the up". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
2. Milne-Redhead, Tim. "Club History". Burnley FC Girls & Ladies. Pitchero. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
3. "North West Womens Regional League". Full-Time League Administration. The Football Association. Archived from the original on 23 July 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
4. Tinniswood, Steve (21 October 2014). "Brunshaw girl Naomi delighted as Manchester United sign her up". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
5. "Women's FA Cup: Cardiff & TNS make fourth round". BBC Sport. 7 January 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
6. "Burnley women's team amalgamated into club, aim to turn professional". Sky Sports. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
7. "Burnley to stream women's home games on TikTok". BBC Sport. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
8. McGee, Sarah (12 April 2023). "Burnley FC Women hit one million views on TikTok live videos". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
9. "Women's Report: Burnley 2–1 Liverpool Feds". Burnley F.C. 30 April 2023. Archived from the original on 30 April 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
10. Frith, Wilf (30 April 2023). "Nottingham Forest Women win FAWNL Northern Premier title". She Kicks. Archived from the original on 30 April 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
11. "Women". Burnley F.C. Retrieved 16 November 2023.