Blackpool F.C. Ladies
Blackpool F.C. Ladies are an English women's association football club affiliated with Blackpool F.C. Founded in 2008 from the Girls setup that was established in 2004.

History

The Ladies competed their inaugural season in the Lancashire FA Women's County League Division Two, which sits at the seventh level of the national League system in women's football in England.

2008-9 season

In their first season, they won seventeen and drew one of their eighteen league games, scoring 133 goals, and won promotion as champions to Lancashire FA Division One for the 2009–10 season. They were also runners-up in the Lancashire League Cup after a 1–0 defeat to Morecambe in the final.

2009-10 season

The following season they maintained a 100% record in winning the Lancashire County League Division One title and gained promotion to the North West Women's Regional League Northern Division. They reached the County League Cup Final for the second season running losing 3-1 to Rochdale after extra time.

After one season in charge, Michael O'Neill had left the club to join Kendal Town FC as first team fitness coach and was succeeded by former Preston North End player Mac Barlow. Barlow, who was part of the side that won promotion from the Lancashire County League brought in Dave Kelly, Marco Vidoretti and former Greenock Morton winger Mick Perrett to form the management team for the 2009-10 season. Chris Stammers was added to the coaching staff for the 2010-11 season as the club set out with aspirations of a third consecutive promotion.

2010-11 season

Having  suffered their first ever defeat in a league fixture at the hands of local rivals Blackpool Wren Rovers on the opening day of the season they secured a 2-0 win in the reverse fixture three days later.The win kick started t a run of 8 consecutive league wins before suffering a 3 2 loss to Brazil. Five more consecutive league wins followed before a 1-0 defeat at Morecambe left the seasiders 9 points clear of second placed Penrith who had 3 games in hand. With goal difference in their favour the target for Blackpool was to win their six remaining games.

A landmark 6–0 victory at Bloomfield Road against Carlisle United took the ladies to 48 points with 3 games left.Local rivals Blackpool Wren Rovers had moved into the position of closest contenders trailing Blackpool by 12 points but with 4 games in hand. Wins in their next 2 games left the Ladies needing to avenge their earlier defeat by Morecambe to leave Wrens with an almost impossible task. A hard earned 2-1 win put one hand on the trophy as the Pool finished with a club record 57 points from a 22 game season.

Although Wrens won their next game promotion was confirmed on 28 April 2011 when they dropped points to Morecambe to confirm Blackpool as Champions of the North West Women 
Regional League thus giving them their third promotion in as many seasons.

2011-12 season

For the 2011–2012 season, Blackpool FC announced that First Team Coach Dave Kelly had been appointed as First Team manager so Mac Barlow was to focus on her playing career. Dave Kelly then appointed Chris Vickers as the new First Team Coach.

Blackpool F.C. Ladies made an excellent start to their first season at tier 5 in the women's football pyramid with a seven game unbeaten run. A 2-0 defeat at Wigan was followed by a draw with unbeaten league leaders Chorley.A second defeat of the season at Crewe left the is 9 points adrift of leaders Chorley with 9 games remaining.If a fourth consecutive promotion was to be achieved the Ladies would need to win their remaining games and hope Chorley dropped points.

Four wins and a draw for Blackpool meant that when they travelled to unbeaten leaders Chorley a win for the home side would have confirmed them as champions. A 1-0 win for the Ladies followed by a win over Bury at Bloomfield Road in their game in hand cut the lead to five points. Wins in their final two games were matched by Chorley and the Ladies ended their league campaign  as runner-up.

However,the season wasn't without silverware as Blackpool FC emphatically beat local rivals Blackpool Wren Rovers 4–1 in the League Cup Final, at the home of Airbus UK, to secure their first Cup Victory of their short history. Manager Dave Kelly described his squad as "special" and a "proud day for all involved at the club"

Stadium

Blackpool F.C. Ladies first team home matches are played at the HASSRA Sports Pavilion in Thornton-Cleveleys as of the 2022–23 season. They also play some of their fixtures at Bloomfield Road.

Historically Blackpool F.C. Ladies played at Hallgate Park, Stalmine, home of West Lancashire Football League side Wyre Villa.

Current squad

2022–23
The squad according to The Football Association (FA) website at the time of the 2022–23 season.

 Ashleigh Bradshaw
 Chloe Chambers
 Yulan Chandelaney
 Angel Cooper
 Millie Dawson
 Bethany Edwards
 Lily Hambly
 Charlotte Hartley
 Chloe Howarth
 Megan Illingworth
 Molly Kelly
 Jessica Lean
 Emily Murray
 Lottie Murray
 Caitlin Packer
 Maisie Rogers
 Minnie Rogers
 Emily Salthouse
 Ellie Spooner
 Cloe Warbrick

Historical squads

Circa 2017–18
The squad according to The Football Association (FA) website around the time of the 2017–18 season.

 Amy Bennett
 Lydia Black
 Elizabeth Bradley
 Rebecca Brownwood
 Eleanor Cardwell
 Charmaine Cardwell-Wilsdon
 Natalie Cessford
 Magan Eadie
 Megan Eadie
 Alice Earnshaw
 Jordyn Ellison
 Lily Hambly
 Megan Illingworth
 Rebecca Knight
 Louise Latham
 Erin Menzies
 Kayleigh Monaghan
 Aleysha Montgomery
 April Oldfield
 India Rogers
 Beth Slate
 Hannah Speake
 Ellie Spooner
 Gemma Thrower
 Natasha Webster

Reserve teams
For the 2011-12 season, they established a reserve side, managed by Mick Perrett. The team was made up of the majority of the double-winning under-18 team from the previous season. They finished third in the Lancashire FA County Division Two. For the 2012–13 season preference was given to re-establishing a youth team.

A reserve team was established for the 2021-22 to compete in a restructered Lancashire FA Women's County League

There are six other age group teams: Under-10s, Under-11s, Under-12s, Under 13s, Under-14s and Under-16s, all of which compete in the West Lancashire Girls Football League. This is also run in conjunction with a Development Centre for girls between 5 and 11.

The Girls teams are based at Bourne Poacher playing fields, Fleetwood Road North, Thornton Cleveleys.

Non-playing staff
As of 14 November 2022.

Honours

Blackpool F.C. Ladies

 Lancashire FA Women's County League Division Two Champions: 2008–09
 Lancashire FA Women's County League Division One Champions: 2009–10
 North West Women's Regional Football League Division One (North) Champions: 2010–11
 North West Women's Regional Football League Cup Champions: 2011–12
 North West Women's Regional Football League Premier Division Runners Up:  2011-12 
North West Women's Regional Football League Premier Division Runners Up 2012 - 13
Lancashire FA Challenge Cup Winners 2022-23
North West Women's Regional Football League Northern Division Champions 2022-23

Blackpool F.C. Youth Team

 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-18 League Champions: 2010–11
 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-18 League Cup Winners: 2010–11

Blackpool F.C. Under-16s

 Lancashire FA Under-16 League Runners-up: 2009–10
 Lancashire FA Under-16 Lancashire Cup Winners: 2009–10
 Tesco North West Regional Finals Under 16 Girls Regional Cup Runners Up: 2009–10

Blackpool F.C. Under-15s

 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-15 League Runners Up: 2010–11
 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-15 League Cup Runners Up: 2010–11

Blackpool F.C. Under-14s

 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-14 League Champions: 2009–10
 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-14 League Cup Winners: 2009–10

Blackpool F.C. Under-13s
 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-13 League Champions: 2011–12.
 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-12 League Cup Winners: 2011–12.
 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-13 League Runners Up: 2010–11
 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-13 League Cup Winners: 2009–10

Blackpool F.C. Under-12s
 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-12 League Champions: 2009–10, 2010–11.
 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-12 League Cup Winners: 2009–10, 2010–11.
 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-12 Challenge Cup Winners: 2009–10, 2010–11.

Blackpool F.C. Under-11s
 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-11 League Champions: 2009–10
 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-11 League Cup Winners: 2009–10
 West Lancashire Girls Football League Under-11 Challenge Cup Winners: 2009–10

References

External links
Official website

Ladies
Association football clubs established in 2008
Association football clubs established in 2004
Football clubs in Lancashire
Women's football clubs in England
Sport in Blackpool
2008 establishments in England
2004 establishments in England