Women's Championship
Season2022–23
ChampionsBristol City
RelegatedCoventry United
Matches played132
Goals scored355 (2.69 per match)
Top goalscorerMelissa Johnson
(12 goals)
Biggest home winLondon City Lionesses 9–0 Coventry United
30 April 2023
Biggest away winCoventry United 0–5 London City Lionesses
16 October 2022
Coventry United 0–5 Sunderland
4 December 2022
Crystal Palace 0–5 London City Lionesses
15 January 2023
Sunderland 0–5 Bristol City
16 April 2023
Highest scoringLondon City Lionesses 9–0 Coventry United
30 April 2023
Longest winning run7 matches
Birmingham City
Longest unbeaten run11 matches
London City Lionesses
Longest winless run12 matches
Blackburn Rovers
Longest losing run11 matches
Coventry United

The 2022–23 Women's Championship season (also known as the Barclays Women's Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the fifth season of the rebranded Women's Championship, the second tier of women's football in England.[1]

Ahead of the season the top two tiers unveiled a new visual identity, dropping "The FA" from the league names as part of the long term strategy for the leagues to be under new ownership in the future.[2] Having sponsored the first tier since the 2019–20 season, it marks the first season of Barclays as the title partner of the Women's Championship.[3]

On 2 April 2023, Coventry United were mathematically confirmed as relegated from the Championship after four seasons in the second division. They sat 10 points adrift from safety with three games remaining.[4] On 23 April 2023, Bristol City were confirmed as champions with one game remaining, holding a four point lead ahead of final day opponents Birmingham City. They earned promotion back to the WSL after two seasons in the Championship.[5]

Teams

Twelve teams will compete in the Championship for the 2022–23 season, the same number as the previous season. Liverpool were promoted to the FA WSL as 2021–22 FA Women's Championship winners.[6] They were replaced by Birmingham City who finished bottom of the FA WSL in the 2021–22 season and were relegated after 20 years in the top flight.[7] Watford were relegated to the FA Women's National League after just one season in the Championship.[8] They were replaced by Southern Premier Division winners Southampton who beat Northern Premier Division winners Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 2021–22 FA Women's National League playoff to earn promotion.[9]

TeamLocationGroundCapacity2021–22 season
Birmingham CityBirminghamSt Andrew's29,902WSL, 12th
Blackburn RoversBamber BridgeSir Tom Finney Stadium3,00010th
Bristol CityFailandRobins High Performance Centre3rd
Charlton AthleticBexleyThe Oakwood1,1805th
Coventry UnitedCoventryButts Park Arena4,00011th
Crystal PalaceBromleyHayes Lane5,0004th
DurhamDurhamMaiden Castle1,7006th
LewesLewesThe Dripping Pan3,0008th
London City LionessesDartfordPrinces Park4,1002nd
Sheffield UnitedSheffieldBramall Lane32,0507th
SouthamptonSouthamptonSt Mary's Stadium 32,384WNL, 1st
SunderlandHetton-le-HoleEppleton CW2,5009th

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Lewes Wales Craig Gill (interim) End of interim period 12 May 2022[10] End of season (8th) Scotland Scott Booth 12 May 2022[10]
Coventry United England Jay Bradford Resigned 28 May 2022 End of season (11th) England Lee Burch 18 July 2022[11]
Sheffield United England Neil Redfearn Resigned 25 November 2022[12] 10th England Zoe Johnson (interim) 25 November 2022
London City Lionesses United States Melissa Phillips Signed by Angel City FC 23 January 2023[13] 1st England Nikita Runnacles (interim) 23 January 2023
Sheffield United England Zoe Johnson (interim) End of interim period 14 February 2023[14] 11th England Jonathan Morgan 14 February 2023
Crystal Palace England Dean Davenport Suspended[lower-alpha 1] 12 March 2023[16] 6th England Mike Lowne (interim) 12 March 2023
Blackburn Rovers England Gemma Donnelly Mutual consent 4 April 2023[17] 11th England Matt Bee (interim) 4 April 2023
  1. ↑ Davenport was initially suspended pending an internal investigation on 12 March 2023. His permanent departure was confirmed on 15 May 2023.[15]

Table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Bristol City (C, P) 22 15 3 4 39 12 +27 48 Promotion to the WSL[lower-alpha 1]
2 Birmingham City 22 15 2 5 39 22 +17 47
3 London City Lionesses 22 14 3 5 49 20 +29 45
4 Charlton Athletic 22 11 5 6 34 27 +7 38
5 Crystal Palace 22 11 1 10 28 34 −6 34
6 Southampton 22 9 6 7 22 15 +7 33
7 Durham 22 8 4 10 30 29 +1 28
8 Sheffield United 22 8 3 11 32 25 +7 27
9 Lewes 22 7 5 10 20 29 −9 26
10 Blackburn Rovers 22 5 8 9 20 29 −9 23
11 Sunderland 22 5 3 14 26 38 −12 18
12 Coventry United (R) 22 2 1 19 16 75 −59 7 Relegation to the National League
Source: FA
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ↑ Dependent on obtaining a licence.

Results

Home \ Away BLB BRI BIR CHA COV CRY DUR LEW LCL SHU SOU SUN
Blackburn Rovers — 0–0 0–2 1–1 3–2 1–3 2–2 1–0 2–3 1–0 1–1 1–0
Bristol City 2–0 — 0–1 4–0 3–2 3–0 3–0 2–0 3–1 0–1 1–1 1–0
Birmingham City 2–1 2–0 — 2–2 3–2 3–1 1–0 0–0 0–1 2–1 2–1 1–3
Charlton Athletic 2–2 0–2 3–0 — 1–0 1–1 2–0 1–0 3–4 1–0 1–0 2–2
Coventry United 3–1 0–1 0–1 1–4 — 3–2 1–5 0–1 0–5 0–4 0–4 0–5
Crystal Palace 1–0 0–3 2–4 1–2 3–0 — 1–0 4–1 0–5 2–1 1–2 0–2
Durham 3–1 1–1 1–2 1–2 5–1 0–1 — 2–1 3–0 1–0 0–0 1–1
Lewes 1–0 0–1 0–4 2–1 1–1 0–1 1–2 — 0–0 2–2 2–2 2–0
London City Lionesses 0–0 2–0 3–2 1–0 9–0 0–1 3–0 3–1 — 1–2 1–1 3–1
Sheffield United 1–1 1–3 0–1 1–0 8–0 0–1 2–0 2–3 0–2 — 0–1 4–2
Southampton 0–0 0–1 1–0 0–2 3–0 2–0 0–1 0–1 1–0 0–1 — 1–0
Sunderland 0–1 0–5 0–4 2–3 3–0 1–2 3–2 0–1 0–2 1–1 0–1 —
Source: Source
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top scorers

As of 30 April 2023

Rank Player Club Goals
1 England Melissa Johnson Charlton Athletic 12
2 Scotland Sarah Ewens London City Lionesses 11
Jamaica Shania Hayles Bristol City
England Jade Pennock Birmingham City
5 England Saffron Jordan Blackburn Rovers 10
6 England Courtney Sweetman-Kirk Sheffield United 9
7 Jamaica Atlanta Primus London City Lionesses 8
England Emily Scarr Sunderland
9 England Grace Clinton Bristol City 7
England Mia Enderby Sheffield United
England Rio Hardy Durham
England Katie Wilkinson Southampton

Awards

Annual awards

Award Winner Club
Player of the Season England Jade Pennock Birmingham City
Golden Boot England Melissa Johnson Charlton Athletic
Golden Glove England Fran Bentley Bristol City

See also

References

  1. ↑ "New brand identity". www.thefa.com.
  2. ↑ "Barclays Women's Super League rebranded". www.mancity.com.
  3. ↑ "New look for BWSL and BWC". womenscompetitions.thefa.com. 10 June 2022.
  4. ↑ "Coventry United relegated from the Barclays Women's Championship". FAWSL Full-Time. 2 April 2023.
  5. ↑ "Smith 'excited' as Bristol City return to WSL". BBC Sport.
  6. ↑ "LFC Women crowned champions and secure return to WSL". Liverpool FC.
  7. ↑ "Birmingham's fall from WSL high-flyers to relegation". BBC Sport.
  8. ↑ "Late free kick relegates Golden Girls". Watford Observer.
  9. ↑ "Saints win play-off to reach Women's Championship". BBC Sport.
  10. 1 2 "Lewes appoint Booth as new women's manager". BBC Sport.
  11. ↑ "Burch named Coventry United Women manager". BBC Sport.
  12. ↑ "Club statement: Neil Redfearn". Sheffield United FC.
  13. ↑ "Melissa Phillips departs as London City Lionesses head coach". London City Lionesses. 24 January 2023.
  14. ↑ "Jonathan Morgan appointed as Sheffield United Women head coach". Sheffield United FC.
  15. ↑ Woosnam, Matt (15 May 2023). "Crystal Palace Women manager Dean Davenport and members of staff leave club". The Athletic.
  16. ↑ "Davenport suspended in Palace Women investigation". BBC Sport.
  17. ↑ "Blackburn Rovers manager leaves after nine years in charge". Lancashire Telegraph.
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