Hartlepool United F.C. Women

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Hartlepool United F.C. Women
Full nameHartlepool United Football Club Women
Nickname(s)Pools
Founded2015
GroundGrayfields Enclosure, Hartlepool
ManagerCraig Bage
LeagueNorth East Regional Women's Football League Premier Division
2022–233rd in NERWFL Division One North (promoted)
WebsiteClub website

Hartlepool United Football Club Women are an English women's football club affiliated with Hartlepool United F.C. and based in Hartlepool, County Durham. They are currently members of the North East Regional Women's Football League Premier Division, the fifth tier of the English women's football league system.

The club were formed in September 2015 and won the North East Regional Women's Football League Northern division in their first year. They achieved back-to-back promotions, defeating Sheffield Wednesday in a play-off final. For the following seasons, Pools would fare well at the top of the fifth tier but were relegated in 2022. However, Hartlepool would bounce back immediately to the fifth tier after a successful promotion application.

History[edit]

In 2015, a Hartlepool United Ladies team was launched.[1] In their first season, they were crowned Durham FA Women's League 1 Champions and won promotion to the North East Regional Women's Football League Northern division, the sixth tier of women's football in England.[2] They also won the Durham FA League Cup, defeating Bishop Auckland 3–1 in the final.[3]

Hartlepool enjoyed an equally successful second season as the side reached the first round proper of the Women's FA Cup for the first time, narrowly losing to local rivals Middlesbrough 1–0.[4] They also made it back-to-back promotions, defeating Sheffield Wednesday 3–1 in the league's play-off promotion final.[5] Pools adapted to life in the fifth tier well and finished third in the 2017–18 season[6] and runners-up in the 2018–19 season.[7]

The team was twice denied the opportunity to gain promotion to the FA Women's National League in the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons. In the 2019–20 season, Hartlepool were in third position when the season was cancelled in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic and had the highest points-per-game record, having played fewer games than the teams above them.[8] However, a decision was made by the FA to have no promotion and relegation for tiers three to seven of women's football.[9]

In the 2020–21 season, despite leading the division before the season was cancelled and having the highest points-per-game in the division,[10] Hartlepool decided not to apply for promotion and third placed team Alnwick Town made a successful application to take the promotion spot.[11]

In the following season, Hartlepool were relegated from the Premier division having finished in tenth place.[12] While the team enjoyed good form in the FA Cup, reaching the first round for a second time where they were defeated by Leeds United,[13] the side won only four of their twenty league games. After finishing third in the 2022–23 season, Pools were granted promotion following a successful application.[14] They will participate in the North East Regional Women's Football League Premier Division in the 2023–24 season and are managed by Craig Bage.[14][15]

Players[edit]

As of 7 January 2024[16]

Current squad[edit]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK England ENG Lauren Ranson
DF England ENG Jodie Borthwick
DF England ENG Georgia Breward
DF England ENG Ruby Coleman
DF England ENG Abby Freeman
DF England ENG Faye Garside
DF England ENG Jorja Hardman
DF England ENG Leo Kennedy
DF England ENG Laura Keogh
DF England ENG Mae Rackstraw
DF England ENG Emily Stuart
DF England ENG Ebony Thompson
MF England ENG Chelsea Basnett
MF England ENG Anya Geary
MF England ENG Zara Johnson
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF Poland POL Monika Kisicka
MF England ENG Lottie Portas
MF England ENG Katie Robinson
MF England ENG Justine Robinson
MF England ENG Alisha Smith
MF England ENG Macy Thornton
FW England ENG Olivia Bell
FW England ENG Stephanie Bilcliff
FW Barbados BRB Cheyanna Burnett-Griffith
FW England ENG Demi Fielding
FW England ENG Robyn Foster
FW England ENG Jade Pye
FW England ENG Atalia Robinson
FW Scotland SCO Sara Robson

Managers[edit]

As of 3 August 2023.
Name Nationality From To Honours Notes!
Andy Stuart  England 13 September 2015 20 May 2018 Durham FA Women's League One: 2015–16
Durham FA League Cup: 2015–16
NERWFL Northern League Play-off winners: 2017
[17]
Craig Devon  England 24 May 2018 15 February 2019 - [18][19]
Jonathan Gibbon-Hayes  England 15 February 2019 17 March 2021 - [19][20]
Chris Murphy  England 27 April 2021 1 July 2022 - [21][22]
Craig Bage  England 24 July 2022 Incumbent NERWFL Northern League Promoted: 2022–23 [23]

Records and statistics[edit]

Club records[edit]

As of the end of the 2022–23 season

  • Highest league finish: 2nd in NERWFL Premier, 2018–19
  • List of seasons spent at Level 5 of the women's football league system: 5
  • List of seasons spent at Level 6 of the women's football league system: 2
  • List of seasons spent at Level 7 of the women's football league system: 1

Most appearances[edit]

As of 7 May 2023

Rank Player Apps Goals Position Career
1 Emily Stuart 135 9 DF 2016–
2 Justine Robinson 116 80 MF, FW 2015–
3 Jade Pye 114 39 FW 2015–
4 Sarah Bartlett 87 5 DF 2015–21
5 Sarah Rowbotham 81 22 MF 2015–21

Honours[edit]

League

  • Durham FA Women's League One (level 7)

Cup

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Hartlepool United set up women's team". BBC Sport. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Hartlepool United Ladies are crowned Durham FA Women's League 1 Champions". Hartlepool Mail. 25 April 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Hartlepool United v Bishop Auckland Girls". In The Mad Crowd. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  4. ^ "'Come over and support them' – the inside track on Hartlepool United Women's team ahead of FA Cup first round clash with Leeds United". Hartlepool Mail. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Hartlepool United 3 Sheffield Wednesday 1: Pools Ladies win promotion play-off". Hartlepool Mail. 14 May 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  6. ^ "North East Regional Womens Football League - Premier". The FA. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  7. ^ "North East Regional Womens Football League - Premier". The FA. 1 June 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  8. ^ "North East Regional Womens Football League - Premier". The FA. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  9. ^ "All English football below National League ended with results expunged". Express and star. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  10. ^ "North East Regional Womens Football League - Premier". The FA. 1 June 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  11. ^ "We Are Going Up". Twitter. 2 June 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  12. ^ Joe Ramage (30 May 2022). "Hartlepool United Women relegated from North East Regional Women's Football League Premier Division". Hartlepool Mail. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  13. ^ "Whites Progress In The FA Cup!". Leeds United FC. 14 November 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Pools Ladies Promoted!". Hartlepool United FC. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  15. ^ Joe Ramage (25 July 2022). "Hartlepool United Women appoint new first team manager ahead of entertaining friendly with Darlington". Hartlepool Mail. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  16. ^ "Hartlepool United Women FC First". The FA. 2 August 2023.
  17. ^ "#Pools Ladies Team are on the look out for a new Manager after Andy Stuart decided to step down at the end of the current season". Twitter. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  18. ^ ""It's a great challenge and an exciting role so I just want to get my teeth in to it now." Craig Devon is the new Manager of Hartlepool United Ladies - and he can't wait to get started". Twitter. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  19. ^ a b "#Pools Women's Team have parted company with boss Craig Devon by mutual consent and appointed a new management team for the rest of the season". Twitter. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  20. ^ . Twitter https://twitter.com/Official_HUWFC/status/1372279808797859843. Retrieved 3 August 2023. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  21. ^ "HUWFC are pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Murphy as our new first-team manager". Twitter. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  22. ^ "HUWFC are looking for a new first-team manager for the 2022-23 season. We ask that all applicants have a minimum FA Level 2 coaching qualification". Twitter. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  23. ^ "We are delighted to announce the appointment of Craig Bage as our new first team manager. Craig has been with the club since July 2020, working as co-manager of our now U18 side and we look forward to working with him this season". Twitter. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  24. ^ a b c "Hartlepool United Women's Football Club". In The Mad Crowd. Retrieved 29 July 2023.

External links[edit]