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The Women’s FA Cup

Road to the Final

ARSENAL v TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Tottenham Hotspur claimed their place in the quarter finals for the first time as they
won 5-0 against Coventry Utd. Rianna Dean scored a hat-trick, with Siri Worm and
Lucia Leon adding the others, as Tottenham booked a North London derby tie with
Arsenal in the last eight, the Gunners having reached this stage with a 2-0 victory
against Lewes.
Arsenal Ladies FC were formed in 1987 by Vic Akers, who enjoyed a 22-year
stint as manager of the club prior to moving upstairs to a general manager role in
2009. Vic now assumes the role of Honorary President of Arsenal Ladies. Under
Akers, the Gunners collected a stunning 33 major trophies - including a domestic
and European quadruple in 2007. His total haul included a UEFA Women’s Cup,
three domestic trebles, 12 Premier League titles, 10 FA Cups and 10 League Cups. It was a remarkable
set of achievements that cemented Arsenal Ladies as the foremost women’s football club in this country.
At present the Gunners have won 44 trophies in their 31-year history. None of this could have happened
without the backing and support of Arsenal Football Club itself.
In 2014, former player and development manager Clare Wheatley was offered the General
Manager's role after 18 years at the club. Clare oversees a staff of nine, who all work solely to develop
and co-ordinate the club’s female side.
Arsenal’s most decorated year was the 2006-07 season when they secured the historic quadruple
to mark their 20th anniversary. The Gunners - with probably the best women's team this country has ever
seen - became the first British team to win the UEFA Women’s Cup, beating Swedish side Umea 1-0 over
a two-legged final.
The 2011 season was a groundbreaking one for the Gunners, and for the women’s game in
general. It was the inaugural year of the Women’s Super League (WSL), which Arsenal won after fighting
out a close battle with Birmingham City and perennial rivals Everton. There was further success in 2012
when the Ladies won the WSL yet again and the Continental Cup for the third time in three years in 2013.
They then added the FA Cup twice consecutively in 2013 and 2014. The Gunners then won the
Continental Cup in 2015 in Pedro Martinez Losa's first full season, which also marked a decade of
success. Arsenal won the SSE Women's FA Cup in 2016 with a 1-0 victory over Chelsea in the Final at
Wembley Stadium, thanks to a stunning goal from Danielle Carter.
Joe Montemurro took over as manager in November 2017 and continued the club's tradition of
winning major trophies, lifting the Continental Tyres Cup for a fifth time and last season, they recaptured
the FA WSL title for the first time in seven years.
Manuela Zinsberger, Katrine Veje, Jennifer Beattie, Leah Williamson, Danielle van de
Donk, Jordan Nobbs, Danielle Carter, Kim Little, Vivianne Miedema, Lia Walti, Jill Roord, Katie McCabe,
Louise Quinn, Lisa Evans, Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, Caitlin Foord, Leonie Maier, Viktoria Schnaderbeck,
Beth Mead, Ruby Grant, Melisa Filis, Ruby Mace.
Chloe Morgan, Lucia Leon, Ria Percival, Josie Green, Sophie McLean, Anna
Filbey, Gemma Davison, Chloe Peplow, Rianna Dean, Coral-Jade Haines, Jenna Schillaci, Angela Addison,
Siri Worm, Kit Graham, Jessica Naz, Lucy Quinn, Emma Mitchell, Becky Spencer, Rosella Ayane, Hannah
Godfrey, Ashleigh Neville.
LEICESTER CITY v MANCHESTER CITY
Manchester City proved to be too strong for a valiant Ipswich Town side in the Fifth Round with a 10-0 win
ended the FAWNL Division One South East side's superb cup run. The holders will continue the defence
of the trophy against Championship opposition in the quarter finals, against Leicester City Women who
created the shock of the round when a Paige Bailey-Gayle double gave them a 2-1 victory over Reading
FC Women.
Leicester City WFC achieved four successive promotions since they were founded in 2004, they
gained promotion into the FA Women's Premier League in 2008. They finished fifth in their first season in
the Northern Division (Second Tier) before three consecutive third place finishes. After relegation in 2013,
Leicester City WFC dropped into the Midlands Combination - which due to the introduction of the FA
Women's Super League meant they were now playing fourth tier football. Having gone through a
succession of Managers in the 2012-13 season, the Club appointed A Licensed coach Stuart Wilson in
the Summer of 2013 with the ambition of getting the club back into the Northern Division at the first time
of asking. When Stuart Wilson left in the Summer of 2014, Reserves manager Jonathan Morgan stepped
Issue no. 28 - 12 March 2020 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk