2011 FA WSL

FA WSL
	Arsenal's Ellen White and Steph Houghton with the trophy
Season	2011
Champions	Arsenal; 1st WSL title; 13th English title
Champions League	Arsenal; Birmingham City
Matches played	56
Goals scored	142 (2.54 per match)
Top goalscorer	Rachel Williams (14)
Biggest home win	Birmingham City 4–0 Bristol Academy; 14 April 2011
Biggest away win	Liverpool 0–4 Birmingham City; 20 April 2011
Highest scoring	Liverpool 3–3 Everton; 14 April 2011
Longest winning run	5 games; Birmingham City
Longest unbeaten run	10 games; Birmingham City
Longest winless run	11 games; Liverpool
Highest attendance	2,510; Chelsea v Arsenal
Lowest attendance	120; Liverpool v Doncaster Rovers Belles
	2012 →

The 2011 FA WSL was the inaugural season of the FA WSL, the top-level women's football league of England. The season began on 13 April 2011 and ended on 28 August 2011.^[1] The league also took a break between 12 May and mid-July to allow preparation for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.^[2]

Arsenal won the competition, their eighth consecutive English title, Birmingham finished second. The second entry to the UEFA Women's Champions League was supposed to be given to the FA Women's Cup winner,^[3] but on 6 December 2011 it was announced that Birmingham as runners-up were given the spot.^[4]

Teams

Team	Location	Ground	Capacity	Avg Att	2009–10 season
Arsenal	Borehamwood	Meadow Park	4,502	621	Premier League National, 1st
Birmingham City	Stratford-upon-Avon	The DCS Stadium	1,400	544	Premier League National, 10th
Bristol Academy	Filton	Stoke Gifford Stadium	1,500	635	Premier League National, 12th
Chelsea	Morden	Imperial Fields	3,500	880	Premier League National, 3rd
Doncaster Rovers Belles	Doncaster	Keepmoat Stadium	15,231	448	Premier League National, 6th
Everton	Crosby	The Arriva Park	3,185	519	Premier League National, 2nd
Lincoln Ladies	Lincoln	Sincil Bank/Ashby Avenue	10,120	560	Premier League Northern, 2nd
Liverpool	Skelmersdale	West Lancashire College	2,500	466	Premier League Northern, 1st

Doncaster Rovers Belles

Locations of the 2011 Super League teams

Sixteen clubs applied for a place in the inaugural season of the league: Arsenal, Barnet, Birmingham City, Bristol Academy, Chelsea, Colchester United, Doncaster Rovers Belles, Everton, Leeds Carnegie, Leicester City, Lincoln Ladies, Liverpool, Millwall Lionesses, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Sunderland.^[5] Leeds Carnegie later withdrew their application.^[6]

Eight clubs were then picked by the FA from the remaining fifteen applicants: Arsenal, Birmingham City, Bristol Academy, Chelsea, Doncaster Rovers Belles, Everton, Lincoln Ladies, and Liverpool.^[7]

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Arsenal (C)	14	10	2	2	29	9	+20	32	Qualification to Champions League
2	Birmingham City	14	8	5	1	29	13	+16	29	Qualification to Champions League
3	Everton	14	7	4	3	19	13	+6	25
4	Lincoln Ladies	14	6	3	5	18	16	+2	21
5	Bristol Academy	14	4	4	6	14	20	−6	16
6	Chelsea	14	4	3	7	14	19	−5	15
7	Doncaster Rovers Belles	14	2	3	9	9	26	−17	9
8	Liverpool	14	1	4	9	10	26	−16	7

Source: FA WSL results
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions

Results

Home \ Away	ARS	BIR	BRI	CHE	DON	EVE	LIV	LIN
Arsenal		1–2	1–0	3–0	3–0	1–0	3–0	4–0
Birmingham City	1–1		4–0	3–2	3–0	2–3	0–0	1–0
Bristol Academy	2–2	2–3		0–0	1–0	0–2	1–1	2–3
Chelsea	0–1	1–1	0–1		2–1	1–3	0–1	1–1
Doncaster Rovers Belles	0–3	2–2	1–2	1–4		0–1	1–0	0–3
Everton	3–1	0–2	0–0	2–0	1–1		1–0	0–2
Liverpool	1–3	0–4	0–2	1–2	1–1	3–3		0–1
Lincoln Ladies	0–2	1–1	3–1	0–1	0–1	0–0	4–2

Updated to match(es) played on 28 August 2011. Source: FA WSL results
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top scorers

Rank	Scorer	Club	Goals^[8]
1	Rachel Williams	Birmingham City	14
2	Kim Little	Arsenal	8
3	Natasha Dowie	Everton	7
4	Ellen White	Arsenal	6
5	Rachel Yankey	Arsenal	5

League Cup

The inaugural season of the League Cup, named the WSL Continental Cup, was played as a straight knock-out tournament. Arsenal won the Cup with a 4–1 victory over Birmingham. Arsenal also won the League and Women's FA Cup thus winning a treble that season.^[9]

Quarter-finals		Semi-finals		Final

4 September – Skelmersdale

Liverpool	0
		11 September – Borehamwood
Arsenal	4
		Arsenal	3
4 September – Bristol
		Lincoln Ladies	1
Bristol Academy	1
				25 September – Burton-on-Trent
Lincoln Ladies	2
				Arsenal	4
4 September – Doncaster
				Birmingham City	1
Doncaster Rovers Belles	0
		11 September – Stratford upon Avon
Birmingham City	4
		Birmingham City	2
4 September – Morden
		Everton	1
Chelsea	0

Everton	4

Quarterfinals

4 September 2011

Bristol Academy	1–2	Lincoln Ladies
Fishlock 45+2'	Report	Harris 41' Clarke 77'

Stoke Gifford Stadium, Filton

4 September 2011

Chelsea	0–4	Everton
	Report	Harries 4' Dowie 30' Buet 65' (o.g.) Hinnigan 69'

Imperial Fields, Mitcham

4 September 2011

Doncaster Rovers Belles	0–4	Birmingham City
	Report	Williams 16', 42', 47' Taylor 80'

Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster

Attendance: 198

4 September 2011

Liverpool	0–4	Arsenal
	Report	Grant 9' White 47' Beattie Little 88'

Skelmersdale Ormskirk Stadium, Skelmersdale

Semifinals

11 September 2011

Birmingham City	2–1	Everton
Williams 62' Taylor 90'	Report	Duggan 15'

Knights Lane, Tiddington

Attendance: 212

11 September 2011

Arsenal	3–1	Lincoln Ladies
Houghton 29' Carter 36' Little 73'	Report	Allen 63'

Meadow Park, Borehamwood

League Cup Final

25 September 2011

Arsenal	4–1	Birmingham City
White 26' Ludlow 27' Yankey 70', 84'	Report	Williams 72'

Pirelli Stadium, Burton-on-Trent

Attendance: 2,167

Referee: Sash Ihringova

References

^ "WSL fixtures confirmed". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
^ thefa.co.uk Archived 16 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine; FAQ on the FA WSL, No. 23
^ "Arsenal take English WSL title". UEFA. 28 August 2011. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
^ "Champions League For Birmingham City". shekicks.net. 6 December 2011. Archived from the original on 31 May 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
^ "Super League's Sixteen Applicants". Shekicks. 7 January 2010. Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
^ Tony Leighton (25 January 2010). "Leeds Carnegie could fold after ending Super League interest". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 29 January 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
^ "Eight Super League clubs announced". The Football Association official website. 22 March 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
^ "2011 Goal scorers". women.soccerway.com.
^ "Arsenal complete treble with Continental Cup triumph". BBC. 25 September 2011. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2014.

[1] "WSL fixtures confirmed". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2011.

[2] thefa.co.uk Archived 16 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine; FAQ on the FA WSL, No. 23

[3] "Arsenal take English WSL title". UEFA. 28 August 2011. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2011.

[4] "Champions League For Birmingham City". shekicks.net. 6 December 2011. Archived from the original on 31 May 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2011.

[5] "Super League's Sixteen Applicants". Shekicks. 7 January 2010. Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2010.

[6] Tony Leighton (25 January 2010). "Leeds Carnegie could fold after ending Super League interest". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 29 January 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2010.

[7] "Eight Super League clubs announced". The Football Association official website. 22 March 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2011.

[8] "2011 Goal scorers". women.soccerway.com.

[9] "Arsenal complete treble with Continental Cup triumph". BBC. 25 September 2011. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2014.

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