Blackburn Rovers Ladies

Blackburn Rovers Ladies Football Club are an English women's football club affiliated with Blackburn Rovers. In 2006 they won the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division and were promoted to the FA Women's Premier League National Division, where they played until relegation in the 2010–11 season. In 2018–19 they won promotion to second highest level league of English football.

History

Early days

The ladies' club was formed in 1991 as part of Blackburn Rovers' community programme, and reached the Northern Combination Women's Football League in 1998. After a few years in mid-table, the club began to take off in 2002. They moved into their parent club's lavish training facility at Brockhall Village,England youth striker Katie Anderton arrived from Tranmere Rovers and manager Marek Walsh demoted himself in favour of 25-year-old coaching prodigy Andy McNally. In 2003–04 Rovers won the Northern Combination by winning every match, and also added the Lancashire County Cup. The following season they finished a creditable third in the Premier League Northern Division.

Prior to the 2005–06 campaign, Rovers signed England Under-21 players Kay Hawke from Curzon Ashton and Lynda Shepherd from Stockport County. The club then won the league by finishing undefeated, with a record 20 wins from 22 games. McNally won FA Manager of the Year award, the first person from outside the top-flight to do so, while during the season Lynda Shepherd was called into a training camp with the senior England squad.

Women's Premier League National Division

For the club's first season at the top-level, Rovers arranged to play their home games at Clitheroe FC's Shawbridge ground. The squad was strengthened with the signing of Leeds United full-back Mel Cook and England striker Amanda Barr, from Charlton Athletic.

In October 2006 the club lost 6–3 to Chelsea in the Premier League Cup amidst farcical scenes. The controversial performance of the 20-year-ol