United Ladies to join Women's Super League
We are very proud to announce that the Oxford United Ladies team have been successful in gaining a license to join the new Women's Super League.
The WSL is the top level in women's football and in 2014 this will be extended to include WSL1 and WSL 2, with just 18 clubs being selected as founder members of the new leagues.
Oxford United Ladies, who won the county cup on Sunday and are still challenging for the title in the league, caught the headlines with a superb FA Cup run this season before losing to Everton in front of almost 1,000 people at the Kassam Stadium. They have been selected for the FA WSL2 league.
Simon Lenagan, head of the Oxford United Youth and Community Trust said
"This is fantastic news. To move from the fourth tier to the second tier of women's football in such a short space of time is a magnificent effort from everyone involved. The club has made huge strides in the three or four years since the ladies side starting to play competitively and that is down to an enormous amount of hard work from manager Richard Blackmore, the staff and of course the players.
"These are very exciting times for women's football and for Oxford United to be part of that is a great achievement."
"This and the success of the youth team this season embodies what Oxford United as a whole is striving for: bottom-up sustainable development, with investment in the right areas leading to success."
The successful applicants for WSL2 are:
Aston Villa Ladies FC
Doncaster Rovers Belles Ladies FC,
Durham Women's FC
London Bees Women's FC (Barnet FC),
Millwall Lionesses FC
Oxford United Women's FC
Reading Women’s FC
Sunderland Women's FC
Watford Ladies FC
Yeovil Town Ladies FC
FA WSL1 will comprise
Arsenal Ladies FC,
Birmingham City Ladies FC
Bristol Academy Women’s FC
Chelsea Ladies FC
Everton Ladies FC
Notts County Ladies FC (formerly known as Lincoln Ladies FC)
Liverpool Ladies FC
Manchester City Ladies FC