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Bristol Rovers W.F.C.

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This article is about the team formed in 2019. For the team formed in 1998, see Bristol City W.F.C.

Bristol Rovers W.F.C.
Full nameBristol Rovers Women's Football Club
Nickname(s)Gas Girls
Founded2019
GroundMemorial Stadium
Coordinates51°29′48″N 2°33′58″W / 51.4968°N 2.5662°W / 51.4968; -2.5662
ChairmanHussain AlSaeed
ManagerNathan Hallett-Young
LeagueFA Women's National League Division One South West
2023–24South West Regional Women's Football League Premier Division, 1st of 9 (promoted)
Websitehttps://www.bristolroverswomensfc.com/

Bristol Rovers W.F.C. are a women's association football club based in Bristol that plays in the FA Women's National League Division One South West. They are affiliated to Bristol Rovers F.C. and are known colloquially as the Gas Girls in recognition of Bristol Rovers' unofficial nickname of The Gas.[1]

History

[edit]

Bristol Rovers Football Club launched their original women's team in 1998, and although they were successful (rising from the South West Combination to the top flight of women's football in England within five years) the financial situation within the football club in the mid-2000s led to the funding for the women's team being cut and them being renamed Bristol Academy W.F.C. in 2005,[2] eventually being re-branded again as Bristol City in 2016.[3]

In 2019, fourteen years after the name disappeared from women's football, it was announced that a new Bristol Rovers Women's team was being launched in time for the 2019–20 season and that they would be playing in the Gloucestershire County Women's Football League.[4] The launch of the new Bristol Rovers Women's Team was Co-Founded by Club Secretary & Media Manager, Matthew Davies and First-Team Manager, Nathan Hallett-Young. The first team was eventually accepted into Division One of the Gloucestershire League and the development team was granted a place in Division Two and a new logo was commissioned, based on the Bristol Rovers club badge and featuring a female pirate.[5] They play their home games at Lockleaze Sports Centre in the Lockleaze area of Bristol,[6] and are funded by the Bristol Rovers Community Trust.[7]

The first team played their first competitive match on 8 September 2019, a 5–0 win away to Abbeymead Rovers.[8]

The 'Gas Girls' pride themselves on their four key values (Community, Education, Participation & Performance). In its first year, the club was awarded the 'Best Community Football Development Initiative Award' at the 2020 FA Women's & Girls Football Awards. In September 2020, the club also announced a community partnership with Bristol Pride and launched a special edition away shirt. This shirt was later inducted into the National Football Museum collection after being rated the ninth best shirt for the 2020–21 season by the museum who also named it the bespoke women's away shirt of the season.[9][10]

After being top of the league in their first season when the season was annulled on account of the COVID-19 pandemic,[11] in their second season the 'Gas Girls' were crowned champions.[12] On 4 June 2021, it was confirmed that the FA had accepted the club's application for promotion to South West Regional Women's Football League Division One.[13] On 13 February 2022, the club secured back-to-back promotions after a 4–0 victory over Weston Mendip Ladies with the 'Gas Girls' having needed only a point to win the title.[14][15] This success was followed up seven weeks later when a 4–2 victory for the Development Squad saw them clinch the Gloucestershire County Women's League Division Two title.[16]

The 'Gas Girls' campaign for Women's football and support for HerGameToo was encapsulated when Bristol Rovers Women played Forest Green Rovers Ladies for at The Memorial Stadium. The game took place after the men's edition of the fixture. Tickets bought for the men's game included a free ticket for the Women's game in an attempt to increase interest. The result was a resounding success, the score ended 3-1 to the 'Gas Girls' and was played in front of a crowd of 2,247.[17]

Although they were denied promotion in the 2022–23 season, the Gas Girls won their first cup competition as a club, lifting the South West Premier League Cup in May 2023.[18] The following season, the club were crowned champions with two matches remaining, earning promotion to the National League.[19][20] Following this, it was announced that the club would be brought under the same management as the men's team and, from the 24/25 season, matches would be played at the Memorial Stadium.[21]

Season by season

[edit]
Season League FA Cup League cup County Trophy/Cup Top scorer Manager
Division Position W D L F A Pts League only All matches
2019–20 Gloucestershire League First Division N/A[a] 11 0 0 45 6 33 Not entered Semi-final[b] Second round Rossana Rocha (10) Georgia Vandries (17) Nathan Hallett-Young
2020–21 1st 5 1 0 32 1 16 Round 1Q Cancelled Cancelled[c] Georgia Vandries (11) Georgia Vandries (11)
2021–22 SWRWFL Northern Division 1st 14 1 1 77 12 43 Round 1Q N/A Quarter-Final[d] Zoe Fielden-Stewart (19) Zoe Fielden-Stewart (19)
2022–23 SWRWFL Premier Division 2nd 13 3 2 59 23 42 Round 3Q Champions Second Round Abigail Todd (22) Abigail Todd (26)
2023–24 1st 14 1 1 55 13 43 Round 2 Runners-up Not entered Laura Curnock (15) Laura Curnock (16)
Notes
  1. ^ The 2019–20 season was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Results of matches and player records still stand for the season, but the league tables were annulled.[11]
  2. ^ Rovers had reached the semi-final of the Gordon Perrett League Cup in 2019–20 when the season was suspended. The match, which was due to be against Pucklechurch Sports, was never played.
  3. ^ The Gloucestershire County FA elected not to hold any county cup competitions in the 2020–21 season due to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.[22]
  4. ^ Withdrew from the Gloucestershire Women's Trophy at the quarter-final stage due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the squad[23]

Honours

[edit]

First team

[edit]

Leagues

2023–24
2021–22[14]
2020–21[12]

Cups

  • South West Premier League Cup: Champions: 1
2022–23[18]

Development squad

[edit]

Leagues

2021–22[16]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Hill, Ryan (2 November 2014). "Bristol Rovers and the Gas tale: What's in a nickname". In Bed With Maradona. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  2. ^ "'We're just out there to enjoy it' - Bristol Rovers Women's FC look forward to their first football game". ITV News. 16 August 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  3. ^ "Bristol Academy to rebrand as Bristol City Women's FC". BBC Sport. 20 November 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  4. ^ Wilf Frith (2 May 2019). "Return of the Gas Girls". She Kicks. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  5. ^ John Evely (5 June 2019). "Bristol Rovers reveal new Gas Girls logo". Bristol Live. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  6. ^ Alexander Howick (29 May 2019). "Bristol Rovers female team make return after 14 years". BBC News. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  7. ^ Having a Gas (Radio broadcast). BBC Radio Bristol. 19 September 2019. Archived from the original on 26 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  8. ^ Martin Booth (9 September 2019). "Gas Girls return with resounding wins". Bristol 24/7. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  9. ^ "'Gas Girls'/Bristol Pride shirt inducted into the National Football Museum". www.bristolrovers.co.uk. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Object of the week: Bristol Rovers Gas Girls' Shirt". www.nationalfootballmuseum.com. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  11. ^ a b "AN UPDATE ON THE WOMEN'S FOOTBALL PYRAMID AHEAD OF THE 2020-21 SEASON". The Football Association. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Gas Girls declared as League Champions!". www.bristolroverswomensfc.com. 10 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Gas Girls promotion application has been accepted". www.bristolroverswomensfc.com. 4 June 2021.
  14. ^ a b "'Gas Girls' secure back-to-back League Titles!". www.bristolroverswomensfc.com. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Bristol Rovers women: Gas Girls celebrate back-to-back promotions". BBC Sport. 18 February 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Development Team clinch Gloucestershire County Women's League Division Two". www.bristolroverswomensfc.com. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  17. ^ @HerGameToo (24 April 2022). "A total attendance of 2️⃣, 2️⃣4️⃣7️⃣ fans turned up to watch Bristol Rovers Women play Forest Green Women yesterday. What a day!! 💛" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  18. ^ a b @GasGirlsWFC (21 May 2023). "22/23 @swwfl CUP CHAMPIONS!!! 🏆 #UTGG" (Tweet). Retrieved 26 May 2023 – via Twitter.
  19. ^ Hargraves, Daniel (11 March 2024). "The Gas Girls secure promotion to National League ahead of season finale at the Mem". Bristol Post. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  20. ^ @GasGirlsWFC (10 March 2024). "The Gas Girls are your 23/24 South West Regional Womens Football League 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦!!! 🏆 #UTGG" (Tweet). Retrieved 11 March 2024 – via Twitter.
  21. ^ "Gas Girls return home to Bristol Rovers stewardship". Bristol Rovers F.C. 19 April 2024.
  22. ^ "GLOUCESTERSHIRE FA COUNTY CUP 2020-21 SEASON". Gloucestershire County Football Association. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  23. ^ "Gas Girls withdraw from GFA Trophy due to positive Covid-19 cases". www.bristolroverswomensfc.com. 20 February 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
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