The battle between Manchester City and Chelsea at the top of the Women’s Super League (WSL) might be the main storyline, but it is not the only exciting title race at the moment. With just two full matchdays to go, there are four points between the top four teams in the Women’s Championship.
Only the winner will be promoted to the WSL and all four are set to play each other on the final day of the season on April 28.
Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Southampton and Charlton Athletic all have deeply varying histories within the women’s game. They are evidence of the range of teams vying to compete at the top level of English women’s football, despite fears that the WSL looks increasingly set to mirror the Premier League.
Sunderland (20 games, 40 points)
Sunderland have not been in the WSL since 2018 (Stephen Pond – The FA via Getty Images)
Sunderland are top, a point clear of second-placed Crystal Palace, who have a game in hand. Top-flight women’s football has eluded the north east of England over the past couple of years, despite Sunderland’s illustrious history of developing a glut of England stars, including Lucy Bronze, Beth Mead and Jill Scott.
They have struggled in the past to meet the FA’s licensing requirements for participation in the WSL and Championship. Their initial application was rejected before the formation of the WSL in 2011, and while they eventually reached the top division in 2015, in 2018 they were moved down to the third tier after being considered as not up to scratch.
The current side have struggled against WSL opposition, having been soundly beaten by Aston Villa and Chelsea in the Continental Cup. Despite that, they have shown a lot of heart throughout the season, with their 4-3 win over Lewes being one of the games of the campaign.
Midfielder Jenna Dear scored in the 95th and 97th minutes to overturn a 3-2 deficit in that game, and that kind of attitude has helped them remain in contention for promotion.
Their match against second-placed Palace on the final day could well be decisive.
Remaining fixtures: Charlton (H), April 21; Crystal Palace (H), April 28
Crystal Palace (19 games, 39 points)
Crystal Palace are hoping to reach the WSL for the first time (Nigel Roddis – The FA via Getty Images)
Free-scoring Crystal Palace have been one of the best teams to watch in the Championship this year, scoring three or more goals on nine separate occasions, including a spectacular 9-1 win over Durham in September.
Wales striker Elise Hughes got four goals that day and she is tied with Sheffield United’s Izzy Goodwin as the Championship’s top scorer. The 22-year-old Everton academy product is one example of the talent Palace have recruited over the past couple of years.
Signing Ireland winger Izzy Atkinson from West Ham United in January was a coup for the Eagles, while Chelsea loanee Alexia Potter has looked mature beyond her 17 years in their midfield.
Palace are the only one of these four teams who are connected to a Premier League club, but it has not always been sunshine and roses. In 2018, Wilfried Zaha made a substantial donation to the women’s side to support them amid reports that reserve players were being asked to find £250 to continue playing. Palace Chairman Steve Parish has been outspoken in the past about the direction women’s football should take, advocating for mechanisms such as salary caps.
Regardless of whether they make it up this year, they are set to be big players in women’s football over the years to come.
Remaining fixtures: Birmingham (H), April 14; Lewes (A), April 21; Sunderland (H), April 28
Southampton (20 games, 36 points)
Southampton travel to Charlton on the final day of the season (Steve Bardens – The FA via Getty Images)
When Southampton’s men’s side were relegated from the Premier League last year, it was feared their promising women’s programme would go the way of so many others in bearing the brunt of cuts across the club. Instead, the Saints have already secured three more points than they managed in total last season.
Southampton have built their squad around a core of exciting young academy products, with 20-year-old Milly Mott, 21-year-old Ella Morris and 22-year-old Kayla Rendell all catching the eye. Goalkeeper Rendell had the compliment of being called up to the England senior squad over the recent international break — a very rare occurrence for a player in the second tier.
Managed by the England and Arsenal legend Marieanne Spacey, and with regular matches being held at St Mary’s, Southampton are one of the most exciting setups in the Championship right now.
Remaining fixtures: London City Lionesses (H), April 21; Charlton (A), April 28
Charlton Athletic (19 games, 36 points)
Charlton are looking to return to the elite of women’s football (Patrick Khachfe – The FA via Getty Images)
Led by former Tottenham manager Karen Hills, Charlton are bidding to return to the top flight of English women’s football for the first time since their women’s programme was cut when the men’s side were relegated from the Premier League in 2007… on the same day the women were playing in the FA Cup final.
With one FA Cup, two League Cups, and two Community Shields to their name, Charlton were one of the original shining lights of the women’s game, boasting talents such as Casey Stoney, Eni Aluko and Fara Williams.
This current iteration of Charlton are defensively solid, with youngsters Mia Ross and Kiera Skeels forming the spine of the side. They added experience by recruiting 34-year-old Kate Longhurst from West Ham over the summer but still tend to be a little bit goal-shy, which has cost them in recent weeks as they failed to capitalise on a 1-0 lead over London City Lionesses.
Having looked to be in one of the strongest positions a couple of weeks ago, their fate is now out of their hands.
Remaining fixtures: Watford (A), April 14; Sunderland (A), April 21; Southampton (H), April 28
Regardless of who ends up getting promoted, teams will find the real challenge begins as they try to compete at WSL level. Teams that fail to upgrade their squad significantly have tended to struggle in the top division, although it can also be far more sustainable to continue developing younger players while bearing in mind that relegation is a distinct possibility.
Despite this, the diversity of teams vying for the top spot should be celebrated in demonstrating it is possible to be a lower-league team with a competitive model in the women’s game.
While it might not be the case forever, right now the Women’s Championship has shown that, rather than just attaching yourself to a men’s Premier League team, another way is possible.
(Top photo: Stephen Pond — The FA via Getty Images)
Read the full article here