Football league season
The 2020–21 FA Women's National League was the 29th season of the competition, and the third since a restructure and rebranding of the top four tiers of English football by The Football Association. Starting in 1992, it was previously known as the FA Women's Premier League.[1] It sits at the third and fourth levels of the women's football pyramid, below the FA Women's Championship and above the eight regional football leagues.[2]
The league featured six regional divisions: the Northern and Southern divisions at level three of the pyramid, and below those Division One North, Division One Midlands, Division One South East, and Division One South West. The league consisted of 71 teams, divided into six divisions of twelve teams apart from Division One South West which contains 11 teams. At the end of the season the winners of the Northern and Southern Premier divisions would have both qualified for a play-off match to decide the overall National League champion. Both teams were due be promoted to the FA Women's Championship.
On 4 January 2021, the National League was suspended due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdown.[3] On 15 March, all tiers of the National League were curtailed for a second consecutive season.[4] Although there was no promotion and relegation between the tiers, including promotion from tier 3 into tier 2 and relegation from tier 6 into tier 7, an alternative method of upward club movement via application and based on set criteria was suggested in order to support the stability and integrity of the women's football pyramid. All clubs from tiers 3 to 6 were eligible to apply to move into the league immediately one tier above where they currently played with applications marked against a criterion weighted 75% on-field and 25% off-field.[5] As a result, Sunderland and Watford were awarded promotion to the FA Women's Championship ahead of the 2021–22 season.[6]
Premier Division
Northern Division
Changes from last season:
- Following the curtailment of the 2019–20 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020, it was decided there would be no promotion or relegation in the National League.
League table
Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
Southern Division
Changes from last season:
League table
Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
Division One
Division One North
Changes from last season:
- Following the curtailment of the 2019–20 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020, it was decided there would be no promotion or relegation in the National League.
- Bolton Wanderers reverted to their original name of Bolton Ladies after dropping their affiliation to Bolton Wanderers F.C.[10]
League table
Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
Division One Midlands
Changes from last season:
League table
Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
Division One South East
Changes from last season:
- Following the curtailment of the 2019–20 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020, it was decided there would be no promotion or relegation in the National League.
- AFC Basildon were renamed Hashtag United after merging with Hashtag United F.C.[14]
League table
Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
Division One South West
Changes from last season:
- Following the curtailment of the 2019–20 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020, it was decided there would be no promotion or relegation in the National League.
League table
Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
See also
References
- ^ "About the FA WPL". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 29 November 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ^ "Naming of restructured women's league pyramid confirmed". thefa.com. The Football Association. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
- ^ "Covid in England: Professional sport to continue in national lockdown". BBC Sport. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- ^ "Women's football: FA ends 2020-21 season for tiers three to six". BBC Sport. 15 March 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- ^ Association, The Football. "FA provides update on tiers 3-6 of the Women's Football Pyramid". www.thefa.com.
- ^ "Sunderland and Watford promoted to FA Women's Championship after successful bids". Sky Sports.
- ^ "Confused? Don't be! Chichester City Ladies are nothing to do with Chichester City Women". www.chichester.co.uk.
- ^ "Club Named Change Announcement". www.pitchero.com.
- ^ "Gillingham Ladies Senior Team". www.gillinghamfootballclub.com.
- ^ "Bolton Ladies set to go it alone after severing ties with Wanderers". The Bolton News. 15 June 2020.
- ^ "Boldmere St. Michaels Women rebrand". www.themikesfc.co.uk.
- ^ Hadley, Craig (4 June 2020). "Leicester United become Holwell Sports ahead of next season". Midland Women's Soccer. Archived from the original on 12 December 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- ^ "The New Saints Ladies split from parent club to become Wem Town LFC". BBC Sport. 9 August 2020.
- ^ "'Hours from folding' – how AFC Basildon became Hashtag United Women FC". Guardian. 4 May 2020.
External links
- Official website of the FA Women's National League
