Crystal Palace Football Club Women is a women's association football club based in South London, England, which competes in the Women's Super League, the highest level of English women's football. The team, known as the "Eagles", is affiliated to the men's equivalent Crystal Palace F.C..
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| Full name | Crystal Palace Football Club Women | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Eagles | |||
| Founded | 1992 | |||
| Ground | VBS Community Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 5,013 | |||
| Chairman | Steve Parish | |||
| Manager | Laura Kaminski | |||
| League | Women's Super League | |||
| 2023–24 | Women's Championship, 1st of 12 (promoted) | |||
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The club play its home matches at the VBS Community Stadium in Sutton, South London, as well as select matches at Selhurst Park. They previously played at Hayes Lane, the home ground of Bromley F.C., between 2014 and 2023.
History
editThe club was formed in 1992 as Crystal Palace Ladies F.C.. Since 2003, the club has risen up England's football pyramid, winning the South East Combination Women's Football League in 2003–04, and they later achieved their first cup success defeating Chelsea in the Surrey FA County Cup final in 2011. Palace won the London and South East Women's Regional Football League title in 2013–14, gaining promotion to the FA Women's National League regional section. They won the South East Division One title in 2015–16, after going the whole season undefeated. The club also won the Surrey FA County Cup that same season against AFC Wimbledon in the final.
In 2018, Palace were given semi-professional status, and secured a Tier 2 license, allowing them to become a founding member of the FA Women's Championship, the second highest tier in women’s football.[1] Then in 2019, it was announced by the club they would play under the name "Crystal Palace F.C." instead of "Crystal Palace Ladies F.C.", following the growing trend within the women's game at that time to move away from the term "Ladies".[2]
Following mixed results in their first three years in the Women's Championship, Palace recorded back-to-back top-five finishes in the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons.[3] It was around this time that the club officially became part of the CPFC Limited group in June 2022, and they received full professional status in 2023, followed by the securing of a Tier 1 license in April 2024, which would allow their eventual entry into the Women's Super League (WSL).[4]
In the summer of 2023, the club appointed Grace Williams,[5] as Head of Women’s Football, and Laura Kaminski,[6] as Head Coach. This resulted in Palace gaining promotion to the Women's Super League as champions at the end of the 2023–24 Championship season. The club scored 55 goals – and conceded just 20 – in 22 matches. It also marked Palace’s inaugural promotion to the top-flight of women’s football.[7] The promotion was sealed with a final-day draw against Sunderland at Selhurst Park, in front of a record crowd of 6,796.[8]
Players
editCurrent squad
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Former players
editClub staff
edit| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman |  Steve Parish[11]
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| Head of women's football | Grace Williams[5]
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| Head Coach | Laura Kaminski[6]
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| Assistant Coach | Adam Jeffrey[12]
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| Goalkeeping Coach |  Daniel Matraszek
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| Physical Performance Coach |  Chico Lyons
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| Physiotherapist | Tadej Citti
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Honours
editLeagues
edit- Women's Championship
- Champions: 2023–24
- FA Women's National League South East Division One
- Champions: 2015–16
- London and South East Women's Regional Football League
- Champions: 2013–14
- South East Combination Women's Football League
- Champions: 2003–04
Cups
edit- Surrey County Cup
- Winners: 2010–11, 2015–16
- Runners-up: 2005–06, 2007–08, 2012–13
- Capital Women's Senior Cup
- Runners-up: 2017–18
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "CLUB STATEMENT: FA Women's Championship - News - Crystal Palace Ladies FC". 9 February 2019. Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "A new identity for Crystal Palace Ladies Football Club". CPFC Official Site. 10 June 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
- ^ "Crystal Palace Women announce 22/23 squad – with 15 additions - News". Crystal Palace F.C. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "Crystal Palace – 23/24 Women's Championship winners! - News". Crystal Palace F.C. 28 April 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ a b "Crystal Palace appoint new Head of Women's Football - News". Crystal Palace F.C. 11 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ a b "Palace Women appoint Laura Kaminski as head coach". cpfc.co.uk. Crystal Palace FC. 14 July 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ 'No-one expected this' - Crystal Palace reach WSL, Emma Smith, BBC Sport, 28 April 2024
- ^ "Report: Palace win Women's Championship crown at Selhurst Park - News". Crystal Palace F.C. 28 April 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "Women Squad". Crystal Palace F.C. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
- ^ "Ready to take on foreign opposition 🙌". Instagram. Crystal Palace Women FC. 12 September 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "Parish urges women's league overhaul to build on Euro 2022 - News". Crystal Palace F.C. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "Adam Jeffrey joins Palace Women as Assistant Coach". cpfc.co.uk. Crystal Palace FC. 22 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.