The 1990s Decline
Pioneers of professional women's football in England.
Liverpool Football Club Women, commonly referred to as Liverpool or Liverpool Football Club Women if distinguishing themselves from the men's team, is a professional English women's football team based in St Helens, Merseyside, England. They have served as the official women's division of Liverpool Football Club since 1994. Founded in 1989 as Newton Ladies F.C. and subsequently renamed Knowsley United W.F.C., Liverpool Ladies and Liverpool F.C. Women over the years.
The club was a founding member of the top-tier Women's Super League in 2011. A year later, Liverpool became the first English football club to offer every female player full-time professional contracts. This decision pioneered the professionalisation of women's football in England and led to Liverpool winning back to back Women's Super League titles in 2013 and 2014. In 2022, they also won the FA Women's Championship, earning promotion back to the Women's Super League, having done so three times previously in 2003–04, 2006–07, 2009–10.
Quick Facts
- Managerial changes
- Graeme Souness
- Roy Evans
- Gérard Houllier
- Major trophies won
- FA Cup (1992), League Cup (1995)
Lore & Background
For most of the 1990s Liverpool were National Premier League mainstays but a lack of support and investment saw them relegated to the Northern Division in 2003. In 2004, they won the Northern Division and earned promotion, but did not stay long as they were relegated again at the end of the season, having won only two games. Their biggest rivalries were with Everton, but their spells in the second tier led them to develop rivalries with counterparts of male rivals in the lower tiers, such as Tranmere Rovers.
The Merseyside derby was rekindled in the 2007–08 season, after Liverpool won back promotion as 2006–07 Northern Division champions. Surviving their first season back in the FA Women's Premier League National Division, finishing third bottom, they sacked manager David Bradley at the end of the season. The club were relegated into the Northern Division for 2009–10, but won the league losing just one game all season. Liverpool also won the FA Fair Play Award after playing for the whole season without having a single player booked or sent-off.
Reader's Guide
It states that for most of the 1990s Liverpool were National Premier League mainstays, but does not give exact finishing positions for those years. Therefore, the claimed positions of 6th in 1992–93 and 8th in 1993–94 are not supported by the source.
More in Club History & Eras
Elsewhere in Liverpool FC
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