Bristol Academy Women’s Football Club (BAWFC)
Bristol Academy WFC only have two more fixtures left of the 2008/09 season.
We travel to title contenders Everton LFC on Sunday 19th April (KO 2pm)
& host Blackburn Rovers LFC on Sunday 26th April. This match will be played at MANGOTSFIELD UTD FC (KO-2pm)
EASTER FOOTBALL FUNDAYS ANNOUNCED
Bristol Academy WFC are running football fundays in association with Goals Soccer Centre during the coming Easter break. These will run from Monday 6th April until 9th April and 14th April until the 17th April inclusive, at Filton College WISE Campus.
Please download application form for more details.
As usual it has been a busy period for the Filton College Female Football Academy, with games coming thick and fast, however so far the team have handled the pressure very well. At this stage of the season we are still undefeated and even more impressive have managed to win every match so far this season. Though as we all know the season is a marathon not a sprint and having put ourselves in a fantastic position we must now treat every game as a ‘cup final’ to ensure we achieve our goals.
Over the last two weeks we have come through some big challenges. We have had to contend with lots of travelling, heavy pitches, different game styles and a squad tested to the max by injuries. During periods of trouble we have stayed strong and maintained our standards, which has allowed us to pick up some big results. Our first fixture of the period was an English Schools Cup game away at Exeter, traditionally a strong team at this level. In a game played in atrocious conditions of driving rain, strong winds and a heavy pitch we adapted brilliantly and produced a very professional performance to come away with a comfortable victory. The victory now means we meat Manchester College in the final at Norwich City FC. Considering every single College and School in England enters this competition this is a fantastic achievement for the girls and the college.
Next up were two games in the English Colleges League home and away against fellow title challengers Worthing. In the home fixture we were pushed all the way and had to show good organisation and discipline to ensure we kept a clean sheet and win the game 2-0. The following week we made the long, long journey to Worthing for the return fixture. This time we produced a performance far more like us and came away with a comfortable 4-0 victory. Knowing the importance of the game it was very pleasing the girls managed to be themselves in a pressurised situation.
Our most recent fixture was an English Colleges Cup quarter final against Lincoln. Lincoln travelled to Filton having played five and won five in their own league so we knew it would be a big challenge. We started the game with a great tempo and deservedly took an early 2-0 lead. We then had to again show good organisation and discipline to maintain our lead and managed to grab another vital goal just before half time to go in 3-0 ahead. Our second half display was probably our best of the season, we went on to score nine more goals highlighting the type of football we are capable of playing. One of the goals came after a move of well over 20 passes and would have graced any level. The one black mark on the day was we conceded our first goal in six games. We now move onto the semi finals.
A great month for the group has put us in a fantastic position. Already we are National five a side champions and now we have the opportunity to chase more silverware. We are under no illusions how difficult this will be but we are excited by the opportunity of being ourselves on the big stage.
International Call Ups for Filton College and Centre of Excellence Girls
Filton College Female football programme are proud to announce that winger Emma Plewa has been called up to the full Wales squad to compete in the Algarve Cup in March, a fantastic achievement for such a young player. Emma has been a regular in both the college and senior team this season and her performances have obviously caught the eye of the Welsh coaching staff.
Striker Sharla Passariello has also received a call up to attend a Wales Under 17 training camp due to be held in February. The College are also delighted to confirm that Centre of Excellence Under 16 left back Chelsea Green has also received a call up to the training camp, again a fantastic achievement for such a young player.
The international recognition is just reward for the effort of the players and the coaches who work tirelessly to give the girls the best possible opportunity to develop their talent.
Bristol Rovers Women’s FC became known as Bristol Academy Women’s FC during the summer of 2005 under a
new partnership agreement with Filton College. The Team are still known as the ‘Gas Girls’ and they
continue to perform in traditional Blue and White Quarters.
The change in title came after the College made a substantial commitment to the Gas Girls for the years ahead, allowing Bristol’s only top-flight women’s football club to continue with the same level of funding and facilities for the future.
Filton College has been Rovers Women’s most influential partner in the last three seasons, and the change in title to Bristol Academy reflects the continued successful affiliation between the College and the football club.
The Roots
Bristol Rovers Women’s Football Club was formed as a senior club in 1998 after girls, successively playing up to U16 level, became too old for these age groups.
A merger with Cable-Tel LFC, in Wales, enabled the Club to enter the South West Women’s Combination. Each season thereafter has brought its successes both in the league and the Women’s FA Cup.
From winning the SW Combination in season 2000/01, with Dave Bell as Manager, the Club was promoted to the Southern Section of the FA Women’s Premier League. At that time it was only champions of the league that were being promoted to the National Division and the Gas Girls had to wait until summer 2003, with Tony Ricketts at the helm, before successfully gaining a foothold with the elite. The first year within the National Division was difficult but season 2004/05, under the guidance of Gary Green, ended with the Gas girls finishing in their highest ever position, with only Arsenal, Charlton, Everton and Birmingham City being above them.
Cup Battlers
The Gas Girls have faired well in the Women’s FA Cup and have proved to be cup battlers. In 2000/01, whilst still only a South West Combination side, they reached the semi-final stage losing 3-0 to Arsenal Ladies in front of over 3,000 spectators at The Memorial Stadium. Having whetted the Club’s appetite, in two of the three following seasons Bristol Academy again reached the semi-finals only to find Arsenal outperforming them on each occasion.
The Gas Girls thought their time had eventually arrived in March 2005 when, with a strong side, they again they reached the semi final stage. With Arsenal being occupied in the other semi final tie, it was hoped that the Gas Girls would inflict a first ever defeat on Charlton Athletic. Unfortunately, in a disappointing game for the Gas Girls, they did not reproduce their excellent league form and a Cup Final appearance was again put on hold for a future season.
Despite not having appeared in the Women’s FA Cup Final yet, the Gas Girls have had phenomenal success in the Gloucestershire FA Women’s Challenge Cup. Since first entering the competition, back in 1998, the Club have lifted the trophy in no fewer than eight of the nine consecutive seasons, their near neighbours from the crimson part of the City of Bristol providing the only meaningful opposition.
Bristol Academy in 2007/2008 is building on the foundations set over the past couple of years and is a strong contender for end of season silverware. With International representing England, Wales and Ireland, this year’s squad is the strongest yet. With up to 10 players from Filton College’s Female Football Academy training with the senior team, Bristol Academy proves to have the ideal structure in place for developing young players and helping them achieve their goal of premiership football.