2022–23 FA Women's National League
| Season | 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Watford |
| Promoted | Watford |
← 2021–22 2023–24 → | |
The 2022–23 FA Women's National League was the 32nd season of the competition, and the fifth since a restructure and rebranding of the top four tiers of English football by The Football Association. Starting in 1991, it was previously known as the FA Women's Premier League. It sat at the third and fourth levels of the women's football pyramid, below the Women's Championship and above the eight regional football leagues.[1]
The league featured six regional divisions: the Northern and Southern Premier divisions at level three of the pyramid, and Division One North, Division One Midlands, Division One South East, and Division One South West at the fourth level. The league consisted of 72 teams, divided into six divisions of 12 each. At the end of the season the winners of the Northern and Southern Premier divisions qualified for a play-off match to decide the overall National League champion which was promoted to the Women's Championship. The bottom two teams from each were relegated to the appropriate fourth tier FA WNL Division One. The winner of each Division One were promoted to the Northern or Southern Premier Division, with the bottom two teams in those leagues relegated to respective regional leagues.[2]
Premier Division
Northern Premier Division
| Season | 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Nottingham Forest |
| Relegated | Boldmere St. Michaels Loughborough Lightning |
| Matches | 132 |
| Goals | 479 (3.63 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Millie Ravening (Burnley) (18 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Burnley 7–0 AFC Fylde (22 February 2023) |
| Biggest away win | AFC Fylde 1–12 Nottingham Forest (15 January 2023) |
| Highest scoring | AFC Fylde 1–12 Nottingham Forest (15 January 2023) |
← 2021–22 2023–24 → | |
Changes from last season:
- Despite winning the Northern Division, Nottingham Forest lost the Championship play-off and therefore remained in the Premier Division.
- Boldmere St. Michaels were promoted from Division One Midlands as champions.
- Liverpool Feds were promoted from Division One North as champions.
- Middlesbrough were relegated to Division One North.
- Hull City were relegated to Division One North.
- Sheffield F.C. were relegated to Division One Midlands.
|
Location of Northern Premier Division clubs for the 2022–23 season
|
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nottingham Forest (C) | 22 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 81 | 18 | +63 | 54 | Qualification for the Championship play-off |
| 2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 22 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 61 | 17 | +44 | 54 | |
| 3 | Burnley | 22 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 66 | 28 | +38 | 52 | |
| 4 | Derby County | 22 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 50 | 32 | +18 | 38 | |
| 5 | Brighouse Town | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 28 | 27 | +1 | 31 | |
| 6 | Huddersfield Town | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 36 | 43 | −7 | 26 | |
| 7 | AFC Fylde | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 24 | 54 | −30 | 26 | |
| 8 | West Bromwich Albion | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 28 | 46 | −18 | 25 | |
| 9 | Liverpool Feds | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 36 | 45 | −9 | 24 | |
| 10 | Stoke City | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 32 | 49 | −17 | 24 | |
| 11 | Boldmere St. Michaels (R) | 22 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 27 | 61 | −34 | 16 | Relegation to the Division One Midlands |
| 12 | Loughborough Lightning (R) | 22 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 10 | 59 | −49 | 3 |
Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Results
Southern Premier Division
| Season | 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Watford |
| Promoted | Watford |
| Relegated | Bridgwater United Crawley Wasps |
| Matches | 132 |
| Goals | 415 (3.14 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Mollie Coupar (Milton Keynes Dons) Carly Johns (Oxford United) (15 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Ipswich Town 8–0 Cheltenham Town (30 April 2023) |
| Biggest away win | Crawley Wasps 1–6 Milton Keynes Dons (21 August 2022) Plymouth Argyle 0–5 Ipswich Town (20 November 2022) Crawley Wasps 0–5 Billericay Town (8 January 2023) Milton Keynes Dons 0–5 Watford (26 March 2023) |
| Highest scoring | Milton Keynes Dons 6–3 Billericay Town (5 February 2023) |
← 2021–22 2023–24 → | |
Changes from last season:
- Southampton F.C. were promoted to Championship as National League champions.
- Watford were relegated from Championship.
- Billericay Town were promoted from Division One South East as champions.
- Cheltenham Town were promoted from Division One South West as champions.
- Cardiff City Ladies were relegated to Division One South West.
- Chichester & Selsey were relegated to Division One South West.
- Hounslow were relegated to Division One South East.
- Keynsham Town were relegated to Division One South West.
|
Location of Southern Premier Division clubs for the 2022–23 season
|
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Watford (C, O, P) | 22 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 65 | 17 | +48 | 53 | Qualification for the Championship play-off |
| 2 | Ipswich Town | 22 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 48 | 11 | +37 | 53 | |
| 3 | Oxford United | 22 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 53 | 15 | +38 | 51 | |
| 4 | Portsmouth | 22 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 44 | 20 | +24 | 47 | |
| 5 | Milton Keynes Dons | 22 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 38 | 42 | −4 | 30 | |
| 6 | Billericay Town | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 37 | 41 | −4 | 28 | |
| 7 | Gillingham | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 23 | 29 | −6 | 28 | |
| 8 | Cheltenham Town | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 29 | 50 | −21 | 25 | |
| 9 | London Bees | 22 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 22 | 41 | −19 | 23 | |
| 10 | Plymouth Argyle | 22 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 23 | 45 | −22 | 19 | |
| 11 | Bridgwater United (R) | 22 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 20 | 43 | −23 | 14 | Relegation to the Division One South West |
| 12 | Crawley Wasps (R) | 22 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 13 | 61 | −48 | 7 | Relegation to the Division One South East |
Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Results
Championship play-off
The overall FA Women's National League champion was decided by a play-off match held at the end of the season between the Northern Division and Southern Division winners. The play-off match also earned promotion to the Women's Championship subject to meeting licensing requirements.
| Nottingham Forest | 0–1 | Watford |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Wilson 17' |
Attendance: 3,007
Division One
Division One North
| Season | 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Newcastle United |
| Promoted | Newcastle United |
| Relegated | Bradford City Merseyrail |
| Matches | 132 |
| Goals | 424 (3.21 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Hope Knight (Hull City) (20 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Newcastle United 9–0 Merseyrail (18 December 2022) |
| Biggest away win | Chorley 0–8 Durham Cestria (7 May 2023) |
| Highest scoring | Newcastle United 9–0 Merseyrail (18 December 2022) |
← 2021–22 2023–24 → | |
Changes from last season:
- Liverpool Feds were promoted to Northern Premier Division as Division One North champions.
- Hull City were relegated from Northern Premier Division.
- Middlesbrough were relegated from Northern Premier Division.
- Merseyrail were promoted as North West Women's Regional Football League champions.
- York City were promoted as North East Regional Women's Football League champions.
- Alnwick Town were relegated to North East Regional Women's Football League.
- Chester-le-Street were relegated to North East Regional Women's Football League.
- F.C. United of Manchester were relegated to North West Women's Regional Football League.
|
Chorley Merseyrail Norton & Stockton Ancients Location of Division One North clubs for the 2022–23 season
|
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newcastle United (C, P) | 22 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 65 | 18 | +47 | 56 | Promotion to the Northern Premier Division |
| 2 | Durham Cestria | 22 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 55 | 12 | +43 | 56 | |
| 3 | Stockport County | 22 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 39 | 23 | +16 | 37 | |
| 4 | Barnsley | 22 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 37 | 27 | +10 | 37 | |
| 5 | Hull City | 22 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 46 | 30 | +16 | 35 | |
| 6 | Leeds United | 22 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 41 | 34 | +7 | 35 | |
| 7 | Norton & Stockton Ancients | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 26 | 33 | −7 | 30 | |
| 8 | Chorley | 22 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 27 | 48 | −21 | 22 | |
| 9 | York City | 22 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 32 | 46 | −14 | 21 | |
| 10 | Middlesbrough | 22 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 23 | 46 | −23 | 21 | |
| 11 | Bradford City (R) | 22 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 22 | 48 | −26 | 18 | Relegation from the National League |
| 12 | Merseyrail (R) | 22 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 11 | 59 | −48 | 8 |
Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Division One Midlands
| Season | 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Stourbridge |
| Promoted | Stourbridge |
| Relegated | Wem Town Long Eaton United |
| Matches | 132 |
| Goals | 574 (4.35 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Niamh Deasy (Stourbridge) (17 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Sheffield 19–0 Long Eaton United (6 April 2023) |
| Biggest away win | Long Eaton United 1–16 Stourbridge (22 March 2023) |
| Highest scoring | Sheffield FC 19–0 Long Eaton United (6 April 2023) Lincoln City 18–1 Long Eaton United (30 April 2023) |
← 2021–22 2023–24 → | |
Changes from last season:
- Boldmere St. Michaels were promoted to Northern Premier Division as Division One Midlands champions.
- Sheffield were relegated from Northern Premier Division.
- Northampton Town were promoted from East Midlands Regional Women's Football League as champions.
- Stourbridge were promoted from West Midlands Regional Women's Football League as champions.
- Bedworth United were relegated to West Midlands Regional Women's Football League.
- Burton Albion were relegated to West Midlands Regional Women's Football League.
- Despite finishing the 2021–22 season in a relegation place in 10th, Wem Town were handed a reprieve from relegation.[3]
|
Leek Town Long Eaton United Northampton Town Peterborough United Solihull Moors Location of Division One Midlands clubs for the 2022–23 season
|
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stourbridge (C, P) | 22 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 86 | 16 | +70 | 54 | Promotion to the Northern Premier Division |
| 2 | Doncaster Rovers Belles | 22 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 45 | 22 | +23 | 42 | |
| 3 | Sporting Khalsa | 22 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 62 | 33 | +29 | 39 | |
| 4 | Peterborough United | 22 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 48 | 30 | +18 | 39 | |
| 5 | Northampton Town | 22 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 45 | 26 | +19 | 36 | |
| 6 | Lincoln City | 22 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 73 | 54 | +19 | 30 | |
| 7 | Solihull Moors | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 43 | 29 | +14 | 30 | |
| 8 | Sheffield | 21 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 46 | 28 | +18 | 28 | |
| 9 | Leafield Athletic | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 45 | 47 | −2 | 28 | |
| 10 | Leek Town | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 38 | 49 | −11 | 27 | |
| 11 | Wem Town (R) | 21 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 31 | 58 | −27 | 17 | Relegation from the National League |
| 12 | Long Eaton United (R) | 22 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 12 | 182 | −170 | 3 |
Updated to match(es) played on 7 May 2023. Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Division One South East
| Season | 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Hashtag United |
| Promoted | Hashtag United |
| Matches | 90 |
| Goals | 369 (4.1 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Ashlee Hincks (AFC Wimbledon) (15 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Hashtag United 13–2 Chesham United (12 October 2022) |
| Biggest away win | Norwich City 1–7 Hashtag United (12 February 2023) Chesham United 0–6 Hashtag United (16 March 2023) |
| Highest scoring | Hashtag United 13–2 Chesham United (12 October 2022) |
← 2021–22 2023–24 → | |
Changes from last season:
- Billericay Town were promoted to Southern Premier Division as Division One South East champions.
- Hounslow were relegated from Southern Premier Division.
- Chesham United realigned from Division One South West.
- Ashford Town were promoted from London and South East Women's Regional Football League as champions.
- Wymondham Town were promoted from Eastern Region Women's Football League as champions.
- Enfield Town were relegated to London and South East Women's Regional Football League.
- Harlow Town were relegated to Eastern Region Women's Football League.
- Kent Football United were relegated to London and South East Women's Regional Football League and rebranded to Ebbsfleet United.[4]
- Stevenage were relegated to Eastern Region Women's Football League.
- Wymondham Town withdrew from the league on 14 October 2022 and their results were expunged.
- Hounslow withdrew from the league on 28 February 2023 and their results were expunged. As a result of two teams withdrawing, there was no longer any relegation from Division One South East.
|
Ashford Town Cambridge City Chesham United Wymondham Town Location of Division One South East clubs for the 2022–23 season
|
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hashtag United (C, P) | 18 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 77 | 14 | +63 | 49 | Promotion to the Southern Premier Division |
| 2 | AFC Wimbledon | 18 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 45 | 13 | +32 | 45 | |
| 3 | Actonians | 18 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 52 | 26 | +26 | 32 | |
| 4 | Norwich City | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 32 | 34 | −2 | 30 | |
| 5 | London Seaward | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 34 | 31 | +3 | 29 | |
| 6 | Ashford Town | 18 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 34 | 41 | −7 | 23 | |
| 7 | Queens Park Rangers | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 31 | 36 | −5 | 22 | |
| 8 | Cambridge United | 18 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 30 | 45 | −15 | 14 | |
| 9 | Cambridge City | 18 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 17 | 50 | −33 | 7 | |
| 10 | Chesham United | 18 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 17 | 79 | −62 | 6 | |
| 11 | Hounslow (W) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Withdrew from league |
| 12 | Wymondham Town (W) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (W) Withdrew from the league
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (W) Withdrew from the league
Division One South West
| Season | 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Cardiff City Ladies |
| Promoted | Cardiff City Ladies |
| Relegated | Larkhall Athletic AFC St Austell |
| Matches | 132 |
| Goals | 539 (4.08 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Sarah Stacey (Exeter City) (29 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Cardiff City Ladies 10–0 AFC St Austell (12 February 2023) Keynsham Town 11–1 AFC St Austell (26 March 2023) |
| Biggest away win | AFC St Austell 0–12 Exeter City (22 February 2023) |
| Highest scoring | AFC St Austell 0–12 Exeter City (22 February 2023) Keynsham Town 11–1 AFC St Austell (26 March 2023) |
← 2021–22 2023–24 → | |
Changes from last season:
- Cheltenham Town were promoted to Southern Premier Division as Division One South West champions.
- Cardiff City Ladies were relegated from Southern Premier Division.
- Keynsham Town were relegated from Southern Premier Division.
- Chichester & Selsey were relegated from Southern Premier Division and rebranded to Selsey.
- Chesham United realigned to Division One South East.
- AFC St Austell were promoted from South West Regional Women's Football League as champions.
- Moneyfields were promoted from Southern Region Women's Football League as champions.
- Poole Town were relegated to South West Regional Women's Football League.
|
AFC St Austell Larkhall Athletic Maidenhead United Moneyfields Portishead Town Location of Division One South West clubs for the 2022–23 season
|
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiff City Ladies (C, P) | 22 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 86 | 13 | +73 | 58 | Promotion to the Southern Premier Division |
| 2 | Exeter City | 22 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 83 | 18 | +65 | 58 | |
| 3 | Moneyfields | 21 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 53 | 27 | +26 | 44 | |
| 4 | AFC Bournemouth | 22 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 59 | 21 | +38 | 43 | |
| 5 | Southampton Women | 22 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 50 | 31 | +19 | 42 | |
| 6 | Swindon Town | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 35 | 48 | −13 | 28 | |
| 7 | Portishead Town | 22 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 32 | 63 | −31 | 25 | |
| 8 | Selsey | 22 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 34 | 37 | −3 | 22 | |
| 9 | Keynsham Town | 22 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 36 | 64 | −28 | 22 | |
| 10 | Maidenhead United | 21 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 25 | 42 | −17 | 21 | |
| 11 | Larkhall Athletic (R) | 21 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 19 | 62 | −43 | 12 | Relegation from the National League |
| 12 | AFC St Austell (R) | 21 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 27 | 113 | −86 | 3 |
Updated to match(es) played on 7 May 2023. Source: The Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
See also
- 2022–23 FA Women's National League Cup
- 2022–23 FA Women's National League Plate
- 2022–23 Women's Super League (tier 1)
- 2022–23 Women's Championship (tier 2)
References
- ^ "Women's league restructure". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 2022-04-13. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
- ^ "FA Women's National League strategy 2022-25". The Football Association.
- ^ Cox, Lewis. "Wem Town are handed relegation reprieve". www.shropshirestar.com. Archived from the original on 2022-07-22. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
- ^ "Fleet announce women's and girls' teams for new season". Ebbsfleet United Football Club. Archived from the original on 2022-08-10. Retrieved 2022-07-22.