Bristol Academy Womens FC 2007-08 Season

National Premier League: 4th
League Cup: 2nd round; Blackburn Rovers a. 1-2
FA Cup: 4th round; Lost 4-3 on penalties to Leeds United.

Highlight:
4-3 win at Chelsea.

Low Spot:
2-6 defeat at Watford.

Good:
Jess Fishlock
This skilful, elusive midfielder showed up to real advantage after moving from Cardiff in the summer. Her slender build belies a competitive, energetic approach which she backs up with real talent.
Is a threat going forward with her dribbling and passing ability and is always good to watch.
Stef Curtis
Curtis is best known as a powerful, dangerous attacker but performed with distinction for her side in a number of positions during the season. Proved herself a more than capable centre half and even went in goal against Arsenal and only conceded one, late goal against the champions.

In Brief:
Bristol Academy were the early pacesetters in the Premier League as the top teams started late due to the World Cup but ended up having to settle for 4th place as Arsenal, Everton and Leeds overtook them in turn. This still represented a fine effort from Gary Green’s side but they continue to struggle to do more than compete against the very best.
Goals proved a problem in the run in as the club managed only one in their final five games and the loss of goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain before the start of the season also presented the club with a problem that had not been definitely solved by the end of it.

Bristol Academy Womens Football Club was formed in 1998 and has led an eventful existence.

The club was formed when girls playing in the Bristol Rovers junior sides became too old to continue and needed a senior team in order to carry on playing.

To manage this objective they merged with the Welsh side Cable-Tel LFC and joined the South West Womens Combination.

In 2001 the club won the Combination and were promoted into the National Premier League South and two years later they were the champions of that division, thereby gaining promotion to the National Premier League.

Last season the club finished a creditable fifth in the league but their future was then thrown into considerable doubt in the summer when Bristol Rovers FC were unable to continue financing the team.

Fortunately a deal was struck with Filton College's Academy of Sport and the club was able to continue, now as Bristol Academy WFC.

This deal only runs for twelve months, however, so the long term future of the club, certainly as a Premier League outfit, remains unsure.

It must be hoped that the club can overcome these difficulties, all too commomn in the womens game, and continue to flourish.

Bristol Academy have certainly responded with spirit to their problems in the summer and possess a competitive side with several outstanding prospects.

Siobhan Chamberlain, England's reserve goalkeeper, is one such talent and the club are also well served by the England under 19 captain Katie Holtham, Welsh international Michelle Green and the Republic of Ireland winger Stef Curtis.

The club has enjoyed almost total domination of the Gloucestershire FA Womens Cup, winning six out of seven trophies, but have suffered consistent heartache in the FA Womens Cup proper.

In three years out of four from 2001 the club reached the semi finals only to lose to Arsenal Ladies on each occassion.

Then, in 2005, they reached the last four again, this time to face Charlton Athletic Ladies, unfortunately with no more joy.

The club is still easy to identify with Bristol Rovers, playing in their distinctive blue and white quarters and retaining the nickname of the Gas Girls.