Everton Ladies FC 2007-08 Season

National Premier League: Runners Up.
League Cup: Winners; beat Arsenal 1-0
FA Cup: Semi Finals; Lost 5-4 on penalties to Leeds United.
UEFA Cup: 2nd Group Stage.

Highlight:
1-0 win over Arsenal in the League Cup final.

Low Spot:
1-2 defeat to Rapid Wezemaal in their UEFA Cup 2nd group game.

Good:
Lindsay Johnson
Johnson was absolutely magnificent throughout the season at the heart of an Everton defence that ended up almost impregnable. Strong, dominant in the air and on the ground, quick, comfortable with the ball at her feet.
What more could you ask for?
Emily Westwood
See above.

In Brief:
The season started disappointingly for Everton as they dropped points to Birmingham in their second league game and then lost out in the 2nd group stage of the UEFA Cup but ended in triumph with the League Cup secured after a famous victory over Arsenal.
Everton also held Arsenal to a draw in the second of their league encounters and will feel justifiably confident that they can challenge The Gunners consistently for domestic honours from now on.
Their impressive defence continued to improve and looked truly formidable by the end of the campaign while players like Jill Scott and Natasha Dowie helped sharpen the teams’ cutting edge as they too got better the longer the season went on.
There should be much more to come from Jo Potter next season while several youngsters, notably Toni Duggan, are also pressing the established order for a starting place which means Everton have every right to feel optimistic about the future.

Everton Ladies FC have been threatening to become a real dominant force in womens football for the past decade without ever quite managing to really break through.

The club started life as Leasowe Pacific and shot to national prominence by reaching successive FA Cup finals in 1988 and 89.

They lost the first of these games to Doncaster Belles 3-2 but were victorious a year later, defeating Friends of Fulham, also 3-2.

The club became known as Everton Ladies in the mid 1990's and instantly made their mark.

In 1997 they reached the final of the Premier League Cup only to lose to Millwall Lionesses, 1-2.

The following year, however, Everton Ladies were crowned National Premier League Champions.

This success might have been expected to herald a new dawn in the womens game but this did not materialise.

In 1999 the club again lost in the League Cup final, 1-3 to Arsenal Ladies, and last season reached the FA Womens Cup final only to lose 0-1 to Charlton Athletic Ladies after a disappointing display.

At present the club is one of the top three sides in the country and boasts an enviable spine in England internationals Rachel Brown (goalkeeper), Lindsay Johnson (centre half), Rachel Unitt (left back) and Fara Williams (central midfield).

It would be nice to think the club will receive the support it needs to maintain its standing and offer a consistent challenge to Arsenal Ladies, Charlton Ladies and hopefully a few others as well.

The Ladies do recieve some coverage on Everton's official website although not, perhaps, as much as a fine side deserves.