Team: Birmingham City
Manager: David Parker
Last Season: 7th
Continental Cup: Semi Final
Key Transfers in: Corina Schroder (Liverpool)
Key Transfers out: Karen Carney (Arsenal), Rebecca Spencer (Chelsea)
2015 was a season to forget for David Parker’s side as they failed to build on their 3rd placed WSL finish of 2014 as they slumped to seventh place. Unable to capitalise on the slump of Champions Liverpool, having at one point had the 2014 WSL title in their own destiny on the final day of the season, Birmingham struggled in 2015 as they won just three times scoring just seven league goals all season.
A further blow was handed in the winter transfer period as top goalscorer Karen Carney, scorer of five of those seven goals, left to pursue her title ambition at Chelsea whilst highly rated goalkeeper followed her shortly afterwards.
The stats made difficult reading for Birmingham City last season as their seven league goals produced just one home league win and their supporters saw no less than three 0-0 draws. However they will look to take the positives from their season which saw them concede just 14 goals bettered only by the bigger budgeted sides of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City. They also collected four points of a tenacious NottsCounty team, winning 1-0 away, and earned draws at home to Sunderland and most impressively Manchester City.
Birmingham City fans who were hoping to see some of the Karen Carney transfer money spur some transfer activity will have been disappointed as the club chose instead to rely on its youth structure and blood their blossoming prospects handing 10 players new contracts most notably defender Aoife Mannion and the highly rated Melissa Lawley.
The newly expanded WSL 1, with the additions of Doncaster Rovers and Reading to replace Bristol City are unlikely to offer an respite to Birmingham and it require a huge effort from their existing crop of players to recapture the highs of their 2014 season.
One to Watch: Melissa Lawley
It’s a testament to Birmingham’s commitment to youth when one of their most experienced players has more than four seasons under her belt despite being just 21 years old. Melissa Lawley has already made more than 60 appearances in three seasons for Birmingham.
Originally from Kidderminster, Lawley began her playing career at Arsenal Ladies where she gained UEFA Women’s Champions League experience. She became one of the youngest players to appear in WSL when she joined Bristol Academy before signing for Birmingham in 2013.
It was no surprise to see Lawley named the Players’ Player of the Season and Supporters Club Player of the Season. Lawley has since signed a new contract delighting her manager; “I know this is a big one for the fans and I’m delighted Melissa has extended her current contract. “
“She is a great asset to the Club and a player that will continue to excite the fans and get them off their feet.
“She is still only 21-years-old and now has four seasons’ worth of experience at the highest level.
“The sky is the limit with her ability and will have a massive future at the Club”.
Prediction: In the fallout of their disappointing season Birmingham City needed to add quality and much needed goals to their ranks to compete in a WSL side that saw them finish above only a part-time Bristol Academy and a Liverpool greatly ravaged by injuries. Instead five of their seven league goals left as the club has chosen to promote from within rather than recruit externally. As a result, with Liverpool retooling and Bristol Academy replaced by Champions Reading and an ambitious Doncaster Rovers Belles side its hard to see beyond another season of struggle for Birmingham. – 9th.
