The 2015–16 FA Women's Premier League is the 25th season of the competition, which began in 1992. Formerly the top flight of women's football in England, this season it sits at the third and fourth levels of the women's football pyramid, below the two divisions of the FA Women's Super League and above the eight regional football leagues.
The league features six regional divisions: the Northern and Southern divisions at level three of the pyramid, and below those Northern Division 1, Midlands Division 1, South East Division 1, and South West Division 1. 72 teams were members of the league at the beginning of the 2015–16 season, divided equally into six divisions of twelve teams. At the end of the season the champions of the Northern and Southern divisions will both qualify for a playoff match against each other which will decide the overall league champion, who subject to meeting league requirements will be promoted to FA WSL 2.
Premier Division Northern Division
Changes from last season: League champions Sheffield were promoted to FA WSL 2. Wolverhampton Wanderers were relegated to Midlands Division One. Loughborough Foxes and Guiseley Vixens were promoted into the Northern Division from Midlands Division One and Northern Division One respectively. Copsewood (Coventry) relocated into the Northern Division from the Southern and were renamed Nuneaton Town. Coventry United moved in the opposite direction, relocating from the North to the Southern Division.
TeamHome ground2014–15 positionBlackburn RoversAnchor Ground, Darwen3rdBradford CityPlumpton Park, Bradford4thDerby CountyAnderson Electrical Arena, Derby6thGuiseley VixensNethermoor Park, Guiseley1st in Northern Division One (promoted)Huddersfield TownStorthes Hall Park, Kirkburton5thLoughborough FoxesLoughborough University Stadium, Loughborough1st in Midlands Division One (promoted)Newcastle UnitedSport Northumbria, Newcastle upon Tyne11thNottingham ForestGreenwich Avenue, Nottingham9thNuneaton TownLiberty Way, Nuneaton8th in Southern Division (swapped divisions with Coventry United)Preston North EndSir Tom Finney Stadium, Bamber Bridge8thSporting Club AlbionThe Grove, Halesowen10thStoke CityWellbeing Park, Stone7th
League table
Results
Southern Division
Changes from last season: Gillingham and Keynsham Town were relegated to South East and South West Division One respectively. Forest Green Rovers and C & K Basildon were promoted from South West and South East Division One. Coventry United relocated into the Southern Division from the Northern Division. Copsewood (Coventry) renamed themselves Nuneaton Town and relocated to the Northern Division.
TeamHome ground2014–15 positionBrighton & Hove AlbionCulver Road, Lancing2ndC & K BasildonThe Prospect Stadium, Canvey Island1st South East Division One (promoted)Cardiff CityCCB Centre for Sporting Excellence, Ystrad Mynach4thCharlton AthleticBayliss Avenue, Thamesmead, London3rdCoventry UnitedThe Oval Ground, Bedworth2nd in Northern Division (swapped divisions with Nuneaton Town)Forest Green RoversWisloe Road, Cambridge, Gloucestershire1st in South West Division One (promoted)LewesThe Dripping Pan, Lewes7thPlymouth ArgyleHaye Road, Plymouth10thPortsmouthPrivett Park, Gosport1stQueens Park RangersHoneycroft, West Drayton, London9thTottenham HotspurCheshunt Stadium, Cheshunt5thWest Ham UnitedHornchurch Stadium, Upminster, London6th
League table
Results
Championship play-off The overall FA WPL champion was decided by a play-off match held at Wycombe Wanderers' Adams Park stadium on 29 May 2016, which resulted in a 4–2 victory for Southern Division Brighton & Hove Albion over Northern Division Sporting Club Albion. Brighton won promotion to FA WSL 2 a few days after the match, having met The Football Association's licensing requirements for entry to the Women's Super League.
Division One Northern Division One
The teams competing this season are: TeamHome ground2014–15 positionBlackpool Wren RoversBrews Park, BlackpoolChester-le-StreetMoor Park, Chester Moor6thChorleyJim Fowler Memorial Fields, Leyland5thHull CityHamworth Park, HullLeedsWheatley Park, Garforth3rdLiverpool Marshall FedsI.M. Marsh Campus, Liverpool2ndMiddlesbroughTeesdale Park, Thornaby-on-Tees4thMorecambeLancaster & Morecambe College, Lancaster10thMossley HillMossley Hill Athletic Club, Liverpool7thNorton & Stockton AncientsNorton Sports Complex, Norton11thStockport CountyStockport Sports Village, Woodley8thTranmere RoversCross Lane, Wallasey9th
League table
Results
Midlands Division One
Changes from last season: Loughborough Foxes were promoted to the Northern Division. Wolverhampton Wanderers were relegated from the Northern Division. Birmingham & West Midlands Police were promoted from the West Midlands Regional League and changed their name to Birmingham & West Midlands. Peterborough Northern Star were promoted from the East Midlands Regional League. Mansfield Town and Curzon Ashton were relegated to the regional leagues.
The teams competing this season are:
TeamHome ground2014–15 positionBirmingham & West MidlandsShenley Lane Community Sports Centre, Birmingham1st in West Midlands Regional League (promoted)Leafield AthleticTriplex Sports Club3rdLeicester City LadiesLinwood Playing Fields, Leicester9thLeicester CityRiverside Pavilion, Leicester2ndLoughborough StudentsHolywell Park, Loughborough5thPeterborough Northern StarMick George Arena, Peterborough1st in East Midlands Regional League (promoted)Radcliffe OlympicWharf Lane Recreation Ground, Radcliffe-on-Trent4thRotherham UnitedRoundwood Sports Complex, Rotherham6thSolihullField Lane, Solihull7thSporting KhalsaAspray Arena, Willenhall8thSteel City WanderersPark Road, Worsbrough10thWolverhampton WanderersKeys Park, Hednesford12th in Northern Division (relegated)
League table
Results
South East Division One
Changes from last season: Gillingham were relegated from the Southern Division. Lowestoft Town and Old Actonians were promoted from the Eastern Region League and the London & South Eastern League respectively. C&K Basildon were promoted to the Southern Division.
The teams competing this season are:
TeamHome ground2014–15 positionBedfordWeston Park, Wootton8thCambridge UnitedUnwin Sports Ground, Ely7thCrystal PalaceHayes Lane, Bromley3rdDenham UnitedThe Middlesex Stadium, Ruislip6thEnfield TownQueen Elizabeth II Stadium, Enfield5thGillinghamThe Sports Ground, Chatham11th in Southern Division (relegated)Ipswich TownHumber Doucy Lane, Rushmere, Ipswich9thLowestoft TownCrown Meadow, Lowestoft1st in Eastern Region League (promoted)Luton TownStockwood Park Athletics Stadium, Luton4thMilton Keynes DonsWillen Road, Newport Pagnell2ndNorwich CityPlantation Park, Blofield10thOld ActoniansBerkeley Fields, Greenford, London1st in London & South Eastern League (promoted)
League table
Results
South West Division One
Changes from last season: Forest Green Rovers were promoted to the Southern Division. Keynsham Town were relegated from the Southern Division. Maidenhead United were promoted from the Southern Region League. Gloucester City and Swindon Spitfires were promoted from the South West Region League.
The teams competing this season are: TeamHome ground2014–15 positionCheltenham TownPetersfield Park, Cheltenham8thChichester CityOaklands Park, Chichester7thExeter CityMinster Park, Exminster2ndGloucester CityFairmile Gardens, Longford1st in South West Region League (promoted)Keynsham TownCrown Field, Keynsham12th in Southern Division (relegated)Larkhall AthleticPlain Ham, Larkhall5thMaidenhead UnitedYork Road, Maidenhead1st in Southern Region League (promoted)ShanklinCounty Ground, Shanklin6thSouthampton SaintsSilverlake Arena, Sholing4thSt NicholasLodge Road, Yate9thSwindon SpitfiresThe Elms, Highworth2nd in South West Region League (promoted)Swindon TownBarrington Park, Shrivenham3rd Gloucester City and Swindon Spitfires both withdrew from the league during the season. All results involving them were expunged.
League table
Results
References
External links Official website of the FA Women's Premier League League results and standings