The 2023–24 Women's Championship season (known Barclays Women's Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the sixth season of the rebranded Women's Championship, the second tier of women's football in England, and the ninth season since the creation of the WSL 2.
In April 2023, The Football Association board announced changes to the Women's Championship, increasing the number of relegation spots in the 2023–24 season to two in order for both FA Women's National League champions (North and South) to win promotion at the end of the season. Previously only one team had been relegated and replaced by the winner of a playoff match between the Northern Premier Division and Southern Premier Division champions. The changes will not impact the structure of the Women's Super League with a one up, one down system.
On 14 April 2024, Watford were the first team to be mathematically confirmed as relegated from the Championship after only one season back in the second division. They sat seven points adrift from safety with two games remaining. Lewes' relegation was confirmed on 21 April 2024 after defeat to Crystal Palace coupled with a victory for Reading over Durham left Lewes four points behind with only one game left to play. Relegation ended Lewes' six-season spell in the Championship stretching back to the 2018–19 campaign. The 2023–24 Women's Championship title was still mathematically undecided until the final day of the season although Crystal Palace went in to the day three points ahead of Charlton Athletic and had a superior goal difference by 22. Crystal Palace secured the title with a point on the final day, playing out a goalless draw with Sunderland at Selhurst Park.
Teams
Twelve teams competed in the Championship for the 2023–24 season, the same number as the previous season. Bristol City were promoted to the Women's Super League as 2022–23 Women's Championship winners. They will be replaced by Reading who were relegated on the final day of the 2022–23 Women's Super League season, ending a seven-season stay in the WSL which began in 2016 following the club's promotion as 2015 WSL 2 winners. Coventry United were relegated to the FA Women's National League after four seasons in the second division. They were replaced by the winners of the 2022–23 FA Women's National League playoff, Southern Premier Division winners Watford, who beat Northern champions Nottingham Forest 1–0. They returned after just one season away having been relegated at the end of the 2021–22 season.
Team Location Ground Capacity 2022–23 season Birmingham City Birmingham St Andrew's 29,902 Blackburn Rovers Bamber Bridge Sir Tom Finney Stadium 3,000 Charlton Athletic Crayford Oakwood 1,180 Crystal Palace Sutton Gander Green Lane 5,032 Durham Durham Maiden Castle 1,700 Lewes Lewes The Dripping Pan 3,000 London City Lionesses Dartford Princes Park 4,100 Reading Reading Madejski Stadium 24,161 Sheffield United Sheffield Bramall Lane 32,050 Southampton SouthamptonSt Mary's Stadium Sunderland Hetton-le-Hole Eppleton CW 2,500 Watford Ruislip Grosvenor Vale 4,085
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentReading Kelly ChambersResigned20 June 2023End of season (WSL, 12th) Liam Gilbert18 August 2023London City Lionesses Nikita Runnacles (interim)End of interim period4 July 2023End of season (3rd) Carolina Morace4 July 2023Crystal Palace Mike Lowne (interim)End of interim period14 July 2023End of season (5th) Laura Kaminski14 July 2023Blackburn Rovers Matt Bee (interim)End of interim period17 July 2023End of season (10th) Simon Parker17 July 2023Sheffield United Jonathan MorganSacked2 February 20248th Luke Turner (interim)2 February 2024London City Lionesses Carolina MoraceSacked7 February 202410th Darren Smith (interim)7 February 2024London City Lionesses Darren Smith (interim)End of interim period2 March 202410th Remi Allen2 March 2024Birmingham City Darren CarterMutual consent11 April 20245th Emily Simpkins (interim)12 April 2024Birmingham City Emily Simpkins (interim)End of interim period15 April 20245th Amy Merricks15 April 2024
Table
Results
Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Elise HughesCrystal Palace162 Isobel GoodwinSheffield United153 Annabel BlanchardCrystal Palace114 Carly JohnsWatford8 Sophia PharoahSouthampton Molly SharpeCrystal Palace Katie WilkinsonSouthampton8 Megan HornbyBlackburn Rovers7 Molly PikeSouthampton Emily ScarrSunderland
Awards Monthly awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthGoal of the MonthRef.ManagerClubPlayerClubPlayerClubSeptember Laura KaminskiCrystal Palace Annabel BlanchardCrystal Palace Annabel Blanchard (vs. Durham)Crystal PalaceOctober Melanie ReaySunderland Lucy QuinnBirmingham City Araya Dennis (vs. Charlton Athletic)Crystal PalaceNovember Karen HillsCharlton Athletic Gemma LawleyBirmingham City Shauna Guyatt (vs. Watford)Crystal PalaceDecember Michelle AgyemangWatford Lily Agg (vs. Sunderland)Birmingham CityJanuary Karen HillsCharlton Athletic Emily ScarrSunderland Maria Farrugia (vs. Reading)LewesFebruary Laura KaminskiCrystal Palace Isibeal Atkinson Crystal Palace Emily Scarr (vs. Lewes)SunderlandMarch Remi AllenLondon City Lionesses Maria FarrugiaLewes Beth Hepple (vs. Sunderland)DurhamApril Karen HillsCharlton Athletic Jade RichardsBlackburn Rovers Shanade Hopcroft (vs. Lewes)Crystal Palace
References
External links Official website