It was a heavy day for Bristol City fans recently as a 4-0 loss to Manchester City confirmed the Robin’s regelation from the Women’s Super League.
So far this season, Lauren Smith’s side have picked up six points with one win against West Ham in November, and three draws – all points having been claimed at away games, and scoring twenty goals in this time. Bristol returned to the top flight last summer after spending two seasons in the Championship, where they will be back playing in autumn.
However, despite the relegation, it’s been a season of immense pride, perseverance and dedication for the Robins. As we saw with Reading last season, it’s a reminder of the stark financial contrasts throughout the league, and the difficulty of being the only club in the WSL without a Premier League counterpart cannot be underestimated. With a limited budget, Bristol made some intelligent signings, one of which being Amalie Thestrup who joined the Robins last summer. She’s been a massive contribution, scoring almost half of their goals this season – certainly one of the most underrated players in the league.
The Robins have given many young players a chance to play in the top flight, such as defenders Naomi Layzell and Jasmine Bull, and midfielder Ffion Morgan. Not many clubs would have the faith in their less experienced players to do this. However, Bristol will be without one of their most important young players next season, as 19 year old Brooke Aspin signed with Chelsea last summer, being loaned back to her old club for the season.
The Robins have experienced their fair share of hardship this season, forced to make changes throughout, due to injuries to key players. It’s been a difficult goalkeeping situation from day one, with Olivia Clark being recalled from her loan at Watford after Fran Bentley picked up an injury in the first game of the season. Loanee Kaylan Marckese then returned to parent club Arsenal after rupturing her ACL in January, leading to the permanent signing of Shae Yanez from San Diego Wave. Not having one or even two consistent goalkeepers over the season would certainly have challenged Bristol’s backline as they have had to constantly adjust to different playing styles of the goalie.
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— Bristol City Women (@bristolcitywfc) December 30, 2023
Despite the results of this season, we cannot forget the incredible attendances and support this season from Bristol City fans. With all home games having been played at Ashton Gate, the Robins have been averaging attendances of over 7,000 per game – leading the way for many other WSL teams and inspiring so many young fans. The facilities and support have been nothing less than Bristol deserve, and this will continue, with the club announcing that they will continue to play all of their home games next season in the Championship at Ashton Gate. It’s a huge win for players and fans alike – and no doubt the huge support for this club will remain as the Robins fight to promotion once again.
However, winning the Championship, as we know, is no mean feat – it will be a difficult season ahead for the Robins. The quality of teams in the Championship and competitiveness have drastically improved even in the space of a season. We’ve seen this year how close it’s been at the top of the table until the very end. But Bristol will still be first on many people’s lift to achieve promotion back to the top flight. With their top-class facilities and willingness to give young players the game time to develop, the Robins will certainly be looking to attract more top talent this summer.
We knew it would be an incredibly difficult season for Bristol coming into the Women’s Super League. But the Robins threw everything into this season and played some amazing football while facing such adversity. They have such a tight-knit squad and unbelievable fan support. They’ve been a joy to watch in the top flight, and it’s been a season to be immensely proud of.
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