Manchester United Women is a professional women’s football team based in Manchester, North-West England. Formed in 2018, the Red Devils (club nickname) compete in the Women’s Super League and are an established giant in the women’s football game.
Since their formation, Manchester United have made substantial gains, rapidly climbing the table and consistently challenging for honours. This page will delve further into the Manchester-based outfit, its history, current players, achievements and more.
Brief History of Man United Women
Stability has never been a word that could be associated with Manchester United Women. From the 1920s to the 1970s, the team had unofficial status mainly due to the FA ban on the women’s game. In the late seventies, they were recognised as a senior team but were technically a supporter-led group that competed in the local Manchester leagues.2
It wasn’t until 1989 that the team was formerly recognised as Manchester United Women’s F.C and supported under the same umbrella as the men’s team. They competed in the FA Women’s National League and were relatively successful throughout the 1990s at various levels until 2001.2
However, after years of anonymity in the third tier of the National League and the club takeover by current owners, the Glazers, in 2005, Man United Women were disbanded due to the lack of progress on the pitch and the commercial front.2
In the years following, the UK experienced a resurgence of women’s football and the creation of the Women’s Super League in 2010. This revolution opened the conversation that one of the largest football teams on the planet, Manchester United, didn’t have a ladies’ team and probably should re-enter the scene. The club duly obliged, reforming the women’s team in 2018 and competing in the Women’s Championship.2
Things couldn’t have gone better for the Mancunian outfit since having achieved promotion to the Women’s Super League in their first campaign and establishing themselves as a competitive WSL team for the foreseeable future.2
Success in Domestic Competitions
Having only recently formed in 2018, the success of the team has been mostly through solid league positions in the Women’s Super League. Their promotion from the Women’s Championship in the 2018-2019 season at the first try is a particular highlight. Data, unfortunately, for Manchester United ladies trophies predating 2018 are difficult to come by.2
However, strong finishes (4th on three occasions and 2nd once) in the WSL have afforded Man United ladies the opportunity to compete on one the grandest stages in Women’s football: the Women’s Champions League.2
The table below highlights some of Man United Women’s’ major domestic league and cup finishes. For your reference, we have only included data from the WSL, FA Cup and League Cup.
| Title | Finishes | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Women’s Super League | Top 4 Finish | 2019-20 (4th), 2020-21 (4th), 2021-22 (4th), 2022-23 (2nd) |
| Women’s FA Cup | Quarter-Final | 2018-19 |
| Women’s League Cup | Semi-Final | 2018-19, 2019-20, 2021-22 |
European Competitions
Unfortunately, as far European competitions are concerned, Man United Ladies have not competed in the group stages of the Women’s Champions League, despite recording strong finishes in the domestic league.
There is hope, however, that this season will be different. The team having recorded their best finish in the Women’s Super League last year, have arguably their strongest squad to date. Be sure to keep updated on their progress on the official Man United Women’s page.
Man United Women’s Squad: 2023-24 Season
In this section, we will break down the current Man U Women’s squad for the 2023-24 season. Be aware that squads tend to change throughout the season, so browsing the Manchester United Women’s homepage for the latest news and updates is always recommended. In the table below, we have listed all players in the Manchester United ladies team by position:
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Mary Earps, Phallon Tullis-Joyce |
| Defenders | Gabby George, Maya Le Tissier, Aoife Mannion, Hannah Blundell, Jayde Riviere, Gemma Evans, Millie Turner |
| Midfielders | Ella Toone, Irene Guerrero, Katie Zelem, Leah Galton, Hayley Ladd, Lisa Naalsund, Hinata Miyazawa, Grace Clinton, Emma Watson |
| Forwards | Melvin Malard, Lucia Garcia, Nikita Parris, Geyse Da Silva Ferreira, Rachel Williams |
Here are also the Man United Women’s squad Numbers for the upcoming season:
| Player | Squad Number |
|---|---|
| Gabby George | 3 |
| Maya Le Tissier | 4 |
| Aoife Mannion | 5 |
| Hannah Blundell | 6 |
| Ella Toone | 7 |
| Irene Guerrero | 8 |
| Melvin Malard | 9 |
| Katie Zelem | 10 |
| Leah Galton | 11 |
| Hayley Ladd | 12 |
| Jayde Riviere | 14 |
| Gemma Evans | 15 |
| Lisa Naalsund | 16 |
| Lucia Garcia | 17 |
| Hinata Miyazawa | 20 |
| Millie Turner | 21 |
| Nikita Parris | 22 |
| Geyse Da Silva Ferreira | 23 |
| Grace Clinton | 26 |
| Mary Earps | 27 |
| Rachel Williams | 28 |
| Emma Watson | 34 |
| Phallon Tullis-Joyce | 91 |
Please be aware that the above squad numbers are as they stand at the start of the season. During transfer windows, it is possible for players to leave and squad numbers to be vacated or swapped before the squad registration window closes.
Manager and Notable Players
Man United Ladies have a number of talented individuals at their disposal, including players that have played at the Women’s World Cup. This section highlights the star players in the Red Devils squad and those we expect to make a huge difference this season.
Ella Toone
- Position: Midfielder
- Born: 7th June 1999
- Nationality: English
Not the result we wanted but will come back stronger from this 🔴 Thank you Reds for your amazing support yesterday ❤️ #mufc pic.twitter.com/2Xmv8C86uS
— Ella Toone (@ellatoone99) May 15, 2023
Born and bred in Manchester, Ella Toone has been at the Reds since the 2018 campaign. A fully-fledged England international and Euro 2022 winner, Toone is a dynamic midfielder with a real eye for goal. She honours this description, having contributed 15 goals in only 19 starts (all competitions) as the Red Devils secured their place in the WSL from the Women’s Championship in 2018-2019. She continued this form over the next 5 seasons, achieving the club’s top goal scorer award with 10 goals in the 2020-21 campaign.5
Katie Zelem
- Position: Midfielder
- Born: 20th January 1996
- Nationality: English
This Team Never Gives Up. pic.twitter.com/6pwpMTYnLA
— Katie Zelem (@katiezelem) April 29, 2023
This list of talented players wouldn’t be right without a mention of Manchester United Women captain, Katie Zelem. Rising through the United ranks, Katie went on to play for Footballing giants Liverpool and Juventus before returning to the club she loves. Regarded as a technician with the ball, Zelem has accumulated over 100 appearances in midfield for Manchester Women. Katie is simply an irreplaceable asset to the team and will be for the foreseeable future.6
Nikita Parris
- Position: Striker
- Born: 10th March 1994
- Nationality: English
We march on together! pic.twitter.com/hn3OgWW7w3
— Nikita Parris (@lilkeets) May 7, 2023
A world-class striker on her day, Nikita Parris concludes our list of exceptional United players. Nikita was born in Liverpool and rose through the ranks at Everton at the tender age of 16, becoming a regular fixture in the Champions League with the Toffees. She then moved on to great spells at Manchester City Ladies (62 goals in 127 appearances) and Olympique Lyonnais before moving back to England with Arsenal Women and then Man United. Defenders across the league know not to give Nikita Parris time in the box, as she is a deadly assassin in front of goal and will punish them, given the opportunity.8
Marc Skinner
- Games Managed: 62*
- Games Won: 41*
- Born: 23rd March 1983
*Data taken as of 01.10.20233
Manchester united women manager Mark Skinner took the reigns at Man United in 2021, having had spells at Birmingham City Ladies and US outfit Orlando Pride. He showed his promise at both clubs, leading Birmingham to a 7th-place finish in the WSL as well as an FA Cup final. In 2017, Skinner managed Orlando Pride to a nine-game unbeaten streak, which matched their all-time record in all competitions. In July 2021, he signed for Manchester United and has guided the team consistently to the top 4 positions in the WSL ever since.3
Where do Manchester United Ladies’ Play?
In this section, we discuss the facilities that Man U Women’s football team play and train in during the regular season.
Manchester United Ladies Home Ground: Leigh Sports Village
Man U Women’s team play their home matches at Leigh Sports Village in Leigh, Greater Manchester. The multi-purpose sports and leisure facility not only hosts the Lady Red Devils but also the youth set-up and professional rugby league team, Leigh Leopards. It features a stadium with a seating capacity of roughly 12,000 and has been the host to the ladies since 2018.1
Trafford Training Centre
Have you ever asked the question: where do Manchester United women’s team train? As with most of the club’s players, the women train at the world famous Trafford Training Centre (also known as Carrington Training Ground), situated in Carrington, Greater Manchester.
This state-of-the-art complex was built between 1999-2002 and later renovated in 2013. It features 14 football pitches as well as a main building with a large gym, running track, squash and basketball courts. It has high-tech treatment and recovery rooms, such as a swimming pool, sauna and hydrotherapy pools to name a few. As well as a main building, it has an academy headquarters as well as a medical facility for physiotherapy and sports sciences.4
FAQs – All the Important Questions, Answered!
Do you still have questions that you are unsure of on this page? Below, we have collected some commonly asked questions about Manchester United Women and other relevant topics
How many trophies has Manchester United Women won?
Since their formation in 2018, the Man United ladies have recorded one official domestic trophy in their history. They won the Women's Championship in the 2018-2019 season, which gained them promotion to the WSL. They have since recorded strong top-flight finishes, as well as a number of semi-final appearances in cup competitions.
Where is the women's Manchester Derby being played?
Manchester United Women usually host their home ties at Leigh Sports Village but this year, they will host their 2023-24 home tie against Manchester City at the Iconic Old Trafford stadium. The 75,000-capacity arena is home to the Man U men's side. The match is scheduled for Sunday 19th November 2023. The return Fixture will be held at the Etihad Stadium on the 24th of March 2024 (depending on broadcast selection). 9
Who is the captain of Manchester United ladies?
The Manchester United ladies' captain is Katie Zelem. The dynamic midfielder has made over 100 appearances for the club and was also a product of the United academy, gaining experience domestically and abroad before returning to the club.
Sources
- Leigh Sports Village (2023, September 25). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leigh_Sports_Village&oldid=1177088709
- Manchester United W.F.C (2023, October 1). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Manchester_United_W.F.C.&oldid=1178080539
- Mark Skinner (2023, October 1). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marc_Skinner&oldid=1178082542
- Trafford Training Centre (2023, June 11). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Trafford_Training_Centre&oldid=1159585455
- Manchester United Football Club. (n.d). Ella Toone. Accessed on October 1, 2023 from https://www.manutd.com/en/players-and-staff/detail/ella-toone
- Manchester United Football Club. (n.d). Katie Zelem. Accessed on October 1, 2023 from https://www.manutd.com/en/players-and-staff/detail/katie-zelem
- Manchester United Football Club. (n.d). Manchester United Womens Players and Staff. Accessed on October 1, 2023 from https://www.manutd.com/en/players-and-staff/women
- Manchester United Football Club. (n.d). Nikita Parris. Accessed on October 1, 2023 from https://www.manutd.com/en/players-and-staff/detail/nikita-parris
- Manchester United Football Club. (August 1, 2023). Old Trafford to Host Women’s Manchester Derby. Accessed on October 1, 2023 from https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-and-man-city-to-play-each-other-at-old-trafford-and-etihad-stadium-in-2023-24-wsl