Welcome to a very special issue of the Official Manchester City Magazine, celebrating a decade of professional women’s football at the Club (this article was original published in 2024).
On 24 January 2014, Manchester City’s Women’s team were officially relaunched ahead of the new WSL season and, it’s fair to say, it’s been quite the journey so far!
With 329 matches, 240 wins and eight major honours to look back on, this magazine is crammed full of insightful interviews, intriguing stats and iconic imagery to commemorate ten very special years.
Don’t worry, we’re not covering each of those games(!), but we’ll reflect on what’s been a fantastic decade for the Club, and some of the records and milestones along the way.
City have had two permanent managers in Nick Cushing and Gareth Taylor across the past ten seasons, and both look back on their respective journeys in the dugout.
Elsewhere, our iconic former captain and Club legend Steph Houghton chooses her ultimate City XI after she announced her retirement this summer… some big names make the cut, and some miss out!
There’s also a deep dive into the records of both Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw and Karen Bardsley, our all-time top scorer and clean sheet holder, while a look at some of City’s footballing ‘firsts’ is sure to jog some memories and also show how the Club has influenced the wider game.
The past ten seasons have been littered with some remarkable derby wins since that first professional clash with Manchester United in September 2019. That story is told through some of the breathtaking imagery our photography team has captured as the action unfolded.
Caroline Oatway, who worked as a Club journalist at the time of the official relaunch and was in the press box at that first Etihad derby five years ago, also talks about her experiences of covering the Women’s team in those early years.
One constant across the past decade has been the support of Nissan, shown by their name being printed on the back of every women’s shirt since 2014, and a special interview with our Official Automotive Partner delves deeper into that close relationship.
This magazine wouldn’t be complete without a nod to you, the fans, though. A special interview with members of our Official Supporters’ Club, who have followed the team from day one, pays tribute to the incredible support the team have received over the years from the stands.
But without further ado, we hope you enjoy our special magazine below!
The Relaunch
On 24 January 2014, Manchester City’s professional women’s team was officially launched at a special event taking place at the Etihad Stadium.
The Club can look back on an incredible ten seasons of success since that point, as well as an exciting future both on and off the pitch.
But City’s history extends much further back, almost 36 years to be precise, when our original ladies team played their first fixture against Oldham Athletic.
We came out on top at Boundary Park with a 4-1 win on 27 November 1988, starting an exciting new era in the process.
Originally formed on the back of a City in the Community initiative and led by Neil Mather, the Club would enter the North West League Second Division the following year.
Having narrowly missed out on promotion in their first season, City would move up to the North West Women’s Regional Football League in 1991, a division they would stay in until relegation in 1997.
But an immediate return followed, winning the title en route to an unbeaten season in 1998, before another promotion in 2000 to the Northern Combination, as well as a Cup double for good measure!
Not content with two promotions in two years, City added a third in 2001 to progress to the second highest tier in English football.
The formation of the WSL saw the FA National Northern Division become the third division in 2011, but another title win for the Blues saw us join the FA Women’s Premier League North ahead of the 2012/13 season.
And in that final season before the official professional relaunch and entry into the WSL, City finished fourth, with several of that original side going on to play for the new-look outfit under Nick Cushing’s guidance.
The likes of Steph Houghton, Jill Scott, Karen Bardsley, Toni Duggan, Izzy Christiansen and Betsy Hassett would join them ahead of that first WSL campaign, training full-time while the rest of the squad sharpened up in the evening after work.
It took time for this new-look side to gel in the top tier, and City endured a tough start by losing four of our first five matches in all competitions.
But we recovered, finishing fifth in the WSL and reaching the Continental Cup final where we’d face Arsenal at Wycombe’s Adams Park.
City famously won that game to clinch our first major silverware, but the goal which decided the contest against the Gunners demonstrated our incredible journey to that point.
It was Krystle Johnston, a member of our original Ladies team, who rather poetically sent an inch-perfect cross in for Christiansen, one of our new recruits, to head home.
The rest, as they say, is history…
The
Managers
When talking about Manchester City’s professional era, two names deserve a special mention: Nick Cushing and Gareth Taylor.
Of the Club’s 329 competitive fixtures as a professional outfit, the pair have taken charge of 326, with Alan Mahon stepping in as interim for three matches in 2020.
Cushing, our first-ever manager, would preside over six major honours in as many seasons before leaving the Club to become assistant manager at New York City FC.
Taylor would take over ahead of the 2020/21 campaign and has since gone on to guide City to FA Cup and Continental Cup triumphs, our highest-ever WSL points tally and the longest winning run in the competition’s history over a single season.
But while one replaced the other, their stories already intertwined before their respective time in the hot seat at the Joie Stadium, having each earned their stripes coaching in the Club’s academy system.
But ahead of our first WSL season, Cushing made the move over to our Women’s team at just 29 years of age.
While it ultimately had a happy ending for the Club and the man himself, he admits it was a massive learning curve.
It was one he relished though.
“Initially I was really excited about the role because although I have a passion for developing players, I wanted to work at the top end with the Under-18s, EDS and first team," he explains.
“At 29, when I reflect on it, I wasn’t ready but the opportunity to take on the women’s team was really exciting.
“I was really honest with them at the start saying I had no experience in the professional game, but was very excited and ambitious, until that first WSL game against Liverpool.
“It was live on TNT Sport and the first thing I did when I got off the bus was walk right in front of a camera, that’s when I realised this was different.
“We had a team who were stepping up to being professional, but then also some internationals who were coming here with really high standards.”
In a new environment and with some of the players still part time, City took a while to get going, losing four of our first five matches in all competitions.
But after a change in structure which allowed the entire team to train together on a full time basis, things started to click.
By the end of the season we even found ourselves in the Continental Cup final, with Izzy Christiansen’s late header securing silverware in our first-ever professional campaign.
“It’s a great example of real team spirit and togetherness," Cushing continues.
“We had inconsistent results in the league but in the cup… it reinforced the belief that we want to be an important team in the WSL.
“That team had a really good balance, they gave everything and just wanted to win really badly.”
For Cushing, a trophy win had marked a turning point for the team after a difficult start.
The same could be said for Taylor six years later, when he guided City to an FA Cup triumph just two months into his time in the dugout.
Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we locked horns with Everton in November 2020 in a bid to retain the trophy six months after the final was originally scheduled to take place, with wins over Leicester and Arsenal booking our place at Wembley.
But with two frustrating draws against Brighton and Reading, as well as a 3-1 defeat to Chelsea in the WSL, Taylor admits his side needed time to gel.
He said: “You make errors because you come in with ideas of how you want things to work but then get to the bottom of things and realise what really needs to improve.
“[The first trophy] just reinforces the belief around what you do.
“Especially at Wembley, it was a bit of a weird sensation being there behind closed doors with no fans, but it was great.
“Winning that first trophy is really important, it just settles everything down, and you’re then hungry for the next one.”
City would get the better of Everton after extra time at Wembley, going unbeaten for the rest of the WSL season while losing just two more fixtures in all competitions.
In a similar vein, Nick Cushing’s side would use that Conti Cup win back in 2014 as a springboard, taking the league title to the final day the following year while qualifying for the Champions League for the first time.
In 2016, however, they would mark that progress in style, going unbeaten en route to a first WSL title, with another Conti Cup triumph in tow.
By the following May, City would add the FA Cup to our trophy cabinet following a 4-1 win over Birmingham City in our first-ever Wembley appearance.
“The team had grown really quickly, and by 2016 we had a huge desire [to win the title]," Cushing reveals.
"We had a team who had time to gel and then just added that extra quality in the likes of Kosovare Asllani and Jane Ross to name two.
“We knew we had the capability to be a league winning team, but I think we exceeded our own expectations by going unbeaten.”
Silverware, of course, provides a barometer for a team's success across a season, but a win in the Manchester derby, something that both Cushing and Taylor have both experienced at the Etihad Stadium, is particularly special.
For Taylor, over 40,000 fans witnessed City cruise to a 3-1 triumph in March 2024, spearheaded by a brilliant individual display from Jess Park.
The youngster’s first half brace set us on our way, before Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw added our third within minutes of the restart, making her our record goalscorer in the process.
It’s an afternoon that Taylor, and anyone of a blue persuasion, won’t forget in a hurry.
“[That was] an amazing result and a great day,” he reflected after the game.
“When we come here [to the Etihad], it seems to get better and better, the experience. It gives us big confidence.
“I said to some of the players at half-time, I didn’t think we were that good in the first half. We started the game quite well but if we trust what we do then you see really good things.
“The one thing we were speaking about was ‘you’ve had some assists Jessie, but no goals!’
“Jess stepped up to the opportunity really well. When you think about how patient she’s had to be, she’s done well in that space.
“I felt the first half an hour of the second half though, we were excellent.”
Once again, it’s an experience that Cushing can share with an almost eerie similarity.
A nervy start, an incredible crowd, and a memorable goal just after the restart.
“The one thing I remember clearly was hammering home that we couldn’t lose that game,” he revealed when talking about preparations for City’s first-ever professional derby in September 2019.
“I was so confident in that team, we had players that could grind a result out and players with those moments of quality like Caroline Weir.
“At the time, for us to play at the Etihad, it was fairly new and the pressure was on. We didn’t play too well in the first half, but it was a great occasion and feeling.”
As Cushing alludes to, City had to survive a few scares and were thankful to Ellie Roebuck for a phenomenal save to deny her former team-mate Jane Ross early on.
But a moment of brilliance from Weir settled the tie early in the second half, just like Shaw’s strike did almost five years later.
At the time, the attendance figure of 31,213 was the most in WSL history, more than six times larger than the previous record.
It was a striking indication of the appetite for women’s football at City and more widely across the United Kingdom, and that’s continued apace.
Indeed, 44,259 fans packed into the Etihad the next time Taylor’s side played there in December 2022, while a record crowd of 5,409 saw City sign off on home soil for the 2023/24 campaign in May.
In short, women’s football is growing at a rapid rate, and it’s something that Cushing – someone who was there from the start at City – is proud to see.
He adds: “One of my reflections is that the game is different now, it’s far more developed and difficult than when I started.
“The level of player and standard of teams has improved. What the growth of the game brings is a far more difficult job for Gareth.
“If I look through 2014 to 2018, the league was won or lost on head to heads between Chelsea, Arsenal and City.
“But now the results across the league, you can drop points to anyone. That’s really good for the game.”
Taylor echoes Cushing’s sentiments about the upward trajectory of women’s football during his time in the dugout.
But the manager insists that momentum is showing no signs of slowing down in the years to come.
It's a mouthwatering prospect, and one that's made all the more special when considering some of those early barriers.
“I was always aware of Nick’s journey and the cycle of the team, and a big supporter of him and the group,” Taylor finished.
“With the Lionesses winning the Euros and the type of exposure the women’s game now rightfully gets, it’s just incredible where it as and where it’s come to.
“The game is changing right before our eyes.”
steph Houghton's all-time city xi
Following an illustrious career in which Steph Houghton made 242 appearances for City and won eight major honours, our colossal captain called time on her playing career at the end of the 2023/24 season.
Her final outing came in our last Barclays Women’s Super League assignment of the term – a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa as Gareth Taylor’s side matches our best-ever points total in the top flight.
During her time at the Joie Stadium, she played with a swathe of phenomenal players, and we’ve asked her to select her all-time City XI from her team-mates over the past decade.
Here’s who she selected…
GK karen bardsley
“The best 'keeper in the world in my opinion at that time.
"An unbelievable shot stopper, a massive presence in goal and she saved us in so many moments.”
RB Lucy Bronze
“A world class player and one of the best right-backs of our generation.
"[She] can get up and down the line, but also in a one-v-one situation isn’t scared of any winger. She was unbelievable [at City].”
CB Jen Beattie
“Beats’ physical presence, ability with both feet to play out of trouble and to also score important goals was absolutely crucial in that title-winning season.”
CB Alex Greenwood
“She’s been unbelievably consistent for us over the last four seasons and has got better and better each year as well.
"She has a wand of a left foot for set-pieces and can also score a few as well.
“That mentality is scary.”
LB Demi Stokes
“I still say to this day there is no better one-v-one defender than Demi Stokes, but also her ability to get forward and to join in the attack.
"Especially in that 2016 season when we only conceded four goals [Demi was amazing].”
CM Keira Walsh
“Holding midfielder, Manchester’s own Keira Walsh. She came here as a 17-year-old and just slotted right in.
"One of the most technically gifted players I’ve ever played with. It was a pleasure to share all those memories and see how much of a world class midfielder she’s become.”
CM Caroline Weir
“I don’t even know if I need to explain Caz.
“Technically unbelievable, left-foot – I’ll always remember those [Manchester] United goals even by just being behind them and seeing that one at the Etihad, but also the chip at the Joie Stadium.
“Not just one chip, but two chips. I miss playing that little diagonal pass into the 10.”
CM Jill Scott
“The one and only Jill Scott. Her energy, personality, ability to get stuck in, go box-to-box and score important goals were crucial in the first few seasons.
“When you have someone like her in your team you’ve got more chance winning than you have with anyone else because of the energy she brings and also her quality.”
RW Nikita Parris
“Playing with Keats and the energy she brings, her movement, everything she did for Manchester City was always with her heart.
“Her ability to go and press to frighten defenders was really crucial. She scored some unbelievable goals and played in a few positions.”
ST Bunny Shaw
“Bunny’s records speak for themselves. She knows how much I loved playing with her, I think she’s got everything a striker needs.
“She’s got power, strength, pace and ultimately, she’s able to score goals whether that’s in the air or on the floor. Playing against her in training has made me think of this decision because I hate playing against her.
“Bunny has to be there for what she’s done in the last couple of years and what she could potentially do in the future.”
LW Lauren Hemp
“For me, she has the potential to be the best player in the world if she really wanted to be and be dedicated. I feel as though this is the right place [for her].
“So fast, so quick at dribbling, can go inside or outside of full-backs, is now starting to head the ball as well so that brings a bit more of a threat on crosses.
“She drives the team forward with her runs and energy, and that diagonal ball was always on because no one wanted to defend against her.”
Bench
Izzy Christiansen
The timing of your runs, your ability to nail that #10 position and your energy was unbelievable.
Chloe Kelly
Her crossing ability is incredible. She's scored some absolute screamers as well.
Toni Duggan
You ran your socks off and when we needed someone to look to or score the goals, you were there.
FootballinG firsts
Being the first to something is always a special feeling, and City have managed that a lot over the past decade.
Below are ten of City’s ‘firsts’ from major club milestones to breaking new ground in the WSL…
First Signing
Jill Scott holds the distinction of being our professional side’s first new recruit.
The midfielder joined the Club on 15 November 2013 from fellow WSL side Everton, having already made 74 England appearances by the age of 26.
She would go on to feature 194 times for City, winning seven major honours and being included in the PFA WSL Team of the Season three times.
“I’m really excited,” she said in her first interview for the Club.
“For me, it’s a chance for a fresh start with a new challenge. It’s fantastic to be here and to see the plans that City have in place to compete in the first season of the FA WSL.
“What attracted me most is the whole professionalism of the Club – the fact that they train more frequently – and the facilities.”
First Captain
The first City player to wear the captain’s armband in the new professional era was Steph Houghton.
Joining the Club on 1 January 2014, the defender hung up her boots at the end of the 2023/24 campaign after a remarkable ten years at the Joie Stadium.
Our most decorated player and record appearance holder, Houghton is worthy of her own ‘firsts’ section.
In 2018, she became the first City player since our relaunch to reach 100 appearances and, three years later, she would surpass 200, another record.
More widely, Houghton was the first player in WSL history to feature in 150 matches, and also the first to 100 wins in the competition.
First Professional Game
City’s latest chapter began in a competition steeped in history – the FA Cup.
Nick Cushing’s side welcomed Reading to the Manchester Regional Arena on 13 April 2014, and things got off to a dream start when Toni Duggan tapped home inside seven minutes.
But the visitors responded soon after, with neither side able to get their noses in front until the 79th minute.
Thankfully, it was City who would grab the winner, with Duggan once again in the right place at the right time.
When Izzy Christiansen’s vicious effort from distance was fumbled by the Reading goalkeeper, City’s number nine was first to react, pouncing on the loose ball and firing home.
First Trophy
Still one of our most iconic victories, City rounded off our first-ever season with a Continental Cup final triumph over Arsenal in October 2014.
Nick Cushing’s side had finished our first WSL campaign in fifth, one place and two points behind the Gunners, but would come out on top when it mattered.
After a cagey opening 70 minutes, in which City were indebted to Karen Bardsley for some goalkeeping heroics, the game’s only goal would arrive.
It came from the head of Izzy Christiansen (one of the shortest players on the pitch) who met Krystle Johnston’s teasing cross from the right.
We’ve gone on to win seven further honours over the decade, and now boast four Conti Cup crowns, but it all started at Adams Park.
First Purpose- Built Stadium
City’s move to the Joie Stadium [known as the Academy Stadium at the time] ahead of the 2015 WSL campaign provided another piece of history for both the Club and the wider footballing landscape.
It remains the only purpose-built stadium in the WSL to this day, with Nick Cushing’s side’s first competitive fixture at our home seeing us get the better of Doncaster Rovers.
A Nikita Parris brace and late Toni Duggan strike handed City a 3-1 FA Cup fifth round win on the day and kickstarted a new era for the Club in style.
Just over 500 fans were there to watch the game unfold. To demonstrate the incredible growth of our women’s team, City broke our attendance record in the final match home match of 2023/24 when 5,409 supporters packed onto the terraces to witness us take on Arsenal.
On the subject of our home…
The Joie Stadium
In September 2023, City’s home once again took centre stage having been unveiled as the Joie Stadium ahead of the new WSL campaign.
Baby gear brand Joie, who became our Women’s team’s official family partner in March 2023, took on the naming rights for our home six months later.
In doing so, City once again broke new ground as the first WSL club to secure a commercial agreement for our stadium’s name.
The entire squad were at the unveiling, with captain Houghton cutting a special Joie ribbon which had been wrapped around the stadium in celebration of the landmark moment.
Shorts Change
Just under one year earlier, the Club had made a small but significant alteration to our kit during the 2022/23 campaign.
Working alongside PUMA, City changed the colour of our shorts from white to help the players feel more comfortable while on their periods.
Initially planned for the start of the 2023/24 season, the change was brought forward to October 2022, with the team first sporting the new shorts during our 6-0 Continental Cup win over Blackburn Rovers.
“It’s great, a good step forward and good flexibility from us as a Club and Puma,” Gareth Taylor said of the change at the time.
“There’s a much better awareness now, it’s more openly talked about, I think it’s only good for the girls and for the game as well.”
OLD TRAFFORD
There’s no feeling like beating your rivals, but what about becoming the first side to beat them at their home ground?
That’s a record that City boast following our 3-1 win over United in November 2023, when goals from Jill Roord, Lauren Hemp and Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw earned us all three points and local bragging rights.
In doing so, we became the first side to get the better of our cross-city rivals at Old Trafford.
Winning Runs
City boast the longest winning run across a single season in WSL history, set between November 2023 and April 2024.
Gareth Taylor’s side became the first to register 14 successive victories, surpassing our own record in the process, set back in the manager’s first season at the helm.
In 2020/21 a 12-match winning run between December and April saw City write our name into the history books.
First Golden Boot
Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw’s remarkable scoring form over the 2023/24 campaign ensured she once again wrote her name in the history books as City’s first-ever WSL Golden Boot winner.
The Jamaican grabbed 21 goals in just 18 appearances and would surely have broken the league’s single season scoring record (22) had she not been ruled out of the final three matches with a foot injury.
Shaw was also named FWA Footballer of the Year and PFA Player of the Season for 2023/24 in a campaign where she would also become our record goalscorer.
She wasn’t the only winner in the end of season awards though, with Khiara Keating’s nine clean sheets also seeing her claim the Golden Glove award, the first City stopper to do so since Ellie Roebuck in 2019/20.
FootballinG firsts
Being the first to something is always a special feeling, and City have managed that a lot over the past decade.
Below are ten of City’s ‘firsts’ from major club milestones to breaking new ground in the WSL…
First Signing
Jill Scott holds the distinction of being our professional side’s first new recruit.
The midfielder joined the Club on 15 November 2013 from fellow WSL side Everton, having already made 74 England appearances by the age of 26.
She would go on to make 194 appearances for City, winning seven major honours and being included in the PFA WSL Team of the Season three times.
“I’m really excited,” she said in her first interview for the Club.
“For me, it’s a chance for a fresh start with a new challenge. It’s fantastic to be here and to see the plans that City have in place to compete in the first season of the FA WSL.
“What attracted me most is the whole professionalism of the Club – the fact that they train more frequently – and the facilities.”
First Captain
The first City player to wear the captain’s armband in the new professional era was Steph Houghton.
Joining the Club on 1 January 2014, the defender hung up her boots at the end of the 2023/24 campaign after a remarkable ten years at the Joie Stadium.
Our most decorated player and record appearance holder, Houghton is worthy of her own ‘firsts’ section.
In 2018, she became the first City player since our relaunch to reach 100 appearances and, three years later, she would surpass 200, another record.
More widely, Houghton was the first player in WSL history to feature in 150 matches, and also the first to 100 wins in the competition.
First Professional Game
City’s latest chapter began in a competition steeped in history – the FA Cup.
Nick Cushing’s side welcomed Reading to the Manchester Regional Arena on 13 April 2014, and things got off to a dream start when Toni Duggan tapped home inside seven minutes.
But the visitors responded soon after, with neither side able to get their noses in front until the 79th minute.
Thankfully, it was City who would grab the winner, with Duggan once again in the right place at the right time.
When Izzy Christiansen’s vicious effort from distance was fumbled by the Reading goalkeeper, City’s number nine was first to react, pouncing on the loose ball and firing home.
First Trophy
Still one of our most iconic victories, City rounded off our first-ever season with a Continental Cup final triumph over Arsenal in October 2014.
Nick Cushing’s side had finished our first WSL campaign in fifth, one place and two points behind the Gunners, but would come out on top when it mattered.
After a cagey opening 70 minutes, in which City were indebted to Karen Bardsley for some goalkeeping heroics, the game’s only goal would arrive.
It came from the head of Izzy Christiansen (one of the shortest players on the pitch) who met Krystle Johnston’s teasing cross from the right.
We’ve gone on to win seven further honours over the decade, and now boast four Conti Cup crowns.
But it all began at Adams Park.
First Purpose- Built Stadium
City’s move to the Joie Stadium (known as the Academy Stadium at the time) ahead of the 2015 WSL campaign provided another piece of history for both the Club and the wider footballing landscape.
It remains the only purpose-built stadium in the WSL to this day, with Nick Cushing’s side’s first competitive fixture at our home seeing us get the better of Doncaster Rovers.
A Nikita Parris brace and late Toni Duggan strike handed City a 3-1 FA Cup fifth round win on the day and kickstarted a new era for the Club in style.
Just over 500 fans were there to watch the game unfold. To demonstrate the incredible growth of our women’s team, City broke our attendance record in the final match home match of 2023/24, with 5,409 supporters packed onto the terraces to witness us take on Arsenal.
On the subject of our home…
The Joie Stadium
In September 2023, City’s home once again took centre stage having been unveiled as the Joie Stadium ahead of the new WSL campaign.
Baby gear brand Joie, who became our Women’s team’s official family partner in March 2023, took on the naming rights for our home six months later.
In doing so, City once again broke new ground as the first WSL club to secure a commercial agreement for our stadium’s name.
The entire squad were at the unveiling, with captain Houghton cutting a special Joie ribbon which had been wrapped around the stadium in celebration of the landmark moment.
Shorts Change
Just under one year earlier, the Club had made a small but significant alteration to our kit during the 2022/23 campaign.
Working alongside PUMA, City changed the colour of our shorts from white to help the players feel more comfortable while on their periods.
Initially planned for the start of the 2023/24 season, the change was brought forward to October 2022, with the team first sporting the new shorts during our 6-0 Continental Cup win over Blackburn Rovers.
“It’s great, a good step forward and good flexibility from us as a Club and Puma,” Gareth Taylor said of the change at the time.
“There’s a much better awareness now, it’s more openly talked about, I think it’s only good for the girls and for the game as well.”
OLD TRAFFORD
There’s no feeling like beating your rivals, but what about becoming the first side to beat them at their home ground?
That’s a record that City boast following our 3-1 win over United in November 2023, when goals from Jill Roord, Lauren Hemp and Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw earned us all three points and local bragging rights.
In doing so, we became the first side to get the better of our cross-city rivals at Old Trafford.
Winning Runs
City boast the longest winning run across a single season in WSL history, set between November 2023 and April 2024.
Gareth Taylor’s side became the first to register 14 successive victories, surpassing our own record in the process, set back in the manager’s first season at the helm.
In 2020/21 a 12-match winning run between December and April saw City write our name into the history books.
First Golden Boot
Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw’s remarkable scoring form over the 2023/24 campaign ensured she once again wrote her name in the history books as City’s first-ever Golden Boot winner.
The Jamaican grabbed 21 goals in just 18 appearances and would surely have broken the league’s single season scoring record (22) had she not been ruled out of the final three matches with a foot injury.
Shaw was also named FWA Footballer of the Year and PFA Player of the Season for 2023/24 in a campaign where she would also become our record goalscorer.
She wasn’t the only winner in the end of season awards though, with Khiara Keating’s nine clean sheets also seeing her claim the Golden Glove award, the first City stopper to do so since Ellie Roebuck in 2019/20.
bunny Shaw
Record Goalscorer
72 Goals
Bunny has averaged a goal in over 85% of her 84 appearances for City.
68
The amount of Shaw's goals that have come from inside the box.
21
The amount of goals Bunny scored in 18 WSL appearances to become City's first ever Golden Boot winner in 2023/24.
18
The amount of games where Shaw has scored more than one goal.
Karen Bardsley
Record Clean Sheets
64 Clean sheets
Bardsley kept a clean sheet in 62% of her 103 appearances for City.
1
The amount of goals Bardsley conceded from open play in the 2016 WSL season.
Clean sheets by competition:
30 WSL
7 FA Cup
19 Conti Cup
8 Champions League
Across our decade to date, the Club has set records, helped players flourish and created endless memories for our fans through our exciting and fluid style of play.
And none of those things would have been possible without City’s record appearance holders, in-form goal scorers, defensive solidity and almost unfathomable unbeaten runs.
We take a look at all of these and more through some Top 5 tables (across all competitions).
Starting off with appearances…
Appearances
It comes as no surprise that the Club’s longest-serving player, who recently retired from the professional scene, Steph Houghton tops the list. Do you think you could name the four players who follow before taking a look at the table?
1 Steph Houghton 242 Games
2 Keira Walsh 211 Games
3 Demi Stokes 204 Games
4 Jill Scott 194 Games
5 Georgia Stanway 186 Games
Single season top scorers
Before Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw became a Blue in 2022, do you know who topped the list for the number of goals in a single campaign? Nikita Parris with a fantastic 24 strikes. Pauline Bremer and Lauren Hemp are also named in the top 5 but, of course, Shaw has her name on there twice…
1 Bunny Shaw (2022/23) 31 Goals
2 Nikita Parris (2018/19) 24 Goals
T-3 Bunny Shaw (2023/24) 22 Goals
T-3 Pauline Bremer (2019/20) 22 Goals
5 Lauren Hemp (2021/22) 21 Goals
clean sheets
Former Blue Karen Bardsley still leads the pack for the most clean sheets in goal. But City’s new number one Khiara Keating has already tallied 14, could she look to contend with Bardsley and Ellie Roebuck at the top of the charts?
1 Karen Bardsley 64 Clean Sheets
2 Ellie Roebuck 62 Clean Sheets
3 Khiara Keating 14 Clean Sheets
4 Karima Taieb 9 Clean Sheets
5 Marie Hourihan 6 Clean Sheets
highest home attendances
The Etihad Stadium has played host to three Manchester derbies. And as women’s football has continued to grow around the world, so has the support for Gareth Tayor’s team. Take a look at the highest attendances below…
1 City 1 - 1 United (11 December 2022) 44,259
2 City 3 - 1 United (23 March 2024) 40,086
3 City 1 - 0 United (7 September 2019) 31,213
4 City 1 - 2 Arsenal (5 May 2024) 5,409
5 City 1 - 0 United (13 February 2022) 5,317
biggest wins
How many goals?! Can you believe that we put 10 past Ipswich in 2020? Or you might remember more recently City’s 7-0 thumping of Tottenham Hotspur at the start of the 2023/24 season? There are some fantastic high-scoring games from our 10 years.
1 City 10 - 0 Ipswich Town (2019/20 FA Cup)
T-2 Nottingham Forest 0 - 8 City (2021/22 FA Cup)
T-2 City 8 - 0 Aston Villa (2020/21 FA Cup)
T-2 Aston Villa 0 - 8 City (2016 Continental Cup)
T-5 City 8 - 1 Bristol City (2020/21 WSL)
T-5 City 7 - 0 Aston Villa (2020/21 WSL)
T-5 City 7 - 0 Sheffield United (2022/23 FA Cup)
T-5 Bristol City 1 - 8 City (2022/23 FA Cup)
T-5 City 7 - 0 Spurs (2023/24 WSL)
unbeaten runs
In 2016 City were crowned Barclays Women’s Super League champions for the first time in the Club’s history. En route to lifting the league trophy, we went on a phenomenal run of form that continued into the following campaign as we totalled a 27-game unbeaten run in all competitions. Take a look at our best runs of form below…
1 January 2016 - April 2017 27 Games
2 September 2018 - May 2019 26 Games
3 May 2017 - February 2018 23 Games
4 October 2022 - February 2023 16 Games
5 May 2015 - October 2015 15 Games
Every step of the way:
MCWFC Official Supporters’ Club
Since Manchester City announced the professional relaunch of our women’s team, we have blazed a trail on and off the field in the pursuit of glory.
In total, we have won eight major honours and continued to raise and set new standards.
This has seen iconic players wear the famous sky blue shirt and the Club play across the country and around the world.
Not only have City promoted the growth of the women’s game, but our devoted fans have too – following Gareth Taylor’s team every step of the way.
Officially established in February 2016, our official MCWFC Supporters Club and its members’ support through the highs and the lows predate the past decade.
This is their story, told by members Neil Mather, Jayne Comer and Sarah ‘Blandie’ Bland.
Formation
Before Manchester City’s professional relaunch in 2014, our first women’s team was formed in the late 1980s by Mather – who revealed it was all sparked by a corporate five-a-side tournament.
He explained: “We’d done a number of men’s corporate five-a-sides and I suggested we involve more women and do a women’s one instead. To be fair, I got laughed at.
“I said ‘we can only try and if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work’.
“The final was between two teams/companies and the standard was really high.
“Afterwards, I got talking to some of the girls who were playing and they said they played for Ashton Ladies, Bluestar, Corinthians and I didn’t realise there was such a league and popularity.
“I went back to Bernard Halford and said 'shall we start a women’s team?'. I went to Tony Book and I got an old kit and use of Platt Lane and we went from there.
“That’s how it all started and from then on in we played some friendlies the first year, got into a league and that was it then – we took off.”
“It was 1988. The tournament was late season 1987/88 season and our first-ever game was in November 1988 against Oldham Athletic.”
TURNING PROFESSIONAL
The date Friday 24 January 2014 signalled a new era at Manchester City as our professional women’s team relaunch was announced at the Etihad Stadium.
And Jayne said the immediate professionalism from the Club enticed fans to be part of something special.
“There was kind of the talk when City announced they were making it professional they were going to look at building a really strong squad and things like that,” she said.
“Then they were bringing in players who you’d heard of and players you knew the name of, people like Steph Houghton and Jill Scott.
“You thought 'they’re taking this really seriously now as a Club', we’d decided to take this seriously and [we] wanted to be a part of it, so then for us it was kind of ‘if City are going to take it seriously, then I will as well, I’ll come and watch if it’s something that’s part of the Club’.
Neil added: “The big thing for me was all of a sudden, we were seeing Karen Bardsley and Steph Houghton, Jill Scott and Toni Duggan. It was like ‘wow, these play for City’.
“It was mad and I knew Nick (Cushing) from the Academy and it was fabulous because he got the job and I was so chuffed for him. For me, it’s been a journey and every year has got stronger and better.”
Trailblazers
Opened in 2015, the Joie Stadium became the first and remains the only purpose-built arena in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
Then in September 2023, we announced that Joie would become the Official Stadium Naming Partner of the Academy Stadium, another first as a commercial agreement for a WSL ground's naming rights.
For members of the OSC, this sort of off-pitch growth is a major source of pride.
Jayne said: “[It’s] massive. For us to say ‘look, this is our stadium and we're not sharing. This has been built for us to use and play at’.
“As fans you stand up and take notice of that. You’re really proud of it to be honest, to see that the Club had actually built it for our women’s team to play their games at.”
She Bangs The Drum
Those who have attended matches at the Joie Stadium or across the country will have become accustomed to aesthetically pleasing and effective football by Manchester City, but also the sound of a drum in the stands.
Every match Blandie - or another member of the OSC - will begin chants and wild support with the rousing metronome. It's something she says was sparked by a passion for atmosphere in the early seasons.
She explained: “That first season, nobody really used to shout because people didn’t know the names of the players, and nobody really knew each other as fans.
“I think it was around four games before the end of the season when I got the little drum to try and get people going.
“It just evolved from there, and I remember when we faced Chelsea in the Conti Cup semi-finals at Hyde Road, the atmosphere and the crowd that turned up to support the girls was amazing.
“At the end of the final game of the season at Chelsea I was approached by the Club to see if I’d like to be more involved from a fan’s point of view to help start a Women’s Official Supporters’ Club.”
Growth
Across the past decade, Manchester City Women have made significant progress on and off the pitch.
From the start, we have been backed by passionate supporters with the fanbase growing year-on-year.
This saw us set a new Club record attendance for a women’s match when 44,259 witnessed an enthralling 1-1 draw with Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium.
Additionally, over 2,000 City fans travelled to Villa Park to witness our final match of the 2023/24 campaign.
Blandie and Jayne hope it’s just the beginning.
Blandie said: "I think it encourages everyone else and people love it. We see it now on our page where people will post ‘I’m going to get a season card, where’s the best place or, are there any seats free near the noisy lot’.
“That’s what it’s all about. We know that it grows, the interaction and bond we have with the girls and the fact the girls will sometimes react.
“When we chant something, they’ll give us a wave which encourages fans because they see you have that connection with the players. I think it’s unconditional, honest affection for the fans.”
Jayne added: “When we went away to Villa the other week, I was like: 'that crowd is unbelievable'. That crowd we took to Villa Park to see that and everyone’s there wearing sky blue and had their flags out, it was quite emotional to be honest to see it.”
“It’s a taste of what we could have week in week out. What I’ve seen over the past few months is so many people asking me when season tickets will go on sale."
City from the press box
Reporting on City can be just as nervy as being in the stands… Lifelong fan and former journalist Caroline Oatway was there from the beginning.
Working as a Club journalist at the time of the relaunch, she holds the distinction of covering both our current professional side – where she would become Women’s Football Editor - and the original Ladies team, who she played for as a youngster!
But having moved to the United States in the summer of 2022, Caroline can now enjoy following the team as a fan.
She spoke to the City Magazine about her time covering the women’s team, her favourite moments and the incredible transition she witnessed both on and off the pitch.
How did you find the transition into professional football?
It was amazing, but intense. At first the team were at Platt Lane but some were having to train after work while others were there full time. Sometimes they’d have to train at a local college in Gorton as well, Wright Robinson, which I went to a couple of times. Then obviously the season didn't start well with four-straight WSL defeats, so those first few months were a good test at being a journalist! I was very young and wanted to portray them in the best light I could, but those first few months were tough for the team.
How did the players find the added media exposure as well?
A lot of players weren't used to cameras being around, but it was great to get to know the players as people. They understood that we were trying to raise the profile of the team. We did have to do media training and explain to the players why some things can get misconstrued in an interview though, which was a bit of a learning curve for a lot of them. All of a sudden, they're doing interviews for the website, the TV and the matchday programme, which is just part of the job, so that was a big change.
And how about the facilities for the media, how did they improve over the years?
Oh wow, yeah, I saw some pretty wild set ups! I remember going to one ground in the first season and I don't think anyone had sat in that press box for 15 years, it was covered in dust with one plug socket that had wires sticking out of it! Another ground had no press box, so we had to roll some massive tables from a canteen to the balcony for all the journalists to sit on. Once, I was sat on a park bench behind the goal with my laptop on my knee and it ran out of charge halfway through the game. But these are all memories that I look back on with a lot of pride, it was such good fun.
How proud did it make you seeing that improvement over time?
I'm not an emotional person at all, but the first time City played at Wembley, the FA Cup final in 2017, seeing Steph [Houghton] lead the team and walk up those steps, I actually did get emotional. Playing at the Etihad and Wembley, seeing that growth every year was amazing. The last game I went to before I moved to the United States was the Euros final, where so many City players helped England win it. It wasn’t even ten years, but we’d already gone from those early days to this. Also, seeing the fanbase at City grow has been incredible. The Official Supporters’ Club, for example, are approaching their own decade and I made a lot of friends there. I’ll always laugh when I see my ‘Feed the Oat’ badge that they gave me!
What were Nick Cushing and Gareth Taylor like to work with?
They were both great. Nick said a few times at the beginning that he wasn’t used to the cameras but he was always great with me and always knew what to say. He completely understood what we were trying to achieve in growing the profile of the club, the players and the team. It’s difficult as a journalist after a bad result to then go and ask what went wrong or what could have been done differently, but he always understood why we had to ask those questions. And with Gareth, I knew him a little bit from when he managed City’s Under-18s and EDS already. I wasn’t with him as long as Nick, but he was always great too. He was very respectful, and it was great to celebrate winning the Conti Cup in 2022 with him. That was an amazing night and he deserved that, they were so good in that second half.
What was your favourite season to cover at City?
I don't even have to think about it, 2016. That team was so good on the pitch but also off it as well, they were an absolute dream to work with. We were in the Champions League for the first time, which was exciting, after the 2015 World Cup the attendances had started to increase and then the team went on this ridiculous winning run. The people on that team were just awesome, Karen Bardsley, Steph Houghton, Toni Duggan, Izzy Christiansen for example, Jen Beattie had come by that point, Demi Stokes, Jane Ross, Lucy Bronze, you could go through the whole squad. The football was great to watch as well, and they obviously went on to win the double and then the FA Cup a few months later. That was hands down my favourite season to cover.
How have you found following the team as a fan now, rather than a journalist?
It’s weird watching it without having to do any work! You get conditioned not to celebrate a goal as a journalist because when that happens you normally have something to do. You're obviously happy, but you can't be jumping up and punching the air… although I did do that when Hayley Raso scored at Wembley, and when Caroline Weir scored against United! Over here, the time difference makes it hard, because you're talking 7:30 for a 12:30 kick-off, but I still do my best to watch every game I can. Being able to sit back and enjoy it now is really nice.
Manchester Derbies Through the Years
Across five seasons and 14 games, Manchester City and Manchester United have gone head-to-head in a fight to lay claim the city’s colours.
Our nine league games - in which City have won five, drawn three and lost one - have seen thousands of fans attend the Etihad Stadium and Old Trafford over the years and witness some of the Club’s most iconic moments.
From our first goal against United - a screamer by Caroline Weir at the Etihad Stadium - to Lauren Hemp and Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw’s iconic celebrations at Old Trafford, there are some incredible pictures capturing the best moments from our derby days.
View some of the best Manchester derby day pictures, captured by our photographers, in the gallery below…
How City and Nissan have looked to 'Defy Ordinary'
For the eagle eyed among you, City sported a unique addition to our kit during our final home match of the 2023/24 Barclays Women’s Super League season.
To help mark a special moment in the Club’s history and celebrate ten years of support from Nissan, the Club’s official Automotive Partner commissioned a very special logo as part of their ‘Defy Ordinary’ campaign, on the back of our shirts.
The Nissan logo, made up of the names of each players’ inspirations in a special mosaic design, provided a touching tribute to those who have had their backs across their careers to date.
It was a touching tribute, and just one example of Nissan and the Club’s shared values since they entered into the first group-wide partnership in 2014, covering Manchester City, New York City, Melbourne City, Yokohama F. Marinos and Shenzen Peng City FC.
“‘Defy Ordinary’ not only describes Nissan’s brand, but also strongly echoes what the Women’s team have done since 2014,” Leonie Tapley, Contents and Partnerships Manager at Nissan, explains.
“We’ve both challenged convention and are leading the way. To defy ordinary, you need the support of those around you and from this simple insight, the idea of ‘got your back’ was born.
“Players were asked to nominate someone who has had their back, helped them to be bold and brave, to defy ordinary.”
The worn match shirts from that clash with Arsenal have since been auctioned by City in the Community [CITC], the Club’s charity, to help raise money for the girls’ football programme.
It’s clear that inspiring the next generation of young female footballers is a concept that Nissan are incredibly passionate about.
“Nissan is a brand for everyone, and we pride ourselves on our programs around diversity, equity and inclusion,” Tapley continues.
“From the outset, we wanted to be involved in all types of football, having also been a long standing partner of other women’s sports including Netball and Cricket as well as college sports in the United States.
“To have worked side by side with City’s Women’s team over the past ten years and seen how far they have come, their success and how the popularity of the sport has grown has been amazing.
“It’s interesting now to see how many global brands have recognised its potential and are wanting to be part of this exciting and fast-growing sport.
“Also seeing the impact of female players as positive role models on gen Z and gen Alpha audiences has been encouraging. If you can see it, you can be it!”
But Nissan’s partnership with the City Football Group extends beyond the teams on the pitch.
In December 2023, they were announced as the official Equity, Diversity and Inclusion partner of CITC, working on programmes that support under-represented groups in Greater Manchester.
That includes the provision of new powerchairs for the Powerchair Football and One Disability teams to help them continue to train, compete and experience the excitement of football.
But while Nissan are incredibly proud of the past ten years, excitement for the next decade is felt just as keenly.
Indeed, as our Women’s team embark on an exciting new decade on and off the pitch, Nissan will be there every step of the way.
Tapley adds: “Nissan has been a proud partner of Manchester City for 10-years and it’s no coincidence that we share the same passion for innovation that delivers excitement to fans.
“We continue to collaborate on a number of initiatives and explore new ways in which our brand, products and technologies can enhance the experience of Manchester City fans.
“Watch this space…”
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