The nominations for this year’s FA Women’s Football Awards have been announced ahead of next month’s event and they include several members of the England squad.
Birmingham City’s Karen Carney, Notts County’s Jess Clarke and Chelsea’s Ji So Yun have been nominated for FA WSL 1 players’ player of the year, which will be awarded at the event on Friday 14 November.
Millie Bright (Doncaster Rovers Belles), Fran Kirby (Reading) and Beth Mead (Sunderland) are shortlisted for the FA WSL 2 award.
Liverpool, who won FA WSL 1 in dramatic fashion on the last day of the season, have manager Matt Beard nominated for manager of the year, alongside Birmingham City’s David Parker and former Reading manager Jayne Ludlow, who has recently taken charge of the Welsh national team.
Fans can vote for their FA WSL goal of the season, with Dunia Susi, Natasha Dowie, Natasha Flint, Jordan Nobbs, Leah Williamson and Toni Duggan all in contention for the award, via http://fb.st/nocdij.
The awards are an annual event recognising the best of domestic women’s football in England, across the two FA WSL divisions and the FA Women’s Premier League (WPL). Other awards categories on the night include club of the year, which was won by Bristol Academy last season, Love Football Play Football participation award and outstanding contribution to women’s football.
The best of the FA WPL, for season 2013-14, will also be recognised, with James Marrs (formerly Gillingham, now Brighton & Hove Albion), Helen Mitchell (Sheffield FC) and Craig Nicholls (Coventry) all shortlisted for manager of the year and players awards, club of the year also being contested.
Katie Brazier, FA head of women’s leagues and competitions, said: “It has been a fantastic year for women’s football and the awards will celebrate the best of the game. There have been some real highlights such as the introduction of FA WSL 2, the final day title race drama in both divisions and the fact that our attendances in FA WSL 1 have gone up 30 per cent on average compare to last season. The newly structured FA WPL is also off to a great start and the awards will really showcase just how far the domestic game has come.”
The awards take place nine days before England’s historic match against Germany at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 23 November. Tickets are on sale now priced at £15 for adults and £1 for children from www.thefa.com/tickets.
The complete list of nominations is as follows:
FA WSL Manager of the Year
Matt Beard, Liverpool
Jayne Ludlow, Reading
David Parker, Birmingham City
FA WPL Manager of the Year
James Marrs, Gillingham
Helen Mitchell, Sheffield FC
Craig Nicholls, Coventry City
Goal of the Season
Dunia Susi, Notts County v Aston Villa, 30 April
Natasha Dowie, Liverpool v Sunderland on 3 May
Natasha Flint, Chelsea v Manchester City on 20 July
Jordan Nobbs, Manchester City v Arsenal on 24 August
Leah Williamson, Arsenal v Chelsea on 4 September
Toni Duggan, Manchester City v Chelsea on 12 October
Players’ Player of the Year
FA WSL 1
Karen Carney, Birmingham City
Jess Clarke, Notts County
Ji So Yun, Chelsea
FA WSL 2
Millie Bright, Doncaster Rovers Belles
Fran Kirby, Reading
Beth Mead, Sunderland
FA WSL Development League
Natasha Baptiste, Aston Villa
Carla Humphrey, Arsenal
Katie Zelem, Liverpool
FA WPL Players’ Player of the Year
Charlotte Gurr, Gillingham
Jodie Michalska, Sheffield FC
Sam Pittuck, Charlton Athletic
Lucy Quinn, Portsmouth
FA WSL Club of the Year
Liverpool
Yeovil Town
FA WPL Club of the Year
Derby County
Sheffield FC
Tottenham Hotspur
Outstanding Contribution to Women’s Football Nominees
Julie Higgins
Sheila Rollinson
Tom Stack
