Website Club home page Manager Jess Fishlock | League W-League Founded 2015 | |
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Full name Melbourne City Women's FC 2016–17 Champions (play-offs)
4th (league) Home grounds CB Smith Reserve (2,000), Melbourne Rectangular Stadium (30,050), Lakeside Stadium Profiles | ||
Melbourne City FC, also known as the Melbourne City Women, represents Melbourne City in the W-League, the top division women's football (soccer) league in Australia. Founded in 2015, the club has its training and administration based at the City Football Academy in Melbourne and plays home games at both the CB Smith Reserve in the northern suburb of Fawkner and at AAMI Park near the Melbourne city centre. The head coach of the team is player Jess Fishlock.
Contents
History
Following on from their purchase of and investment into Manchester City in England, City Football Group turned their eyes to investment into the women's game as well, funding a serious overhaul of the Manchester club's female affiliate. Only months after their takeover of Melbourne City FC, they followed likewise in Australia, contacting the FFA regarding entering a team into the W-League to be affiliated to the Melbourne side.
After a year of negotiations, their involvement was sealed with an announcement that a women's team competing under the name Melbourne City FC would compete in the W-League as of the beginning of the 2015–16 season.
Foundations and immediate success
Melbourne City CEO Scott Munn revealed that his club had been in consultation with Football Federation Australia (FFA) for over 12 months regarding the introduction of a new W-League side. In July 2015, Melbourne City Women's FC made Matildas co-captain Lisa De Vanna their first ever signing. She is widely regarded as one of the world's best women's strikers. After Lisa, the club's next foundation signings were Laura Alleway and Brianna Davey. In September 2015, Young Matildas Larissa Crummer, Alex Chidiac, Beattie Goad and former Adelaide United defender Monique Iannella joined the club. Matilda Steph Catley also signed up in September. Regarded as a Matlidas' fan favourite, Catley created history when she was voted as the first female to appear on the cover of the video game FIFA 16.
The club created history in its inaugural 2015–16 season, winning all 12 of its regular season games and achieving success in the 2016 W-League Grand Final, completing a perfect season. In the following season City suffered a six-match winless run during the middle part of the season, before storming back into the finals series and claiming a second successive championship in the 2017 Grand Final. This achievement meant the club was equal with several other clubs for the most amount of championships won in the league.
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Notable former players
Below is a list of notable footballers who have played for Melbourne City. Generally, this means players that have played 50 or more first-class matches for the club, have at least one senior international cap or have made significant contributions to the club's history.
Honours
Broadcasting
One league match per week is broadcast in Australia via ABC. Beginning in 2016, the weekly game is also broadcast on ESPN 3 in the United States.
League results
Correct as of 12 February 2017