AFC Bournemouth Women

AFC Bournemouth Women ( ), commonly referred to as just Bournemouth, is an English professional women's football club based in Dorset, England. The club plays in the FA Women's National League, Southern Premier Division, the third tier of English women's football, after winning promotion in the previous (2024-25) season.

In 2022, Bill Foley bought out AFC Bournemouth's women's team which was previously under the Community Sports Trust.

History

Early history

Bournemouth won the 2003–04 Southern Region Division One. The club achieved a league and cup double for the 2005–06 season, winning the Southern Region Premier Division, and beating Slough Town 3–1 in the final of the Southern Region League Cup. The club reached the final of the 2007–08 South West Combination League Cup, but were beaten 4–1 by Plymouth Argyle. Bournemouth were forced to withdraw from the league due to financial problems, and lack of managerial staff. The club ultimately folded in March 2009.

National League

Bournemouth had reformed by 2012, playing in the Hampshire County Football League. The club achieved successive promotions, winning the 2014–15 Hampshire County Division Three, and the 2015–16 Hampshire County Division Two. Manager Steve Davies left the club in 2019, with Bournemouth appointing Steve Cuss as manager ahead of the 2019–20 season. The club successfully applied for promotion to the FA Women's National League Division One South West for the 2021–22 season. Bournemouth made their competitive debut at Dean Court on 10 April 2022, in a 4–1 win against Chesham United.

The 2023-24 season saw the players move to a semi-professional status. The season itself came to a dramatic end, as the last match of the season between Bournemouth and Exeter City Women FC would decide which of the two teams would be promoted. Exeter City chose to play the match in the familiar surroundings of the Exwick Sports Hub, their regular home venue and not at the main St James Park stadium, despite high interest in the match causing tickets to sell out. Bournemouth could only manage a 1-1 draw, which saw Exeter City promoted as champions. Despite not winning promotion, Bournemouth remained unbeaten in the league having last lost a league match against Cardiff City on 5th March 2023, in the previous season.

The 2024-25 season was the team’s most successful on record. The team lost the Determining Round match in the WNL to Moneyfields. However, their 18^th successive league game and 18^th league win in a row saw them confirmed as champions and promoted to The Southern Premier Division in a match at Dean Court in front of over 7,000 fans. Drawing only one subsequent league match made it the second successive season unbeaten in the league. A strong defensive performance also saw them not concede a goal for over 1,000 minutes and assisted goalkeeper Erin Foley in winning the Golden Glove Award. In attack, striker Jenna Markham won the Golden Boot award. The team also won the National League Plate Trophy and narrowly missed out on a third trophy, finishing runners up in The Hampshire Senior Cup just 3 days later.

Stadium

Bournemouth normally play their home games at The Ringwood Community Hub, Ringwood. This is a shared facility with Ringwood Town F.C.

Address : Ringwood Community Hub 155 Long Lane Kingston, Upper Kingston, Ringwood BH24 3BX.

The Ringwood Community Hub has undergone a major upgrade to the facilities following an investment of £3.4 million by the New Forest District Council, Ringwood Town Council, Ringwood and District Round Table, AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust and the Football Foundation.

New floodlights have been installed on the main grass pitch. An artificial turf 3G pitch opened in February 2023 and is used for training, or if the main pitch is unavailable.

Work started on the new pavilion clubhouse in June 2023. The first game AFC Bournemouth Women played using the new pavilion was on Sunday 13 October 2024 against Bishops Lydeard Ladies AFC in the 3rd round qualifying match of the FA Cup. Although the formal opening of the pavilion, by the leader of the New Forest District Council, took place the following month.

The old Ringwood Town FC clubhouse has subsequently been demolished.

Since 2022, the club also play select matches at Dean Court:

Current squad

Most recent squad changes

At the end of the 2024-25 season AFC Bournemouth published their 'released and retained list', which saw large changes with the following players leaving: Alisha Buckingham, Ali Hall, Erin Bloomfield, Daniela Kosinska, Maisy Smith, Kelly Fripp and Chloe Gilroy. Helen Bleazard retired and Eloise Hall’s dual registration terms with Tottenham Hotspur ended.

Before the new 2025-26 season started, the following players joined: Freya Meadows Tuson, Sophie Quirk, Elena Cole and Jessica Hennessy

Out on loan

There are no Bournemouth players currently out on loan.

Management

Current management and coaching staff

Honours and achievements

League
* Southern Region Premier Division (level 4)
**Champions: 2005–06
* Southern Region Division One (level 5)
**Champions: 2003–04
*Hampshire County Division Two (level 8)
**Champions: 2015–16
*Hampshire County Division Three (level 9)
**Champions: 2014–15

Cup
* South West Combination League Cup
**Runners-up: 2007–08
* Southern Region League Cup
**Winners: 2005–06
* The Chairman's Cup
**Winners: 2018-19
* The Hampshire Senior Cup
** Winners: 2022-23, 2023-24
* FA Women's National League Plate
**Winners: 2024-25

League history

Key to league competitions:
*Southern Region Premier - Southern Region Women's Football League Premier Division. (The fifth tier of English women's football.
*Division One South West - The FA Women's National League Southern Division One South West. (The fourth tier of English women's football.

Key to cup competitions:
*DR = Determining Round
*PR = Preliminary Round
*R1, R2, etc. = Round 1, Round 2, etc.
*Q1, Q2, etc. = Qualifying Round 1, Qualifying Round 2, etc.
*SF = Semi-finals
*RU = Runners Up
*W = Winners

Notes

References

External links

Official website

{{FA Women's Premier League

Women's football clubs in England
Football clubs in Dorset
Association football clubs established in 1992
1992 establishments in England
2022 mergers and acquisitions