| Season | 2013 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Liverpool (1st title) |
| Matches played | 56 |
| Goals scored | 177 (3.16 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Natasha Dowie |
| Biggest home win | Arsenal 5–0 Everton |
| Biggest away win | Doncaster Rovers Belles 0–9 Liverpool |
| Highest scoring | Doncaster Rovers Belles 0–9 Liverpool |
← 2012 2014 → | |
The 2013 FA WSL was the third season of the FA WSL, the top-level women's football league of England. The season began on 14 April and ended on 29 September.
Arsenal were the defending champions, having won their ninth consecutive English title last season. The top two teams qualified for the 2014–15 UEFA Women's Champions League.
The season was the last before the creation of a second division of the WSL. All teams had to reapply for a place in WSL 1 in the next season. Doncaster Belles were the only current WSL team not granted a WSL 1 place, thus they played in the WSL 2 the following season. This decision had already been taken before Doncaster finished the season bottom of the WSL with the lowest points tally, as no relegation to the WSL 2 based on points was scheduled until the WSL 2 had completed its inaugural season to produce a corresponding promotion team. The reason for Doncaster's relegation from WSL 1 was a failed reapplication based on financial criteria, which is an aspect of the WSL the FA monitors very closely since it funds the participating teams and the teams must regularly prove they can match the FA funding. The Belles' place in the top flight the following season was taken by the Manchester City Ladies team from the FA Women's Premier League National Division, but now re-branded as Manchester City Women. Likewise, Lincoln retained their place in WSL 1 but relocated and re-branded as Notts County Ladies for the following season.[1]
The same teams as last season returned, as there was no relegation system in place.
Liverpool, who finished bottom in 2011 and 2012, relocated from Skelmersdale to the Halton Stadium in Widnes prior to the 2013 season as part of an ambitious programme of investment.[2] Lincoln left Ashby Avenue to return full-time to Sincil Bank.[3]
| Team | Location | Ground | 2012 WSL finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | Borehamwood | Meadow Park | 1st |
| Birmingham City | Stratford-upon-Avon | The DCS Stadium | 2nd |
| Bristol Academy | Filton | Stoke Gifford Stadium | 4th |
| Chelsea | Staines | Wheatsheaf Park | 6th |
| Doncaster Rovers Belles | Doncaster | Keepmoat Stadium | 7th |
| Everton | Crosby | The Arriva Stadium | 3rd |
| Lincoln | Lincoln | Sincil Bank | 5th |
| Liverpool | Widnes | Halton Stadium | 8th |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool (C) | 14 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 46 | 19 | +27 | 36 | Qualification for the Champions League knockout phase |
| 2 | Bristol Academy | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 30 | 20 | +10 | 31 | |
| 3 | Arsenal[a] | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 31 | 11 | +20 | 30 | |
| 4 | Birmingham City | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 21 | −5 | 18 | |
| 5 | Everton | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 23 | 30 | −7 | 15 | |
| 6 | Lincoln | 14 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 15 | −5 | 10 | |
| 7 | Chelsea | 14 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 20 | 27 | −7 | 10 | |
| 8 | Doncaster Rovers Belles[b] | 14 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 42 | −33 | 6 | Relegation to the FA WSL 2 |
| Rank | Scorer | Club | Goals[5][6] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Natasha Dowie | Liverpool | 13 |
| 2 | Nicole Rolser | Liverpool | 10 |
| 3 | Natalia de Pablos | Bristol Academy | 9 |
| 4 | Louise Fors | Liverpool | 7 |
| 5 | Danielle Carter | Arsenal | 6 |
| Jordan Nobbs | Arsenal | 6 | |
| Nikita Parris | Everton | 6 | |
| Toni Duggan | Everton | 6 | |
| Sofia Jakobsson | Chelsea | 6 | |
| Eniola Aluko | Chelsea | 6 |
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