Women's Super League

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Birmingham City defender Neve Herron hopes investment in women's football in the north east is encouraged more.

Herron, 22, is from Sunderland and won the WSL 2 Rising Star award on Monday after helping Birmingham City gain promotion to the top tier as champions.

Her team-mate Lily Crosthwaite, 24, also from the north east, claimed the WSL 2 Player of the Season award as Birmingham City finished above Palace.

Both players were also named in the WSL 2 Team of the Season and collected their accolades alongside the best XI from the top tier.

"We had a moment on stage where we looked across the line and there was some big players, like [Manchester City's] Vivianne Miedema," said Herron.

"We had a minute to just take it in. There is a lot of talent in the north east that goes unnoticed. It's only going to get better with the development of Newcastle and Sunderland being taken over [by new owners Bay Collective].

"Hopefully it helps to encourage to put more money into women's football to support the growth of players there. We don't just want one part of the country to grow."

Herron played in 21 of Birmingham City's 22 games including the final day as Blues recorded a crucial 2-0 victory over Charlton Athletic to clinch the title.

She has been in the Midlands for three seasons having left Sunderland after a four-year stay between 2019 and 2023.

"Since I moved away from Sunderland and had a new challenge, a new experience, I've been able to excel," added Herron. "I'm ready for a new challenge and the WSL. It was always an ambition of mine. Sometimes there's not as many opportunities in the north east.

"I moved away and sacrificed a lot - but I was excited to see what I could achieve."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Charlton Athletic manager Karen Hills says the squad have "another bite of the cherry" to try to gain promotion to the Women's Super League.

Her side face Leicester City in a first-ever WSL play-off match at The Valley on Saturday (12:30 BST) with the winner gaining top-tier status.

Leicester City finished bottom of the WSL with just two wins from their 22 matches, while Charlton finished two points off winners Birmingham City in the second tier.

The Addicks entered the final game leading the table, but a 2-0 loss against the Blues meant they fell to third and were leapfrogged by Crystal Palace.

"It was a tough way to end what's been a remarkable season and it took a couple of days to digest the disappointment," said Hills.

"It was just processing how everyone felt and then coming back in with a fresh, open mind and a focus on what can still be an unbelievable end to this season."

Scotland international Charlotte Newsham picked up an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in the defeat by Birmingham City and will miss the play-off.

That is a blow, but Charlton have the league's best goalkeeper in their ranks with Sophie Whitehouse claiming the Golden Glove trophy at the WSL Football awards.

"We're confident. We've got to be. We've had a lot of self-belief this season," added Hills. "If we can put the ingredients together again for one last game, I think we stand a really good chance so I'm full of confidence."

Leicester are fighting for survival in the WSL but for Charlton, it is an opportunity to reach the top tier for the first time in their history.

The play-off game was introduced as part of expansion plans that will see the WSL grow from 12 to 14 teams next season.

"We can big it up all we want and make it the most exciting game, and rightly so. It's the first time this has happened, and we're part of that," said Hills.

"Not only have we created a little bit of history, going 27 games unbeaten this season, we're also going into this historical moment.

"We can definitely make this game a spectacle and showcase what we've done and what we're proud of here at Charlton."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Canada manager Casey Stoney dedicated her induction into the Women's Super League Hall of Fame to friend Matt Beard, describing him as a "special" person.

Beard died in September at the age of 47 after an 18-year career in management during which he led Liverpool to back-to-back WSL titles in 2013 and 2014.

In an interview with BBC Sport this month, Beard's family urged football to introduce regular, mandatory mental-health checks for managers.

Former England captain Stoney played under Beard at Chelsea for two seasons and managed against him in the WSL during her time as Manchester United boss.

Stoney and Beard were joined in the Hall of Fame by former Birmingham City captain Kerys Harrop, who made 183 WSL appearances.

The inductees were honoured during the WSL Football awards ceremony in London.

"If you look around the room, you see how many people Beardy impacted in a positive way and how many he had time for," Stoney told BBC Sport.

"It didn't matter who you were, what your role was or whether you knew him for one minute or 10 years, he had time for you.

"He had a real innate ability to just make you laugh, even in the crappiest of times, and that is such a skill.

"To be able to stand alongside Matt, figuratively speaking, see his family here, and be honoured at the same time as him, is a privilege."

Stoney is hoping to lead Canada to the Women's World Cup in Brazil next year but has relished seeing the growth of the WSL from afar.

She managed Manchester United when they were reformed as a professional outfit in 2018, guiding them to the WSL and to back-to-back fourth-placed finishes before stepping down in 2021 because of frustrations over a lack of investment by the club.

Marc Skinner has managed the team since but United are yet to win a WSL title.

"It was quite public why I left and we all know the reasons. I think they have invested more since I left. Marc's had a decent budget," said Stoney.

"Are they at the level of the other clubs? Possibly not in terms of wages and recruitment. If they do want to go higher, they are going to have to invest in the squad and get more depth, especially if they play in the Champions League.

"They were doing OK this season until they got to March and the amount of games hit the players. There's not much rotation and they lost vital players at vital times.

"You're only ever as good as the team you can put out on the pitch. It's about the investment you're prepared to put in."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City midfielder Laura Coombs says she "can't believe" how her football career is ending.

The 35-year-old, who has had a career spanning almost 20 years, announced she is retiring at the end of the season.

She helped City win their first Women's Super League title in a decade this month and they are still chasing a domestic double when they face Brighton in the Women's FA Cup final on Sunday, 31 May (15:00 BST).

"I can't quite believe the ending that I'm having. We've come close [to winning the WSL] maybe once or twice in my time here before," Coombs told BBC Sport.

"It's just been such a special year and it feels like it's been coming. This year, I just think everything fell into place for us. Everyone feels how special this group is.

"I'm so happy that I got to spend my last year with them."

Coombs, who earned seven caps for England, began her senior career at Arsenal in 2007 and represented some of the country's biggest clubs.

She received a surprise recall to the England squad after an eight-year absence by manager Sarina Wiegman in 2023 and was part of the squad that reached the World Cup final that year, as well as winning the Women's Finalissima.

However, Coombs admitted she was close to retiring last season but wanted to stay on and help City win the elusive WSL .

"It just didn't feel right. But this year, I think it really feels right. It feels like the club is in such a good place. I'm excited to see where it goes," added Coombs.

"We're not really used to being in the position where everyone's chasing us. It was a really good test and we came through, so I think it's really good for the future.

"Behind the scenes, there's people trying to get the right players here and the right characters. If they can continue with that and bring in further talent it's only going to go one way."