Loughborough Lightning F.C.

Last updated

Loughborough Lightning
Full nameLoughborough Lightning Football Club
Nickname(s)Lightning
Founded1999 (as Shepshed Foxes)
GroundLoughborough University Stadium, Loughborough
Capacity3,300
ManagerCharles Baxter
League FA Women's National League Division One Midlands
2023–24 FA Women's National League Division One Midlands, 2nd of 12
Website https://www.lboro.ac.uk/sport/performance/lightning/football/

Loughborough Lightning Football Club (formerly Loughborough Foxes) is a football club based in Loughborough, Leicestershire, England. They are currently members of the FA Women's National League Division One Midlands and play at the Loughborough University Stadium.

Contents

History

The club was founded in 1999 as Shepshed Foxes by Gail and Paul Fox, who wanted to give girls in the surrounding area an opportunity to play football, before becoming Loughborough Foxes in 2002. [1]

After playing in local leagues for much of the first 15 years of their history, Loughborough were promoted to the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division (the 3rd tier of women's football) for the first time in 2015 from the Midlands Division One but would suffer relegation back to the 4th tier after just one season. The Foxes returned to the now renamed FA Women's National League in 2018 having secured promotion and the Midlands Division One title with a record of 21 wins and 1 draw from 22 games. [2]

In January 2019, Loughborough Foxes player and junior team coach Molly Webb died aged 25, with Director of Football Steve Wilkinson describing her as "a joy to spend time with; she was vibrant, enthusiastic, a motivator and someone you want in your team whatever the situation.". [3] The Foxes would end their first season back at the third tier of women's football in 7th place in the 2018–19 FA Women's National League Southern Division before being realigned to the Northern Division for the following season.

In June 2021, the club merged with the Loughborough University performance team to become Loughborough Lightning F.C. [4]

Players

Current squad

As of 2 May 2025 [5]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
1 GK Flag of England.svg  ENG Alicia Grimmond
2 DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Georgia Hewitt (vice-captain)
3 DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Hazel Cotton
4 MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Sarah Woodbyrne (captain)
5 DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Hannah Plumb
6 DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Hannah Langford
7 FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Ferne Powell
8 MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Poppy Wright
9 FW Flag of Scotland.svg  SCO Jade Arber
10 MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Jess Collyer
11 FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Lauren Purchase
12 DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Emily Jacobs
13 GK Flag of England.svg  ENG Teresa Murphy
13 GK Flag of England.svg  ENG Ash Naismith
15 FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Lydia Tilbury-Henry
No.Pos.NationPlayer
17 DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Zofia Szczech
19 FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Zyn Delglyn
21 FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Ella-Mai Coutts
23 DF Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  WAL Evie Williams
24 MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Kenzy Collingbourne
25 FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Ella Jarowicki (dual registration with Leicester City)
26 DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Mia Filipiak
30 MF Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  WAL Morgan Rodgers
31 MF Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  WAL Claudia Jones
33 MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Amelie Johnson
35 MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Alice Higginbottom
37 FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Ruby Freer

Recent seasons

YearLeagueLvlPldWDLGFGAGDPtsPosition FA Women's Cup League Cup
ResRecResRec
2006–07 Leicestershire Women's Senior League7129035117+34272nd of 7 [6]
Promoted
PR 0-0-11R [7] 0-0-1
2007–08 East Midlands Regional Women's Football League
Division One South
6168715023+27312nd of 9 [8]
Promoted
1Q 0-0-11R [9] 0-0-1
2008–09 East Midlands Regional Women's Football League
Premier Division
52014426221+41461st of 11 [10]
Promoted
1Q 0-0-1QF [11] 2-0-1
2009–10 Midland Combination Women's Football League 42223172378-55912th of 12 [12]
Relegated
2R 1-0-1
2010–11 East Midlands Regional Women's Football League
Premier Division
52016228123+58501st of 11 [13]
Promoted
3Q 1-0-1
2011–12 Midland Combination Women's Football League 42082103539-4266th of 11 [14] 2R 2-0-1QF [15] 1-0-1
2012–13 Midland Combination Women's Football League 42061133246-14199th of 11 [16] 2R 2-0-1QF [17] 1-0-1
2013–14 Midland Combination Women's Football League 42082104863-1525 [18] 7th of 11 [19]
Transferred
1R 1-0-11R [20] 0-0-1
2014–15 FA Women's Premier League
Midlands Division One
42216426926+4352 1st of 12
Promoted
1R 1-0-1 1R 0-0-1
2015–16 FA Women's Premier League
Northern Division
32232172658-3211 12th of 12
Relegated
4R 2-0-1 QF 2-0-1
2016–17 FA Women's Premier League
Midlands Division One
422180411131+8054 2nd of 12 3QR 0-0-1 3R 3-0-1
2017–18 FA Women's Premier League
Midlands Division One
4222110919+8264 1st of 12
Promoted
2R 2-0-1 2R 2-0-1
2018–19 FA Women's National League
Southern Division
32210484832+1634 7th of 12
Transferred
4R 2-0-1 SF 5-0-1
2019–20 FA Women's National League
Northern Division
3 Season abandoned 3R 1-0-1 1R 0-0-1
2020–21 FA Women's National League
Northern Division
3 Season abandoned 2R 0-0-1 Not held 0-0-0
2021–22 FA Women's National League
Northern Division
32465133563-2823 10th of 13 3R 2-0-1 2R 3-0-1
2022–23 FA Women's National League
Northern Division
32203191059-493 12th of 12
Relegated
2R 1-0-1 1R 1-0-1
2023–24 FA Women's National League
Division One Midlands
42216515921+3853 2nd of 12 2R 2-0-1 PR 1-0-1
2024–25 FA Women's National League
Division One Midlands
42219308510+7560 1st of 12
Promoted
2R 2-0-1 DR 0-0-1

Records

References

  1. "Billericay Town v Loughborough Foxes". Women's Soccer Scene. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  2. "Loughborough Foxes clinch league title". Loughborough Echo. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  3. "Outpouring of grief for 'kind and caring' footballer Molly Webb who died suddenly aged 25". Leicester Mercury. 16 January 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  4. "Loughborough football merger creates new Lightning team". Loughborough University. 28 June 2021.
  5. "Lightning Football Squad". Loughborough University. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  6. "2006–07 Leicestershire Womens Senior League".
  7. "2006–07 Leicestershire Senior Womens League Cup".
  8. "2007–08 East Midlands Regional Women's Football League Division One South".
  9. "2007–08 East Midlands Womens Regional Football League League Cup".
  10. "2008–09 East Midlands Regional Women's Football League Premier Division".
  11. "2008–09 East Midlands Womens Regional Football League League Cup".
  12. "2009–10 Midland Womens Combination League".
  13. "2010–11 East Midlands Regional Women's Football League Premier Division".
  14. "2011–12 Midland Womens Combination League".
  15. "2011–12 Midland Womens Combination League Cup".
  16. "2012–13 Midland Womens Combination League".
  17. "2012–13 Midland Womens Combination League Cup".
  18. 1 point deducted
  19. "2013–14 Midland Womens Combination League".
  20. "2013–14 Midland Womens Combination League Cup".

52°45′7.301″N1°14′3.156″W / 52.75202806°N 1.23421000°W / 52.75202806; -1.23421000