By Alyce Collett (03/05/2025)
Above: The women’s Championship trophy. Photo: Durham City FC.
This weekend sees the Barclays Women’s Championship season come to its conclusion, and its winner will be crowned on Sunday.
In a fitting twist of fate, the two sides who can still win the title will play each other this weekend, with the title race coming down to what happens on the field in Birmingham on Sunday afternoon.
Where the race is at the moment
Each team’s path to the title is pretty clear cut.
As things currently stand, London City are two points clear on top of the table, so only need a point to claim the title and promotion, while Birmingham City’s only hope of winning the title is if they win.
Current Barclay’s Women’s Championship Ladder
Recent form
Both teams come into this clash with very strong recent runs of form in their last five matches.
In that time frame, London City have picked up four wins and one draw. They have scored 12 goals and only conceded two.
Birmingham City are also undefeated in its last five matches, having picked up three wins and two draws. In that time frame their goal difference is +5, having scored nine goals and conceded four.
The last time they met
Last time these two sides met was back in November, and it was Birmingham City who emerged victorious that day, winning two goals to one thanks to goals from Neve Herron and Gemma Lawley.
Both of Birmingham City’s goals came in the first half and London City’s goal came from Georgia Brougham at the death, but unfortunately for the Lionesses they ran out of time to pick up any more goals.
How do you prepare for Isobel Goodwin?
Even with several big name senior internationals in their side, London City’s most dangerous player is arguably a 22 year old young Lioness.
Isobel Goodwin has made a huge impact in her first season at the Lionesses, and been at times impossible to stop when it comes to scoring goals.
She has scored 15 goals in 17 games so far this season, at an average of one goal per 83 minutes she has played. By comparison, that is six more goals than Birmingham’s two top goal scorers Simone Magill and Lucy Quinn have scored combined.
The battle at the back
Another interesting battle to watch will be that of the goal keepers.
Remarkably, both Birmingham City’s Lucy Thomas and London City’s Emily Orman currently lead the Golden Glove race in the Championship with seven clean sheets a piece, so will play crucial roles in keeping the ball out of the respective nets.
The Louise Quinn Factor
Promotion to the Women’s Super League is big enough motivation for any side, but Birmingham City have an extra motivation factor with the match also being the final one in club captain Louise Quinn’s career. Such a staple of the Birmingham City side in recent seasons, the Blues will want nothing more than to send her off with a big win.
Birmingham City vs London City Lionesses kicks off on Sunday May 4 at 2:15pm at
St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park, Birmingham, and will be the first women’s championship game to be broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK.
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