DEBUT SEASON DELIGHT FOR WOLVES’ ‘SKINNY KID’
What an introduction to the National League it was for ‘skinny kid’ Anne Johnson (nee Blackham) as the then 17-year-old’s debut season ended in promotion from Division One North to the top flight for her club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The talented young left-winger, who would go on to amass a huge total of 348 Wolves appearances over 25 years, started the campaign on the bench after joining the club from nearby regional league team Dudley.
“I had a few substitute appearances,” she recalls, “but then half-way through the season I broke into the starting eleven. I’d never played at that standard before and it was hard, I was a skinny kid and I was easily knocked off the ball.
“But the older players – and most of them were much older than me – were a big help and I didn’t take too long to get used to the physical side of the game.
“I can remember scoring my first goals, it was in a 2-1 win against Abbeydale Alvechurch and I got both of them. That was a thrill, especially the first goal.
“That whole season was a brilliant experience for me, especially as it ended in promotion. It was a tight finish though – Sheffield Wednesday were neck and neck with us, but we got good results home and away against them towards the end of the season and that tipped the balance for us.
“I ended the season thinking, ‘this is easy,’ but then we went up to the National Division and I soon realised it was anything but easy!”
Wolves were to spend only two seasons in the top flight before they were unceremoniously relegated back down to the Northern Division.
Meanwhile 1993-94’s Division One North bottom club Kidderminster Harriers avoided dropping out of the National League by winning a relegation play-off against North West Women’s League champions Manchester Belle Vue.
FINAL TABLE
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 18 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 100 | 21 | 33 | +33 |
| 2 | Sheffield Wednesday | 18 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 73 | 23 | 29 | +26 |
| 3 | Abbeydale Alvechurch | 18 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 62 | 20 | 25 | +7 |
| 4 | Bronte | 18 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 68 | 29 | 20 | +20 |
| 5 | Cowgate Kestrels | 18 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 67 | 49 | 19 | -3 |
| 6 | Villa Aztecs | 18 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 52 | 37 | 17 | +3 |
| 7 | St Helens | 18 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 47 | 45 | 17 | -19 |
| 8 | Langford | 18 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 32 | 52 | 15 | -16 |
| 9 | Nottingham Argyle | 18 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 19 | 103 | 4 | -24 |
| 10 | Kidderminster Harriers | 18 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 8 | 150 | 1 | -25 |
WFA NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH DIVISION RESULTS 1993-94
12/9/1993
Abbeydale Alvechurch 2-0 Villa Aztecs
Cowgate Kestrels 4-1 Bronte
Langford 2-1 St Helens
Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 Nottingham Argyle
Wolverhampton Wanderers 6-0 Kidderminster Harriers
19/9/1993
Bronte 2-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Nottingham Argyle 2-5 Cowgate Kestrels
St Helens 0-1 Sheffield Wednesday
Kidderminster Harriers 0-3 Abbeydale Alvechurch
Villa Aztecs 2-0 Langford
26/9/1993
Abbeydale Alvechurch 2-2 Bronte
Cowgate Kestrels 2-1 Kidderminster Harriers
Langford 3-3 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Villa Aztecs
3/10/1993
Bronte 3-0 Langford
Kidderminster Harriers 1-2 Cowgate Kestrels
Nottingham Argyle 2-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
St Helens 1-2 Villa Aztecs
10/10/1993
Abbeydale Alvechurch 5-3 Nottingham Argyle
Cowgate Kestrels 0-4 Sheffield Wednesday
Langford 2-0 Kidderminster Harriers
Villa Aztecs 2-4 Wolverhampton Wanderers
17/10/1993
Bronte 5-2 Kidderminster Harriers
Cowgate Kestrels 3-2 Langford
Nottingham Argyle 3-0 St Helens
Wolverhampton Wanderers 5-0 Abbeydale Alvechurch
24/10/1993
Abbeydale Alvechurch 0-1 Sheffield Wednesday
Langford 0-4 Nottingham Argyle
Kidderminster Harriers 3-4 St Helens
Villa Aztecs 2-2 Bronte
Wolverhampton Wanderers 5-4 Cowgate Kestrels
7/11/1993
Cowgate Kestrels 1-3 Abbeydale Alvechurch
Kidderminster Harriers 1-1 Langford
Nottingham Argyle 0-1 Villa Aztecs
St Helens 0-10 Bronte
Sheffield Wednesday 2-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
14/11/1993
Abbeydale Alvechurch 1-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Bronte 1-2 St Helens
Langford 1-2 Cowgate Kestrels
Kidderminster Harriers 1-0 Nottingham Argyle
Villa Aztecs 2-4 Sheffield Wednesday
21/11/1993
Cowgate Kestrels 5-0 Villa Aztecs
Nottingham Argyle 1-6 Bronte
Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 Kidderminster Harriers
St Helens 0-1 Abbeydale Alvechurch
Wolverhampton Wanderers 7-1 Langford
28/11/1993
Bronte 5-2 Abbeydale Alvechurch
Nottingham Argyle 0-2 Kidderminster Harriers
St Helens 6-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Villa Aztecs 2-3 Cowgate Kestrels
5/10/1993
Langford 2-1 Abbeydale Alvechurch
Sheffield Wednesday 7-1 Cowgate Kestrels
Villa Aztecs 8-3 St Helens
Wolverhampton Wanderers 6-0 Nottingham Argyle
9/1/1994
Bronte 2-0 Cowgate Kestrels
Nottingham Argyle 1-5 Sheffield Wednesday
St Helens 2-5 Langford
Kidderminster Harriers 2-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Villa Aztecs 3-0 Abbeydale Alvechurch
16/1/1994
Abbeydale Alvechurch 3-2 Kidderminster Harriers
Cowgate Kestrels 1-3 Nottingham Argyle
Langford 1-2 Villa Aztecs
Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 St Helens
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Bronte
23/1/1994
Abbeydale Alvechurch 7-0 St Helens
Bronte 0-2 Sheffield Wednesday
Kidderminster Harriers 1-4 Villa Aztecs
30/1/1994
Kidderminster Harriers 2-4 Sheffield Wednesday
Langford 0-1 Bronte
Nottingham Argyle 0-1 Villa Aztecs
St Helens 3-0 Cowgate Kestrels
13/2/1994
Cowgate Kestrel 1-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Bronte 1-1 Villa Aztecs
Nottingham Argyle 1-0 Langford
Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Abbeydale Alvechurch
St Helens 4-2 Kidderminster Harriers
20/2/1994
Abbeydale Alvechurch 0-2 Cowgate Kestrels
Langford 3-1 Sheffield Wednesday
Kidderminster Harriers 3-2 Bronte
Villa Aztecs 4-1 Nottingham Argyle
Wolverhampton Wanderers 7-2 St Helens
13/3/1994
Abbeydale Alvechurch 3-0 Langford
Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Bronte
St Helens 4-1 Nottingham Argyle
Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 Villa Aztecs
20/3/1994
Cowgate Kestrels 2-2 St Helens
Bronte 3-0 Nottingham Argyle
Sheffield Wednesday 4-2 Langford
27/3/1994
Nottingham Argyle 3-3 Abbeydale Alvechurch
