SEAGULLS IMPROVE ON RUNNERS-UP SPOT TO EARN TOP FLIGHT STATUS

Having missed out on promotion through goal difference in the previous season, a solid Brighton & Hove Albion outfit made no mistakes in 2000-01 to deservedly seal the Southern Division title. 

The Seagulls held off a late challenge from Chelsea to navigate a weather-disrupted campaign and earn their place in the top flight.

There had been strong opposition in the early stages of the season too, Wimbledon and Ipswich Town as well as Albion making strong starts. 

Brighton took top spot in early October through a 4-1 win at Berkhamsted Town, but regular league action then stalled for most sides due to poor weather affecting pitches across the nation.

Having played only seven games by the start of December, Albion did not play their eighth until a 3-0 home win over Reading on 3rd March, and then their ninth three weeks later. Ipswich and Newport County, meanwhile, had fulfilled 16 and 15 fixtures respectively. 

The resultant imbalance in the progress of various clubs’ seasons saw Chelsea in pole position at this stage. The newly promoted Blues, featuring a very young Ellen White and teenager Fara Williams who was already hitting the net with long-range free-kicks, had kicked off life at this level with a couple of draws and an expensive loss at Barking, 

But they quickly found their groove and only a goalless draw with title rivals Brighton interrupted what would have been a 17-game winning streak. If they had found their feet sooner there may well have been a different end-of-season outcome. 

Chelsea were also 66-goal joint top scorers in the division, along with Barnet. The Bees’ Aussie-born striker Kristy Moore certainly made her mark, picking up the Player of the Division and Golden Boot accolades and getting snapped up by Fulham. England caps were to follow.

Meanwhile a 5-1 Brighton victory over Barking on 15th May confirmed the Seagulls as champions. Their quality throughout the campaign, with a fine balance of defence and attack, ensured they would be the side to compete with the elite – for the first time – in 2001-02.

At the other end of the table as the season concluded, Wembley Mill Hill saved themselves with a 2-1 win at Barking, the result confirming second-bottom Cardiff City’s relegation to the South West Combination. Bottom club Reading Royals dropped down to the South East Combination while Millwall, relegated from the National Division, swapped places with Brighton.

FINAL TABLE

FA WOMEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIVISION RESULTS 2000-01

20/8/2000
Ipswich Town 3-0 Cardiff City 
Langford 1-5 Brighton & Hove Albion
Newport County 1-3 Berkhamsted Town
Wembley Mill Hill 3-2 Barking 
Wimbledon 2-2 Chelsea 

27/8/2000
Barking 1-3 Wimbledon
Berkhamsted Town 5-1 Reading Royals
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 Newport County 
Cardiff City 3-0 Langford 
Chelsea 2-2 Ipswich Town

3/9/2000
Ipswich Town 4-0 Barking
Langford 1-4 Chelsea
Newport County 2-0 Cardiff City
Reading Royals 0-4 Brighton & Hove Albion 
Wembley Mill Hill 5-3 Berkhamsted Town
Wimbledon 4-2 Barnet 

10/9/2000
Barking 12-0 Reading Royals
Barnet 4-2 Chelsea
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-2 Ipswich Town 
Wembley Mill Hill 2-3 Wimbledon

17/9/2000
Wimbledon 2-0 Berkhamsted Town

1/10/2000
Barnet 7-2 Barking 
Berkhamsted Town 1-4 Brighton & Hove Albion
Chelsea 3-3 Wembley Mill Hill
Langford 1-1 Newport County 

5/10/2000
Barnet 4-1 Wembley Mill Hill 

8/10/2000
Barking 3-1 Berkhamsted Town
Newport County 0-3 Ipswich Town 
Reading Royals 1-9 Chelsea
Wimbledon 2-3 Langford

15/10/2000
Barnet 3-2 Cardiff City
Berkhamsted Town 4-3 Ipswich Town
Chelsea 4-2 Newport County
Langford 1-0 Barking
Wembley Mill Hill 7-0 Reading Royals

22/10/2000
Cardiff City 1-3 Brighton & Hove Albion
Newport County 3-0 Wembley Mill Hill

5/11/2000
Barking 2-1 Cardiff City

12/11/2000
Chelsea 3-1 Cardiff City
Ipswich Town 2-2 Langford
Newport County 2-1 Barking

26/11/2000
Cardiff City 1-6 Ipswich Town

3/12/2000
Ipswich Town 1-6 Chelsea 
Langford 5-1 Cardiff City 
Newport County 1-3 Brighton & Hove Albion

14/1/2001
Langford 0-1 Ipswich Town

21/1/2001
Newport County 3-2 Reading Royals

28/1/2001
Ipswich Town 1-3 Newport County
Cardiff City 4-2 Reading Royals

4/2/2001
Cardiff City 2-1 Newport County

11/2/2001
Ipswich Town 4-1 Reading Royals

18/2/2001
Ipswich Town 2-3 Berkhamsted Town
Reading Royals 2-4 Newport County

25/2/2001
Langford 5-2 Reading Royals
Newport County 1-4 Wimbledon 

4/3/2001
Barking 5-1 Ipswich Town
Barnet 2-1 Wimbledon
Berkhamsted Town 6-3 Wembley Mill Hill
Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 Reading Royals
Chelsea 1-0 Langford

7/3/2001
Barnet 4-0 Berkhamsted Town

11/3/2001
Barking 2-4 Chelsea
Langford 2-0 Berkhamsted Town
Reading Royals 1-2 Cardiff City
Wembley Mill Hill 0-3 Ipswich Town
Wimbledon 3-2 Newport County

15/3/2001
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Wimbledon

25/3/2001
Barnet 6-1 Ipswich Town
Brighton & Hove Albion 0-0 Chelsea

1/4/2001
Barking 2-3 Langford
Brighton & Hove Albion 4-0 Wembley Mill Hill
Ipswich Town 0-3 Wimbledon
Newport County 1-2 Barnet
Reading Royals 3-1 Berkhamsted Town

8/4/2001
Ipswich Town 2-5 Brighton & Hove Albion
Langford 1-0 Barnet
Newport County 1-2 Chelsea
Wembley Mill Hill 3-1 Cardiff City
Wimbledon 6-0 Reading Royals

11/4/2001
Reading Royals 0-7 Langford

13/4/2001
Berkhamsted Town 1-2 Chelsea
Langford 1-2 Wimbledon
Wembley Mill Hill 2-0 Newport County

15/4/2001
Barking 3-2 Newport County
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 Berkhamsted Town
Cardiff City 1-7 Barnet
Wembley Mill Hill 0-3 Langford
Wimbledon 4-2 Ipswich Town

18/4/2001
Wembley Mill Hill 0-4 Chelsea

22/4/2001
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 Langford
Cardiff City 0-1 Berkhamsted Town
Chelsea 2-0 Reading Royals
Ipswich Town 1-7 Barnet
Wimbledon 3-0 Wembley Mill Hill

26/4/2001
Berkhamsted Town 0-2 Langford

27/4/2001
Wimbledon 2-1 Barking

29/4/2001
Barnet 0-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Cardiff City 2-4 Barking
Chelsea 2-1 Berkhamsted Town
Langford 5-0 Wembley Mill Hill
Reading Royals 3-0 Ipswich Town

2/5/2001
Cardiff City 1-2 Wimbledon

4/5/2001
Barking 0-2 Brighton & Hove Albion

5/5/2001
Berkhamsted Town 4-3 Cardiff City

6/5/2001
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 Barnet
Chelsea 3-0 Barking
Reading Royals 2-2 Wembley Mill Hill

7/5/2001
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Cardiff

9/5/2001
Berkhamsted Town 2-1 Barking
Reading Royals 2-2 Wimbledon

11/5/2001
Berkhamsted Town 0-1 Newport County
Chelsea 2-1 Barnet
Wimbledon 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion

13/5/2001
Newport County 1-1 Barnet 
Reading Royals 1-3 Barking
Wembley Mill Hill 1-4 Brighton & Hove Albion
Wimbledon 0-1 Cardiff City

15/5/2001
Barnet 2-2 Berkhamsted Town

16/5/2001
Newport County 1-3 Langford

18/5/2001
Cardiff City 4-1 Wembley Mill Hill
Chelsea 3-1 Wimbledon 
Reading Royals 1-4 Barnet

20/5/2001
Barnet 1-1 Langford
Berkhamsted Town 2-4 Wimbledon
Brighton & Hove Albion 5-1 Barking 
Chelsea 5-2 Cardiff City
Ipswich 3-0 Wembley Mill Hill

22/5/2001
Chelsea 1-0 Brighton & Hove Albion

23/5/2001
Barking 6-3 Barnet

25/5/2001
Barking 1-2 Wembley Mill Hill
Barnet 3-1 Reading Royals

27/5/2001
Wembley Mill Hill 0-3 Barnet 
Cardiff City 1-3 Chelsea