BLACK CATS MAKE IT BACK TO TOP FLIGHT
After having to settle for the Northern Division’s runners-up spot in each of the previous two seasons, it was third time lucky for Sunderland as they eased their way to the 2004-05 title and with it, a deserved promotion back to the top flight.
With home-grown youngsters like future England stars Steph Houghton and Jill Scott shining brightly alongside experienced team mates such as Karen Scorer (part of the side since Cowgate Kestrels entered the National League in 1991), Houghton’s strike partner Donna Lanaghan and the prolific Mel Reay, the Black Cats were just too strong and hotter in front of goal than ambitious runners-up Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Wolves boasted the meanest defence, an emerging England midfield talent in Emily Westwood (finally recovered from serious knee injuries), and a striker in Amy McCann who was in scorching form throughout the campaign.
McCann’s tally of 21 accounted for nearly half of her team's goals and won her the Golden Boot award for the division. She cheerfully dedicated it to fellow forward, England U-19 international Becky Hall.
“She's put 90 per cent of the goals on a plate for me," she told Women’s Soccer Scene, with a laugh. "To be fair, she has been sensational up front with me.”
"We did look to get promotion this season,” reflected McCann, “we put in a lot of hard work in pre-season and I think we've finished with more points than Liverpool did when they got promoted. So that goes to show how well Sunderland did and congratulations to them.”
The Black Cats had crucially denied Wolves a win in early April, when Reay equalised 10 minutes from time to draw 1-1, then a week later Mick Mulhern’s side secured promotion with a point at a strong Stockport County, Lanaghan and Houghton scoring in the last 16 minutes to draw 2-2.
Andrew McNally’s newcomers, Blackburn Rovers, certainly made a statement in their first season at this level, twice beating the Black Cats early on, and finishing in third place.
Their former Tranmere Rovers and Garswood Saints forwards Katie Anderton and Andrea Bell were in the goals, indeed only McCann outscored Bell, Houghton and Reay, all of whom finished with 16 goals.
In an interview with Women’s Soccer Scene, left winger Reay, who just missed out on collecting her fourth Northern Division top scorer gong, offered her reasons behind the Black Cats’ success: “We’ve a tight squad: “We've a tight squad, although not a very big squad, who have played together for a couple of years and know each other well,” she said. “It's been frustrating in the last two years when we have finished second twice. Teams raise their game against us because we are one of the sides expected to do well."
"Donna Lanaghan is great - she has been at the club since day one and has seen all the ups and downs we have had. Steph Houghton is a very good player who can only get better, and she is now in the England Under-19s. We have a lot of good girls coming through our Centre of Excellence, but Steph stood out a mile! She is lethal in front of goal.
"Carly Telford is a fine young goalkeeper who has also been with England and Jill Scott is another player to watch, a tall player who rises like a salmon and scores a lot from my corners! Emma Redhead and Jen O'Neill have also played very well at the back."
Depleted Tranmere Rovers had lost a number of players following their drop down from the National Division and were dragged into the bottom places when impressive Cup runs led to them playing catch-up on fixtures. They secured their safety when they beat Oldham Curzon 2-1 with a stoppage time Lindsey Smith winner. That result relegated Sheffield Wednesday, so ending their 14 consecutive years in the league.
Manchester City also moved clear of danger following a 1-0 win against Middlesbrough, Natalie Thomas the goal hero, and so Coventry City returned to the Midlands Combination after just one season.
FINAL TABLE
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunderland | 22 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 66 | 26 | 53 | +40 |
| 2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 22 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 46 | 19 | 47 | +27 |
| 3 | Blackburn Rovers | 22 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 59 | 39 | 39 | +20 |
| 4 | Stockport County | 22 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 37 | 39 | 30 | -2 |
| 5 | Lincoln City | 22 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 43 | 48 | 29 | -5 |
| 6 | Aston Villa | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 36 | 43 | 28 | -7 |
| 7 | Middlesbrough | 22 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 34 | 41 | 24 | -7 |
| 8 | Tranmere Rovers | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 31 | 38 | 24 | -7 |
| 9 | Oldham Curzon | 22 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 34 | 42 | 24 | -8 |
| 10 | Manchester City | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 29 | 45 | 24 | -16 |
| 11 | Sheffield Wednesday | 22 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 26 | 40 | 23 | -14 |
| 12 | Coventry City | 22 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 33 | 54 | 18 | -21 |
FA WOMEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE NORTHERN DIVISION RESULTS 2004-05
15/8/2004
Aston Villa 4-3 Lincoln City
Coventry City 0-5 Tranmere Rovers
Manchester City 0-2 Oldham Curzon
Middlesbrough 0-1 Sheffield Wednesday
Stockport County 2-2 Blackburn Rovers
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-2 Sunderland
22/8/2004
Blackburn Rovers 6-1 Manchester City
Lincoln City 2-2 Middlesbrough
Oldham Curzon 3-3 Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday 3-3 Aston Villa
Sunderland 5-1 Stockport County
Tranmere Rovers 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
29/8/2004
Coventry City 0-0 Lincoln City
Manchester City 0-3 Sunderland
Stockport County 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Middlesbrough
5/9/2004
Aston Villa 2-1 Middlesbrough
Oldham Curzon 5-2 Stockport County
Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Coventry City
Sunderland 2-3 Blackburn Rovers
Tranmere Rovers 2-3 Lincoln City
15/9/2004
Blackburn Rovers 2-2 Oldham Curzon
Coventry City 2-2 Aston Villa
Lincoln City 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday
Manchester City 2-1 Tranmere Rovers
Middlesbrough 0-6 Sunderland
Stockport County 1-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
19/9/2004
Aston Villa 3-2 Tranmere Rovers
Middlesbrough 3-0 Coventry City
Oldham Curzon 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday
Stockport County 3-0 Manchester City
26/9/2004
Aston Villa 2-3 Stockport County
Coventry City 1-7 Blackburn Rovers
Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 Tranmere Rovers
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Oldham Curzon
3/10/2004
Blackburn Rovers 4-3 Sunderland
Coventry City 3-1 Sheffield Wednesday
Lincoln City 2-1 Tranmere Rovers
Middlesbrough 0-1 Aston Villa
Stockport County 0-1 Oldham Curzon
10/10/2004
Aston Villa 2-2 Blackburn Rovers
Middlesbrough 5-2 Tranmere Rovers
Stockport County 2-1 Coventry City
Sunderland 1-0 Oldham Curzon
Wolverhampton Wanderers 5-1 Lincoln City
13/10/2004
Sunderland 2-0 Middlesbrough
14/10/2004
Tranmere Rovers 2-1 Manchester City
17/10/2004
Stockport County 4-1 Lincoln City
Sunderland 3-0 Tranmere Rovers
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 Aston Villa
20/10/2004
Oldham Curzon 3-2 Blackburn Rovers
24/10/2004
Middlesbrough 1-5 Wolverhampton Wanderers
31/10/2004
Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Tranmere Rovers
Manchester City 3-3 Sheffield Wednesday
Oldham Curzon 4-0 Lincoln City
Stockport County 4-0 Middlesbrough
Sunderland 2-1 Aston Villa
Wolverhampton 3-0 Coventry City
3/11/2004
Lincoln City 3-1 Sheffield Wednesday
7/11/2004
Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Wolverhampton
Lincoln City 3-4 Sunderland
14/11/2004
Aston Villa 0-2 Oldham Curzon
Coventry City 4-2 Sunderland
Lincoln City 5-0 Manchester City
Middlesbrough 2-2 Blackburn Rovers
Sheffield Wednesday 1-3 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Tranmere Rovers 1-1 Stockport County
21/11/2004
Oldham Curzon 3-3 Middlesbrough
Sunderland 5-2 Lincoln City
28/11/2004
Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Coventry City
Lincoln City 0-4 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Middlesbrough 4-1 Manchester City
Oldham Curzon 1-9 Sunderland
Stockport County 2-2 Aston Villa
12/12/2004
Aston Villa 0-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Coventry City 2-3 Manchester City
Lincoln City 2-3 Stockport County
Middlesbrough 1-0 Oldham Curzon
Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Blackburn Rovers
19/12/2004
Sunderland 3-0 Sheffield Wednesday
16/1/2005
Middlesbrough 1-1 Stockport County
Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Manchester City
Tranmere Rovers 2-4 Blackburn Rovers
23/1/2005
Manchester City 1-4 Lincoln City
Oldham Curzon 1-4 Aston Villa
Sunderland 4-2 Coventry City
Wolverhampton 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday
30/1/2005
Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Stockport County
Lincoln City 1-2 Aston Villa
Oldham Curzon 0-0 Manchester City
6/2/2005
Coventry City 2-1 Oldham Curzon
Manchester City 4-0 Blackburn Rovers
Middlesbrough 0-0 Lincoln City
13/2/2005
Blackburn Rovers 4-1 Aston Villa
20/2/2005
Manchester City 2-4 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Sheffield Wednesday 0-1 Sunderland
6/3/2005
Aston Villa 3-2 Coventry City
Blackburn Rovers 2-2 Lincoln City
Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Stockport County
Tranmere Rovers 1-2 Sunderland
11/3/2005
Oldham Curzon 0-1 Tranmere Rovers
13/3/2005
Aston Villa 0-3 Sunderland
Blackburn Rovers 6-1 Sheffield Wednesday
Coventry City 4-4 Middlesbrough
Manchester City 4-0 Stockport County
20/3/2005
Blackburn Rovers 1-3 Middlesbrough
Lincoln City 3-0 Oldham Curzon
Manchester City 2-0 Aston Villa
27/3/2005
Aston Villa 0-3 Sheffield Wednesday
Oldham Curzon 2-3 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Stockport County 2-2 Tranmere Rovers
Sunderland 1-0 Manchester City
3/4/2005
Aston Villa 3-0 Manchester City
Coventry City 0-2 Tranmere Rovers
Sheffield Wednesday 0-4 Middlesbrough
Sunderland 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
10/4/2005
Manchester City 3-0 Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Oldham Curzon
Stockport County 2-2 Sunderland
Tranmere Rovers 1-0 Middlesbrough
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-2 Blackburn Rovers
13/4/2005
Lincoln City 1-0 Coventry City
17/4/2005
Coventry City 4-1 Stockport County
Manchester City 1-0 Middlesbrough
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Tranmere Rovers
20/4/2005
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Stockport County
24/4/2005
Lincoln City 3-3 Blackburn Rovers
Tranmere Rovers 1-0 Aston Villa
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Manchester City
27/4/2005
Coventry City 2-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Tranmere Rovers 2-1 Oldham Curzon
2/5/2005
Tranmere Rovers 1-2 Sheffield Wednesday
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