RUNAWAY ROVERS RACE TO TITLE

There was no stopping ambitious Blackburn Rovers in their pursuit of National Division status, in only their second season of FA Women’s Premier League football.

Promoted to the League’s Northern Division from the Northern Combination in 2004, they had enjoyed their debut campaign in which they finished third in the table behind champions Sunderland and runners-up Wolverhampton Wanderers. It was part of a three-year plan and this second advancement ensured they had executed it perfectly.

Forwards Katie Anderton and Andi Bell – who had signed from Garswood Saints in the summer of 2004 – had hit almost 30 goals between them in 2004-05. And as part of a side that was led by a meticulous and detail-oriented coaching team in 25-year old manager Andy McNally and assistant Marek Walsh, they repeated that hot goalscoring form in 2005-06 as Rovers raced to the title and promotion without losing a single match.

“Everything was paid for, they had good quality facilities and a bit more professionalism around the scenario, which was probably a new thing at that time,” recalls Bell, who predominantly operated on the right-side of a front three. 

“Katie was like their talisman. She's got some of the best feet I've probably still ever seen, she was really, really talented. I think we probably complemented each other, because I was all pace and she was all technique. We worked together well and it was successful.”

Talking about that season she recognises that the club’s set-up, combined with on-field qualities and experience, were all part of the eventual promotion success: “Good training sessions, good support and everything outside of it was working,” she says. “I think we just had a team that clicked, a team that was good going forward but also fairly good defensively as well. It was one of those seasons where you felt confident going into every game, and knew we'd put the work in.

“You kind of add little bits here and there or you’re learning from the negatives of last season – that really helped. We just carried on improving and improving. I think we knew halfway through that we were going to do it, or it was at least in our hands and that it would be us slipping up that would potentially let someone else in. 

“It's not that often that you're that far out in front, it's usually a lot closer. So it’s a different kind of pressure - not to drop the ball ourselves. I guess the extra pressure had also been on because we'd done well the season before and obviously, with having the support, we probably felt a bit of relief as well as a lot of excitement and joy.”

Rovers ended the campaign with a 100 per cent home record, playing on the excellent surface at the club’s training ground at Brockhall. They were held to away draws by only Liverpool and Anderton’s former club Tranmere Rovers, the teams which respectively finished in the second and third places.

Liverpool missed out on promotion through losing 4-1 on aggregate (3-0, 1-1) in a two-leg play-off against the National Division’s basement side Chelsea. Tranmere ended the campaign on a happier note as 21-goal striker Vicky Abbot danced away with the division’s top scorer gong..

As Blackburn had been progressing ever clearer at the top, a three-way battle to avoid relegation had unfolded with Middlesbrough, Manchester City and Curzon Ashton battling to avoid the drop.

Only one team was set to be relegated this season, and sadly for Boro their hopes of retaining their Northern Division place were ended in their final six matches.

They won their last game, 3-1 against Newcastle United, but that was too little too late as they had taken just one point from their previous five outings. 

After their relegation, Boro were unable to regain their Premier League place before the 2011 start of the FA Women’s Super League. 

Promoted Blackburn, on the other hand, comfortably held their own in the top flight ahead of the WSL. But the club were to decline the opportunity to apply for a place in the WSL and opted instead to stay in what would be a reconstituted Premier League National Division.

FA WOMEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE NORTHERN DIVISION 2005-06 RESULTS

14/8/2005
Aston Villa 1-2 Blackburn Rovers
Liverpool 2-0 Curzon Ashton
Middlesbrough 1-1 Manchester City
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Newcastle United
Stockport County 0-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Tranmere Rovers 1-2 OOH Lincoln

21/8/2005
Blackburn Rovers 5-1 Tranmere Rovers           
Manchester City 1-2 Aston Villa
Newcastle United  1-1 Stockport County 
Nottingham Forest 4-1 Curzon Ashton
OOH Lincoln 2-1 Middlesbrough 
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-2 Liverpool

28/8/2005
Liverpool 1-0 Newcastle United 
Middlesbrough 0-1 Aston Villa
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Tranmere Rovers 1-4 Manchester City

4/9/2005
Aston Villa 1-2 Tranmere Rovers           
Curzon Ashton 2-6 Newcastle United 
Liverpool 4-1 OOH Lincoln 
Middlesbrough 0-3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 
Nottingham Forest 3-1 Manchester City
Stockport County 0-1 Blackburn Rovers

6/09/2005
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 Aston Villa

7/9/2005
Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Curzon Ashton
Manchester City 2-1 Stockport County 
Tranmere Rovers 2-0 Liverpool
Middlesbrough 1-3 Newcastle United 

8/09/2005
OOH Lincoln 1-1 Nottingham Forest

18/9/2005
Aston Villa 2-0 Stockport County 
Liverpool 1-2 Nottingham Forest
Middlesbrough 2-4 Curzon Ashton
OOH Lincoln 3-1 Newcastle United 
Tranmere Rovers 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers

25/9/2005
Blackburn Rovers 2-0 OOH Lincoln 
Curzon Ashton 1-5 Aston Villa
Newcastle United  0-1 Tranmere Rovers           
Nottingham Forest 3-1 Middlesbrough 
Stockport County 1-3 Liverpool
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-0 Manchester City

2/10/2005
Blackburn Rovers 3-1 Stockport County 
Manchester City 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Newcastle United  2-2 Curzon Ashton
OOH Lincoln 0-2 Liverpool
Tranmere Rovers 3-2 Aston Villa

5/10/2005
Curzon Ashton 1-6 Blackburn Rovers

6/10/2005
Aston Villa 2-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Nottingham Forest 2-1 OOH Lincoln

9/10/2005
Newcastle United  0-1 Liverpool
Nottingham Forest 4-1 Aston Villa
Stockport County 4-0 Curzon Ashton

16/10/2005
Aston Villa 4-3 Nottingham Forest
Liverpool 2-1 Middlesbrough 
Tranmere Rovers 2-0 Stockport County

18/10/2005
Stockport County 1-1 Manchester City

23/10/2005
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
Newcastle United  3-4 Blackburn Rovers
Nottingham Forest 2-3 Tranmere Rovers           
Stockport County 1-0 Middlesbrough 
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-3 OOH Lincoln

30/10/2005
Aston Villa 1-1 Middlesbrough 
Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Nottingham Forest
Manchester City 0-3 Liverpool
Stockport County 3-1 OOH Lincoln 

6/11/2005
Blackburn Rovers 5-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
OOH Lincoln 7-0 Curzon Ashton

13/11/2005
Curzon Ashton 0-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 
Middlesbrough 0-2 Tranmere Rovers           
Newcastle United  4-1 Aston Villa
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Stockport County 
OOH Lincoln 1-1 Manchester City

20/11/2005
Newcastle United  0-1 OOH Lincoln

27/11/2005
Aston Villa 5-2 Curzon Ashton
Liverpool 4-2 Stockport County 
Manchester City 1-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Middlesbrough 0-1 Nottingham Forest
Tranmere Rovers 1-1 Newcastle United 

11/12/2005
Curzon Ashton 0-4 OOH Lincoln 
Middlesbrough 0-2 Liverpool
Newcastle United  2-2 Manchester City

18/12/2005
Tranmere Rovers 2-0 Nottingham Forest

15/1/2006
OOH Lincoln 1-1 Stockport County

22/1/2006
Aston Villa 0-1 Newcastle United 
Manchester City 0-2 OOH Lincoln 
Stockport County 1-0 Nottingham Forest
Tranmere Rovers 5-0 Middlesbrough 
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-2 Curzon Ashton

29/1/2006
Manchester City 1-2 Middlesbrough 
Nottingham Forest 1-3 Blackburn Rovers
OOH Lincoln 1-3 Tranmere Rovers   

5/2/2006
Curzon Ashton 2-1 Nottingham Forest
Liverpool 0-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Middlesbrough 1-0 OOH Lincoln 
Stockport County 0-0 Newcastle United 
Tranmere Rovers 1-1 Blackburn Rovers

19/2/2006
Curzon Ashton 1-1 Liverpool
OOH Lincoln 0-3 Blackburn Rovers

26/2/2006
Aston Villa 0-2 OOH Lincoln 
Blackburn Rovers 2-0 Manchester City
Stockport County 1-2 Tranmere Rovers   

5/3/2006
OOH Lincoln 5-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Stockport County 0-2 Aston Villa

12/3/2006
Manchester City 0-1 Curzon Ashton

19/3/2006
Manchester City 0-1 Blackburn Rovers
Middlesbrough 1-2 Stockport County 
Newcastle United  1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
OOH Lincoln 2-1 Aston Villa

26/30/2006
Blackburn Rovers 3-0 Aston Villa
Curzon Ashton 0-4 Tranmere Rovers           
Liverpool 3-2 Manchester City
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Nottingham Forest

2/4/2006
Aston Villa 1-0 Manchester City
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Liverpool
Tranmere Rovers 2-2 Curzon Ashton
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-2 Stockport County

9/4/2006
Liverpool 0-0 Blackburn Rovers
Manchester City 1-2 Newcastle United 
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Middlesbrough 

16/4/2006
Aston Villa 0-1 Liverpool
Curzon Ashton 3-2 Middlesbrough 
Manchester City 0-1 Tranmere Rovers           
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Newcastle United 

19/4/2006
Curzon Ashton 2-2 Stockport County

23/4/2006
Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Middlesbrough 
Curzon Ashton 1-1 Manchester City
Newcastle United  3-1 Nottingham Forest

25/4/2006
Liverpool 3-0 Tranmere Rovers      

30/4/2006
Middlesbrough 0-1 Blackburn Rovers
Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 Tranmere Rovers