2021–22 Leicester City W.F.C. season explained

The 2021–22 Leicester City W.F.C. season was the club's 18th season and their first in history as a top-flight team following promotion to the FA Women's Super League, the highest level of the women's football pyramid, at the end of the previous season.^[1] Outside of the league, the club also contested two domestic cup competitions: the FA Cup and the League Cup.

On 25 August 2021, the club announced the women's team would be moving to the King Power Stadium with Burton Albion's Pirelli Stadium serving as backup when fixtures clash with Leicester's men's team.^[2]

On 25 November 2021, Jonathan Morgan was relieved of his managerial duties having lost all eight league games to start the season. It ended a seven-year spell in which he guided the team from the fourth-tier FA Women's Midlands Division One to the FA WSL.^[3] Head of women's football development, Emile Heskey, was named caretaker on the same day.^[4] Heskey managed one game, against Manchester United in the League Cup, before England women's under-17 head coach Lydia Bedford took over permanently on 6 December 2021.^[5]

FA Women's Super League

See main article: article and 2021–22 FA WSL.

League table

Women's FA Cup

See main article: 2021–22 Women's FA Cup.

As a member of the first tier, Leicester City entered the FA Cup in the fourth round proper.

FA Women's League Cup

See main article: 2021–22 FA Women's League Cup.

Group stage

Squad statistics

Appearances

Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances after the + symbol where applicable.|-|colspan="12"|Players away from the club on loan:|}

Transfers

Transfers in

Date	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Ref.
16 July 2021	FW		Jessica Sigsworth	Manchester United	[6]
19 July 2021	DF		Jemma Purfield	Bristol City	[7]
20 July 2021	DF		Georgia Brougham	Everton	[8]
21 July 2021	FW		Abbi Grant	Birmingham City	[9]
26 July 2021	MF		Molly Pike	Everton	[10]
27 July 2021	DF		Abbie McManus	Manchester United	[11]
23 August 2021	MF		Connie Scofield	Birmingham City	[12]
24 September 2021	MF		Luana Zajmi	Pomurje	[13]
7 January 2022	FW		Missy Goodwin	Aston Villa	[14]
5 February 2022	MF		Elysia Boddy	Middlesbrough	[15]
3 March 2022	DF		C. J. Bott	Vålerenga	[16]

Loans in

Date	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Until	Ref.
7 January 2022	MF		Freya Gregory	Aston Villa	End of season	[17]
1 February 2022	DF		Esther Morgan	Tottenham Hotspur	End of season	[18]
12 March 2022	GK		Safia Middleton-Patel	Manchester United	12 March 2022[19]	[20]

Transfers out

Date	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Ref.
30 June 2021	MF		Remi Allen	Aston Villa	[21] [22]
	MF		Charlotte Fleming	London City Lionesses	[23]
	MF		Grace Riglar	Coventry United	[24]
	DF		Lia Cataldo	Bristol City	[25]
	MF		Freya Thomas	Nottingham Forest	[26]
	MF		Aimee Everett	Crystal Palace
	FW		Millie Farrow	Crystal Palace	[27]
	FW		Olivia Fergusson	Coventry United	[28]
	FW		Libby Smith	Birmingham City	[29]
29 July 2021	DF		Holly Morgan	Retired	[30]

Loans out

Date	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Until	Ref.
26 January 2022	FW		Abbi Grant	Glasgow City	End of season	[31]
28 January 2022	MF		Luana Zajmi	Blackburn Rovers	End of season	[32]
15 February 2022	MF		Jess Camwell	Derby County	End of season	[33]

Notes and References

1. Web site: 4 April 2021 . Leicester City promoted to Women's Super League after winning Championship . 18 September 2024 . BBC Sport.
2. Web site: Garry . Tom . 25 August 2021 . Leicester City Women to play eight matches at King Power Stadium in debut WSL campaign . 18 September 2024 . The Telegraph.
3. Web site: Taylor . Louise . 25 November 2021 . Leicester City sack manager Jonathan Morgan after pointless WSL start . 18 September 2024 . The Guardian.
4. Web site: 25 November 2021 . Leicester City Statement: Jonathan Morgan Leaves LCFC Women . 18 September 2024 . lcfc.com.
5. Web site: 30 November 2021 . Leicester appoint Lydia Bedford as new manager . 18 September 2024 . BBC Sport.
6. Web site: 16 July 2021 . LCFC Women Sign Striker Jess Sigsworth . 16 July 2021 . Leicester City.
7. Web site: 19 July 2021 . LCFC Women Confirm Jemma Purfield Signing . 19 July 2021 . Leicester City.
8. Web site: 18 September 2024 . Georgia Brougham: Leicester City sign former Everton centre-back . 18 September 2024 . BBC Sport.
9. Web site: 21 July 2021 . LCFC Women Confirm Abbi Grant Addition . 21 July 2021 . Leicester City.
10. Web site: 26 July 2021 . LCFC Women Swoop For Midfielder Molly Pike . 26 July 2021 . Leicester City.
11. Web site: 27 July 2021 . Abbie McManus Signs For LCFC Women . 27 July 2021 . Leicester City.
12. Web site: 23 August 2021 . Connie Scofield Completes LCFC Women Transfer . 23 August 2021 . Leicester City.
13. Web site: 24 September 2021 . Luana Zajmi signs for Leicester City from ZNK Pomurje . 18 September 2024 . BBC Sport.
14. Web site: 7 January 2022 . LCFC Women Sign Missy Goodwin . 18 September 2024 . Leicester City FC.
15. Web site: 5 February 2022 . LCFC Women Sign Midfielder Elysia Boddy . 18 September 2024 . lcfc.com.
16. Web site: 3 March 2022 . CJ Bott Signs For LCFC Women . 18 September 2024 . Leicester City.
17. Web site: 7 January 2022 . Freya Gregory joins Leicester City on loan . 18 September 2024 . Aston Villa Football Club.
18. Web site: 1 February 2022 . Esther Morgan Makes LCFC Women Loan Switch . 18 September 2024 . lcfc.com.
19. Emergency goalkeeper loan on non-contract terms
20. Web site: 12 March 2022 . Middleton-Patel Joins LCFC Women For Everton Trip . 18 September 2024 . lcfc.com.
21. Web site: 30 June 2021 . LCFC Women Confirm Departures For Nine Players . 18 September 2024 . Leicester City FC.
22. Web site: 1 July 2021 . Villa women sign Foxes midfielder Allen . 18 September 2024 . BBC Sport.
23. Web site: 20 July 2021 . Charlotte Fleming commits to the Pride . 18 September 2024 . London City Lionesses.
24. Web site: 2 July 2021 . Coventry United announce Grace Riglar signing . 18 September 2024 . Coventry United LFC twitter.
25. Web site: 18 August 2021 . Cataldo is a Robin . 18 September 2024 . Bristol City.
26. Web site: 23 July 2021 . Two new recruits for Forest Women . 18 September 2024 . Nottingham Forest Football Club.
27. Web site: Pentland . Daniel . 20 July 2021 . Former Leicester City forward Farrow joins Crystal Palace . 18 September 2024 . FAWSL Full-Time.
28. Web site: 5 July 2021 . Coventry United announce Olivia Fergusson signing . 18 September 2024 . Coventry United LFC twitter.
29. Web site: Libby Smith is a Blue! . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20210924215130/https://bcfc.com/news/articles/2021/libby-smith-signs-for-blues/ . 24 September 2021 . 28 July 2021 . Birmingham City Football Club.
30. Web site: 29 July 2021 . Holly Morgan retires from football . 29 July 2021 . Leicester City FC.
31. Web site: 26 January 2022 . Grant re-joins Glasgow City for third time . 18 September 2024 . BBC Sport.
32. Web site: 29 January 2022 . Luana joins on loan . 18 September 2024 . Blackburn Rovers FC.
33. Web site: 19 February 2022 . Grant Fajmi & Wood feature for loan clubs . 20 February 2022 . Leicester City F.C..