Championship team preview: Newcastle United

Newcastle United Women in a huddle. Photo: NUFCW

Team Overview

Newcastle United Women were founded in 1989 but did not become affiliated with Newcastle United Football Club until 2016 and did not become a full-time club until 2022. By becoming full-time, Newcastle became the first professional side to compete in the third tier of women’s football.

The club that goes by the nickname the Magpies, won back-to-back promotions with manager Becky Langley. And after winning the FA Women’s National League last season, Langley’s side now competes in the Championship, the second tier of women’s football in England.

Newcastle play at Kingston Park which has a stadium capacity of 10,200.

Key Players

One key player for the Magpies is their summer signing Shania Hayles. Hayles is a Jamaican international and forward who signed from Bristol City in the summer, after they were relegated back to the Championship from the WSL. Hayles has had a very successful debut season, being the current top goal scorer with nine goals and two assists in 17 appearances.

Another key player is another new signing from the start of the season,; Amy Andrews. Andrews signed from fellow Championship side Durham. After a successful season with them last year with six goals and two assists in the Championship and two goals in the League Cup, it is clear she will continue to make her mark on the Championship. This season, Andrews has scored four goals for Newcastle, two in the Championship and two in the League Cup.

This season

Newcastle have had a very successful debut season, sitting comfortably mid-table in seventh. Newcastle currently have 23 points but they have two games in hand to league leaders Birmingham. If Newcastle win both their games in hand, they will be on 29 points positioning, them second and only three points off promotion.

Newcastle are unbeaten in their last five games with two wins and three draws, with their most recent game seeing a 3-2 win over Bristol City.

Newcastle also competed in both the FA Cup and Subway League Cup this season. Unfortunately, Newcastle only made it to the fifth round of the FA Cup, losing to last season’s WSL promoted team Crystal Palace.

Newcastle also had a tough League Cup group, being the only Championship club, drawing Manchester United, Liverpool and Everton and finished bottom of the group with one point.

Newcastle’s next game is against Durham away on the 16th March, 12pm kick off and is available to watch via the Barclay’s Women Championship YouTube channel.