The Women’s Super League is a competition in constant evolution, and this season was no different.
Independent upstarts London City Lionesses left a positive impression in a 4-1 defeat to Arsenal, the first English Champions League title holders of the WSL era, and they wrapped up their debut top tier campaign in the top six. Brighton and Tottenham took steps forward in their domestic campaigns while Aston Villa were a standout underperformer, but the big news centred on action at the summit.
Manchester City had suffered a 2-1 loss to six-time reigning champions Chelsea on opening day, but they produced a 13-game winning streak to sail clear of the chasing pack in the pursuit of the crown.
Arsenal ended that run with a 1-0 win over City, becoming their closest challengers, but they required perfection in the run-in to give themselves a chance of lifting the league trophy. Ultimately, a 1-1 draw with Brighton on the south coast confirmed that the title would be handed to the Citizens.
For the first time in a decade, City were champions, but the schedule was not yet complete. At the other end of the table, another historical development was yet to be resolved to round off the year.
Leicester had long been rooted to the bottom of the standings, but they were given a lifeline. The expansion of the WSL from 12 to 14 teams meant the winner of a playoff between the Foxes and Charlton Athletic would join Birmingham City and Crystal Palace in the top flight. A nervy penalty shootout settled the score after a goalless stalemate, and Charlton claimed the coveted final slot.
Words by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere.
Player of the season - Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw
In a season full of stellar performances across the WSL, one player stood above the rest. Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw bagged an astonishing 21 league goals in 22 appearances, claiming the golden boot award for the third successive season and being the first WSL player to do so.
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It was a campaign defined by records and milestones for Shaw. She became the first player to surpass 20 goals in three individual campaigns and also claimed the league’s all-time fastest hat-trick, further strengthening her reputation as one of the best centre-forwards in the world.
Consistent, confident and clinical in front of goal, Shaw was instrumental in helping Manchester City secure their first league title in a decade, being responsible for over a third of their goals scored in the WSL for the season.
The striker announced her own four year contract extension at the club’s trophy parade celebrations following the conclusion of the season, declaring “I am still here, I am still hungry and there is no place I’d rather be.” As City look to continue to build on their title-winning campaign, their all time top goalscorer will undoubtedly remain at the centre of their ambitions.
Words by Mia Walters.
Young player of the season - Alyssa Thompson
The USA international joined Chelsea only last summer when, at 20-years-old, she became the Blues’ club record signing for a fee of just under £1m.
The forward had just two years' worth of professional experience under her belt at the time of signing, making over 60 appearances for Angel City since turning pro in 2023.
Whilst her contributions to the team back in the States was impressive and warranted a big money move plus call-ups to the national team, she would not have expected to have been the focal point of Chelsea’s attack.
Yet, injuries to key attacking figures such as Catarina Macario, Mayra Ramirez and Aggie Beaver-Jones meant that she was forced to step up to the plate and turn into the West Londoners’ most dangerous forward threat.
For some, this would have been a burden too big to carry at such a young age, but Thompson has instead thrived under this pressure, recording seven goals and three assists in 20 WSL appearances, the highest tally at her club.
The Blues may have had a disappointing season, relinquishing their league crown for the first time in seven years, but Thompson is certainly the one shining light from it.
Words by Ashton Cox.
Manager of the season - Andree Jeglertz
The 54-year-old Swede has exceeded all expectations in his first season in charge by guiding Manchester City to their first WSL title in a decade.
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From November, City took the WSL by storm and led the way, which included a 13-match winning streak between September and February. Wins over Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United during that period made the footballing world believe that the WSL title was heading back to East Manchester.
Jeglertz’s side only dropped eleven points throughout the whole campaign and conceded just 19 times in 22 games, which highlighted the balance between attack and defence across the whole team.
The Blues have been formidable at home and can boast a 100% record at the Joie Stadium and Etihad Stadium, winning eleven out of eleven WSL contests and scoring 38 times in the process.
Players have thrived under Jeglertz, who has given the players the responsibility to take charge of their own destiny. Players like Bunny Shaw have thrived under the Swede, who added her record-breaking third golden boot in a row by scoring 21 times in 22 appearances.
Another player who has thrived under Andree Jeglertz is Laura Blindkilde Brown, who has had her breakout season at City, with only Bunny Shaw having made more appearances than her this season. The midfielder has been an integral part of the team, and her performances have seen her nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year.
Kerstin Casparij has also benefited from Jeglertz’s creative freedom as the City fullback finished top of the WSL assist charts with seven assists.
Words by Dan Keley.
Signing of the season - Jess Park
One of the most controversial and unexpected pieces of transfer business in women’s football history came right at the end of the summer window, when Grace Clinton and Jess Park swapped Manchester allegiances. What initially appeared to be a shock move quickly became the signing of the season story.
Despite leaving Manchester City where she had spent almost the entirety of her senior career to date, Park’s transition to playing for the red side of Manchester looked effortless from an outside perspective. The 24-year-old played with freedom and flair, thriving under the added responsibility she had been afforded in United’s front line.
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Bringing versatility, skill and energy to United’s attack, Park bagged 11 goal contributions across her 22 league appearances. Occasionally operating centrally, but more commonly on the right flank, her pace, dribbling and fluid movement became an essential part of United’s attacking play, making it difficult to imagine a United side without Park’s influence.
Despite a transfer window filled with high profile arrivals for record breaking fees across the WSL, few players had greater impact on their new club. Her performances throughout the season established Park as a standout attacking player in the league, with the controversial transfer ultimately resulting in the signing of the season.
Words by Mia Walters.
Overachievers of the season - Tottenham Hotspur
Martin Ho inherited a squad that had finished 11th and was severely lacking in both style and confidence. Most expected some improvement. Spurs after all are usually wanting to be in the mix for ‘the best of the rest’ tagline. But considering the poor form of the previous campaign, few would have predicted Spurs to eclipse their best ever points total this time round.
Ho’s ability to get the best out of players saw an almost immediate upswing. Only two additions in the summer - albeit important ones, in Toko Koga and Cathinka Tandberg - displayed his coaching credentials from the offset.
Only four losses in the first half of the season made it an impressive start. The Lilywhites were much more comfortable and slick on the ball and when defending as a unit, warranting notable draws against Manchester United and Arsenal.
The second half of the season saw a bit of a dip. However, finishing four points behind theRed Devils marked a significant step up from a year ago. With the likes of Shekeira Martinez and Kirsty Hanson set to join the North London outfit, even more overachievements could be on the horizon.
Words by Brandon Williams.
Underachievers of the season - Chelsea
We think it has to be Chelsea.
The Blues have been a dominant force in England for a long time – six league titles in a row including two without losing a game is no mean feat!
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The expectations are always going to be astronomically high for a club like that, and a third-place league finish, quarter-final UEFA Women's Champions League exit and just one trophy isn’t going to cut it for such a high-quality outfit.
Similarly to Arne Slot with Liverpool, last season was almost already put in place by Sonia Bompastor’s predecessor Emma Hayes; this campaign was her first real test at the wheel.
There were no major losses that went with Hayes, which is why Chelsea just continued their momentum into another strong season in 2024/25.
At the start of this one, there were a couple major departures including Sophie Ingle and Ashley Lawrence, but bringing in American star Alyssa Thompson and Matilda Ellie Carpenter, it only seemed that the Blues improved.
However, this was clearly not the case, and they found it difficult to really build any momentum which led to Manchester City’s lead at the top of the table to just get too far ahead of them.
Bompastor will seriously need to think about her recruitment strategy this season to find a way to get Chelsea back on top of the Women’s Super League.
Words by Ben Growdon.
Match of the season - Man City 3-2 Arsenal
This was a game that had everything. A goalfest from two of the league's best teams, complete with stunning strikes, brave defending, expert goalkeeping, and a bit of extra bite provided by Chloe Kelly.
The first half only saw a singular goal, courtesy of Bunny Shaw. The Jamaican had the ball in the net shortly afterwards, but it was ruled out for a tight and arguable offside.
The second half sprang into life straight away through a brilliantly crafted equaliser from Arsenal, finished off by Mariona Caldentey.
Kerstin Casparij bungled in a second for City before Kelly’s outside of the box effort found the top corner. The former Sky Blue, who left the club to “be happy again”, celebrated by passionately pounding her palm on the Arsenal crest in front of the home fans, dialling up tension with seven minutes to go.
It would be Man City who ultimately got the last laugh as they netted a late winner through Iman Beney. The Swiss slickly took advantage as Arsenal made a hash of clearing Shaw’s counter.
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It would prove to be a key victory in City’s road to lifting the title as they eventually finished four points ahead of Renee Slegers’ side, with this being the only defeat inflicted on Arsenal in the whole campaign. A testament to both Andree Jeglertz's inspiration to get City over the line and the Gunners' industry in being one of the toughest opponents in the European game.
Words by Brandon Williams.