# 2020–21 Aston Villa W.F.C. season

The 2020–21 Aston Villa W.F.C. season was the club's 25th season under their Aston Villa affiliation and the organisation's 47th overall season in existence. It was their debut season in the FA Women's Super League following promotion from the Championship, and as a fully professional team. Along with competing in the WSL, the club also contested two domestic cup competitions: the FA Cup and the League Cup.
Ahead of the campaign the team relocated from the Trevor Brown Memorial Ground to Bescot Stadium in Walsall.
On 25 January 2021, it was announced Marcus Bignot had been appointed interim manager with the current coaching team, including head coach Gemma Davies, all retaining their positions parallel with the appointment.

## Current squad

    As of 12 January 2021.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Sian Rogers |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Asmita Ale |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Ella Franklin-Fraiture |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Elisha N'Dow |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Anita Asante |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Emma Follis |
| 8 | MF | SCO | Chloe Arthur |
| 9 | FW | DEN | Stine Larsen |
| 10 | MF | GER | Ramona Petzelberger |
| 11 | MF | ENG | Amy West |
| 12 | FW | ENG | Jodie Hutton |
| 13 | DF | GER | Caroline Siems |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 14 | MF | ENG | Emily Syme |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Natalie Haigh |
| 16 | DF | ENG | Olivia McLoughlin |
| 17 | FW | ENG | Sophie Haywood |
| 19 | FW | POR | Diana Silva |
| 20 | FW | JPN | Mana Iwabuchi |
| 21 | MF | GER | Marisa Ewers (captain) |
| 22 | FW | ENG | Shania Hayles |
| 23 | MF | NED | Nadine Hanssen |
| 27 | GK | ENG | Charlotte Clarke |
| 29 | GK | GER | Lisa Weiß |
* ↑ Dual registration with Derby County, remains eligible for Aston Villa when called upon

## FA Women's Super League
### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 9 May 2021. Source: FA WSL

### Results by matchday

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| Ground | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | A | H | H | H | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | L | L | L | W | L | L | W | L | L | D | L | W | L | L | L | L | L | D | D | D | D | D |
| Position | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 |

### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 22 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 18 | 41 | −23 | 20 | |
| 9 | West Ham United | 22 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 21 | 39 | −18 | 15 | |
| 10 | Aston Villa | 22 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 15 | 47 | −32 | 15 | |
| 11 | Birmingham City | 22 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 15 | 44 | −29 | 14 | |
| 12 | Bristol City (R) | 22 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 18 | 72 | −54 | 12 | Relegation to the Championship |
* ↑ On 7 May 2021, Birmingham City were deducted one point for fielding an ineligible player in a draw against Reading on 25 April 2021.

## Women's FA Cup

As a member of the top two tiers, Aston Villa will enter the FA Cup in the fourth round proper. Originally scheduled to take place on 31 January 2021, it was delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

## FA Women's League Cup
### Group stage

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | WPEN | LPEN | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | AST | DUR | SHU | COV |
| 1 | Aston Villa | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | +10 | 8 | Advanced to knock-out stage | — | — | 1–0 | — |
| 2 | Durham | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | +9 | 7 | Possible knock-out stage based on ranking | 1–1 | — | — | 5–2 |
| 3 | Sheffield United | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 3 | | — | 0–6 | — | — |
| 4 | Coventry United | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 18 | −16 | 0 | | 0–9 | — | 0–4 | — |

### Knockout stage
## Squad statistics
### Appearances

    As of 9 May 2021
Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances after the + symbol where applicable.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | FA WSL | FA WSL | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Sian Rodgers | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Asmita Ale | 23 | 0 | 16+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Ella Franklin-Fraiture | 11 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Elisha N'Dow | 25 | 0 | 16+4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Anita Asante | 23 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Emma Follis | 19 | 2 | 9+6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2+2 | 2 |
| 8 | MF | SCO | Chloe Arthur | 19 | 1 | 15+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | DEN | Stine Larsen | 20 | 2 | 16+1 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+2 | 1 |
| 10 | MF | GER | Ramona Petzelberger | 13 | 3 | 9+2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | ENG | Amy West | 10 | 0 | 2+4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 12 | FW | ENG | Jodie Hutton | 19 | 2 | 12+5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 1 |
| 13 | DF | GER | Caroline Siems | 17 | 0 | 10+3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | ENG | Emily Syme | 20 | 1 | 1+14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Natalie Haigh | 22 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 16 | DF | ENG | Olivia McLoughlin | 9 | 0 | 7+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | ENG | Sophie Haywood | 10 | 0 | 3+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Freya Gregory | 10 | 1 | 4+5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | POR | Diana Silva | 19 | 3 | 4+10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| 20 | FW | JPN | Mana Iwabuchi | 14 | 2 | 11+2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | GER | Marisa Ewers | 22 | 0 | 16+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 22 | FW | ENG | Shania Hayles | 23 | 4 | 13+6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2+1 | 2 |
| 23 | MF | NED | Nadine Hanssen | 21 | 4 | 9+7 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 3+1 | 3 |
| 27 | GK | ENG | Charlotte Clarke | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 29 | GK | GER | Lisa Weiß | 23 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date | Position | Name | From |
| 2 July 2020 | MF | Chloe Arthur | Birmingham City |
| 4 July 2020 | DF | Freya Gregory | Birmingham City |
| 6 July 2020 | DF | Anita Asante | Chelsea |
| 15 July 2020 | FW | Diana Silva | Sporting CP |
| 23 July 2020 | GK | Lisa Weiß | Olympique Lyon |
| 29 July 2020 | DF | Caroline Siems | Turbine Potsdam |
| 29 July 2020 | MF | Ramona Petzelberger | SGS Essen |
| 30 July 2020 | FW | Stine Larsen | FC Fleury 91 |
| 5 October 2020 | GK | Charlotte Clarke | Derby County |
| 21 December 2020 | FW | Mana Iwabuchi | INAC Kobe Leonessa |
* ↑ Dual registration with Derby County

### Transfers out

| Date | Position | Name | To |
| 11 June 2020 | DF | Jade Richards | Blackburn Rovers |
| 11 June 2020 | FW | Kerri Welsh | |
| 11 June 2020 | MF | Alice Hassall | Coventry United |
| 11 June 2020 | MF | Phoebe Warner | Coventry United |
| 11 June 2020 | FW | Melissa Johnson | Sheffield United |
| 11 June 2020 | DF | Charlotte Greengrass | Nottingham Forest |
| 11 June 2020 | MF | Sophie Maierhofer | MSV Duisburg |
| 11 June 2020 | GK | Daniela Kosinska | Stoke City |