# 2020–21 Reading F.C. Women season

The 2020–21 Reading F.C. Women season was the club's 14th season and their sixth in the FA Women's Super League, the highest level of the football pyramid. Reading finished the season in 7th place, were knocked out of the FA Cup in the fourth round and finished second in their League Cup group.

## Season events

On 15 July, Reading announced the signing of Danielle Carter and Emma Mitchell from Arsenal.
On 17 July, Reading announced the signing of Deanna Cooper, who last played for Chelsea. On the same day, Reading announced new contracts for Natasha Harding, Kiera Skeels and Lily Woodham.
On 14 August, Reading announced the signing of Erin Nayler from Girondins de Bordeaux.
On 19 August, Jess Fishlock joined Reading on loan from OL Reign.
On 1 September, Reading were drawn in Group D of the League Cup alongside West Ham United, Charlton Athletic and Brighton & Hove Albion.
On 4 September, Reading announced the signing of Jeon Ga-eul.
On 8 January, midfielder Sophie Quirk moved to London Bees on loan for the remainder of the season.
On 6 February, Reading announced the signing of Silvana Flores. On 16 February, Grace Moloney extended her contract with Reading until the summer of 2023.
On 19 February, Reading confirmed that Jess Fishlock's loan from OL Reign would end on 4 April, with Brooke Chaplen extending her contract with the club until the summer of 2022 on 22 February.
On 26 March, Rachel Rowe extended her contract with Reading until June 2024.
On 26 April, Fara Williams announced that she would be retiring at the end of the season.
On 12 May, Reading announced that Molly Bartrip, Lauren Bruton, Kristine Leine, Erin Nayler, Silvana Flores and Molly Childerhouse would all be leaving the club, alongside Fara Williams and Angharad James, when their contracts expire at the end of the season.

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Position | Name | From | Fee |
| 15 July 2020 | DF | Emma Mitchell | Arsenal | Free |
| 15 July 2020 | FW | Danielle Carter | Arsenal | Free |
| 17 July 2020 | DF | Deanna Cooper | Chelsea | Free |
| 14 August 2020 | GK | Erin Nayler | Girondins de Bordeaux | Free |
| 4 September 2020 | FW | Jeon Ga-eul | Bristol City | Free |
| 6 February 2021 | MF | Silvana Flores | Chelsea | Free |

### Loans in

| Start date | Position | Nationality | Name | From | End date | Ref. |
| 19 August 2020 | MF | | Jess Fishlock | OL Reign | 4 April 2021 | |

### Out

| Date | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Fee | Ref. |
| 24 June 2020 | FW | | Lisa-Marie Karlseng Utland | Rosenborg | Undisclosed | |

### Loans out

| Start date | Position | Nationality | Name | To | End date | Ref. |
| 8 January 2021 | MF | | Sophie Quirk | London Bees | End of season | |

### Released

| Date | Position | Name | Joined | Date |
| 31 May 2021 | GK | Erin Nayler | Umeå IK | 1 January 2022 |
| 31 May 2021 | DF | Molly Bartrip | Tottenham Hotspur | 16 July 2021 |
| 31 May 2021 | DF | Kristine Leine | Rosenborg | |
| 31 May 2021 | MF | Molly Childerhouse | Oxford United | 21 July 2021 |
| 31 May 2021 | MF | Fara Williams | Retired | Retired |
| 31 May 2021 | MF | Silvana Flores | Tottenham Hotspur | |
| 31 May 2021 | MF | Angharad James | North Carolina Courage | |
| 31 May 2021 | FW | Lauren Bruton | Charlton Athletic | |

## Squad

    As of match played 9 May 2021
| No. | Name | Position | Date of birth (Age) | Signed from | Signed in | Contract ends | Apps. | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||
| 1 | Grace Moloney | GK | (1993-03-01)1 March 1993 (aged 28) | Academy | 2009 | 2023 | 184 | 0 |
| 16 | Erin Nayler | GK | (1992-04-17)17 April 1992 (aged 29) | Girondins de Bordeaux | 2020 | | 1 | 0 |
| 72 | Rhiannon Stewart | GK | | Academy | 2019 | | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||
| 2 | Kristine Bjørdal Leine | DF | (1996-08-06)6 August 1996 (aged 24) | Røa | 2019 | | 40 | 2 |
| 3 | Emma Mitchell | DF | (1992-09-19)19 September 1992 (aged 28) | Arsenal | 2020 | | 17 | 0 |
| 5 | Molly Bartrip | DF | (1996-06-01)1 June 1996 (aged 24) | Academy | 2014 | | 108 | |
| 14 | Deanna Cooper | DF | (1993-06-20)20 June 1993 (aged 27) | Chelsea | 2020 | | 24 | 0 |
| 28 | Lily Woodham | DF | (2000-09-03)3 September 2000 (aged 20) | Bristol City | 2018 | | 21 | 0 |
| 31 | Bethan Roberts | DF | (2003-05-14)14 May 2003 (aged 17) | Academy | 2019 | | 7 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||
| 4 | Fara Williams | MF | (1984-01-25)25 January 1984 (aged 37) | Arsenal | 2017 | 2021 | 93 | 43 |
| 6 | Angharad James | MF | (1994-06-01)1 June 1994 (aged 26) | Everton | 2019 | 2021 | 48 | 2 |
| 11 | Natasha Harding (captain) | MF | (1989-03-02)2 March 1989 (aged 32) | Liverpool | 2017 | | 78 | 7 |
| 23 | Rachel Rowe | MF | (1992-09-13)13 September 1992 (aged 28) | Swansea City | 2015 | 2024 | 116 | 14 |
| 24 | Silvana Flores | MF | (2002-04-18)18 April 2002 (aged 19) | Chelsea | 2021 | | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Molly Childerhouse | MF | | Academy | 2020 | | 0 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||
| 7 | Jeon Ga-eul | FW | (1988-09-14)14 September 1988 (aged 32) | Bristol City | 2020 | | 6 | 0 |
| 9 | Amalie Eikeland | FW | (1995-08-26)26 August 1995 (aged 25) | Sandviken | 2019 | | 47 | 5 |
| 10 | Lauren Bruton | FW | (1992-11-22)22 November 1992 (aged 28) | Arsenal | 2013 | | | |
| 18 | Danielle Carter | FW | (1993-05-18)18 May 1993 (aged 27) | Arsenal | 2020 | | 25 | 4 |
| 19 | Brooke Chaplen | FW | (1989-04-16)16 April 1989 (aged 32) | Sunderland | 2017 | 2022 | 79 | 29 |
| 36 | Emma Harries | FW | (2002-03-29)29 March 2002 (aged 19) | Academy | 2020 | | 20 | 1 |
| Out on loan ||||||||||
| 29 | Kiera Skeels | DF | (2001-01-20)20 January 2001 (aged 20) | Academy | 2019 | | 2 | 0 |
| 35 | Sophie Quirk | MF | (2002-02-12)12 February 2002 (aged 19) | Academy | 2019 | | 0 | 0 |
| Left during the season ||||||||||
| 8 | Jess Fishlock | MF | (1987-01-14)14 January 1987 (aged 34) | loan from OL Reign | 2020 | | 22 | 2 |

### Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 29 | DF | ENG | Kiera Skeels (at Bristol City until end of the season.) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 35 | MF | ENG | Sophie Quirk (at London Bees until end of the season.) |

## Competitions
### WSL
#### 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 | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | L | W | W | L | D | D | D | D | L | W | L | D | D | W | D | L | D | L | L | D | W | L |
| Position | 12 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 |

#### Table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 5 | Everton | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 39 | 30 | +9 | 32 |
| 6 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 22 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 21 | 41 | −20 | 27 |
| 7 | Reading | 22 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 25 | 41 | −16 | 24 |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 22 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 18 | 41 | −23 | 20 |
| 9 | West Ham United | 22 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 21 | 39 | −18 | 15 |

### League Cup
#### Group stage

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | WPEN | LPEN | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | West Ham United | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | +7 | 8 | Advanced to knock-out stage |
| 2 | Reading | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 6 | Possible knock-out stage based on ranking |
| 3 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 1 | |
| 4 | Charlton Athletic | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | −8 | 0 | |
| Pos | Grp | Teamvte | Pld | W | WPEN | LPEN | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | Qualification |
| 1 | A | Durham | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | +9 | 7 | 2.33 | Advanced to knock-out stage |
| 2 | F | Crystal Palace | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 6 | 2.00 | Advanced to knock-out stage |
| 3 | D | Reading | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 6 | 2.00 | |
| 4 | E | Birmingham City | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 | 2.00 | |
| 5 | C | Everton | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 2.00 | |
| 6 | B | Arsenal | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 5 | 1.67 | |

## Squad statistics

    As of match played 9 May 2021

### Appearances

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | WSL | WSL | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | IRL | Grace Moloney | 25 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | NOR | Kristine Leine | 22 | 0 | 12+6 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | SCO | Emma Mitchell | 17 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | ENG | Fara Williams | 19 | 4 | 14+3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Molly Bartrip | 25 | 0 | 20+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | WAL | Angharad James | 26 | 1 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | KOR | Jeon Ga-eul | 6 | 0 | 1+3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | NOR | Amalie Eikeland | 26 | 3 | 19+3 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Lauren Bruton | 18 | 3 | 7+8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | WAL | Natasha Harding | 26 | 6 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2+1 | 3 |
| 14 | DF | ENG | Deanna Cooper | 24 | 0 | 20+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 16 | GK | NZL | Erin Nayler | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | FW | ENG | Danielle Carter | 25 | 4 | 14+7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2+1 | 1 |
| 19 | FW | ENG | Brooke Chaplen | 11 | 2 | 4+4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2+1 | 1 |
| 23 | MF | WAL | Rachel Rowe | 23 | 6 | 12+7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | WAL | Lily Woodham | 15 | 0 | 10+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 31 | DF | WAL | Bethan Roberts | 7 | 0 | 4+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | FW | ENG | Emma Harries | 20 | 1 | 7+9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 |
| Players away from the club on loan: ||||||||||||
| Players who appeared for Reading but left during the season: ||||||||||||
| 8 | MF | WAL | Jess Fishlock | 22 | 2 | 18+1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |

### Goal scorers

| Place | Position | Nation | Number | Name | WSL | FA Cup | League Cup | Total |
| 1 | MF | | 23 | Rachel Rowe | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| 1 | MF | | 11 | Natasha Harding | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| 3 | MF | | 4 | Fara Williams | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | FW | | 18 | Danielle Carter | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 5 | FW | | 10 | Lauren Bruton | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | FW | | 9 | Amalie Eikeland | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 7 | MF | | 8 | Jess Fishlock | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | FW | | 19 | Brooke Chaplen | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | MF | | 6 | Angharad James | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | FW | | 36 | Emma Harries | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | | | | Own goal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 25 | 2 | 6 | 33 |

### Clean sheets

| Place | Position | Nation | Number | Name | WSL | FA Cup | League Cup | Total |
| 1 | GK | | 1 | Grace Moloney | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 |

### Disciplinary record

| Number | Nation | Position | Name | WSL | WSL | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total |
| 1 | | GK | Grace Moloney | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | | DF | Kristine Leine | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | | DF | Emma Mitchell | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | | MF | Fara Williams | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | | DF | Molly Bartrip | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 9 | | FW | Amalie Eikeland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | | FW | Lauren Bruton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 11 | | MF | Natasha Harding | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 14 | | DF | Deanna Cooper | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 18 | | FW | Danielle Carter | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | | FW | Brooke Chaplen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | | MF | Rachel Rowe | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 28 | | DF | Lily Woodham | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Players away on loan: ||||||||||||
| Players who left Reading during the season: ||||||||||||
| 8 | | MF | Jess Fishlock | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 1 |