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Loughborough Lightning

Full name	Loughborough Lightning Football Club
Nickname(s)	Lightning
Founded	1999 (as Shepshed Foxes)
Ground	Loughborough University Stadium, Loughborough
Capacity	3,300
Manager	Charles Baxter
League	FA Women's National League Division One Midlands
2023–24	FA Women's National League Division One Midlands, 2nd of 12
Website	https://www.lboro.ac.uk/sport/performance/lightning/football/
Home colours Away colours

Loughborough Lightning Football Club (formerly Loughborough Foxes) is a football club based in Loughborough, Leicestershire, England. They are currently members of the FA Women's National League Division One Midlands and play at the Loughborough University Stadium.

History

The club was founded in 1999 as Shepshed Foxes by Gail and Paul Fox, who wanted to give girls in the surrounding area an opportunity to play football, before becoming Loughborough Foxes in 2002.

After playing in local leagues for much of the first 15 years of their history, Loughborough were promoted to the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division (the 3rd tier of women's football) for the first time in 2015 from the Midlands Division One but would suffer relegation back to the 4th tier after just one season. The Foxes returned to the now renamed FA Women's National League in 2018 having secured promotion and the Midlands Division One title with a record of 21 wins and 1 draw from 22 games.

In January 2019, Loughborough Foxes player and junior team coach Molly Webb died aged 25, with Director of Football Steve Wilkinson describing her as "a joy to spend time with; she was vibrant, enthusiastic, a motivator and someone you want in your team whatever the situation.". The Foxes would end their first season back at the third tier of women's football in 7th place in the 2018–19 FA Women's National League Southern Division before being realigned to the Northern Division for the following season.

In June 2021, the club merged with the Loughborough University performance team to become Loughborough Lightning F.C.

Players

Current squad

As of 15 October 2022

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  ENG Kiya Webb — GK  ENG Sophia Poor (on loan from Leicester City) — DF  ENG Ciara Albas-Martin — DF  ENG Ella Smith — DF  ENG Emily Sharpe — DF  ENG Grace Walters — DF  ENG Harriet Petley — DF  SCO Katrena Morrison — DF  ENG Lauren Taft — MF  ENG Abbey Hateley — MF  SCO Chloe Young — MF  ENG Ella Powell

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  ENG Jessica Richardson — MF  ENG Kayleigh Hines — MF  ENG Laura Steele — MF  ENG Melissa Turton-Burrell — MF  ENG Monique Robinson (on loan from Leicester City) — MF  ENG Sophia Bonser — FW  ENG Anna Renken — FW  ENG Georgia Stevens — FW  ENG Katie Middleton — FW  ENG Nicki Russell —  ENG Mikayla Wild-Goose

Recent seasons

Records

• Best League performance: 7th FA Women's National League South (third level), 2018–19
• Best FA Women's Cup performance: Fourth Round, 2015–16 & 2018–19

References

1. "Billericay Town v Loughborough Foxes". Women's Soccer Scene. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
2. "Loughborough Foxes clinch league title". Loughborough Echo. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
3. "Outpouring of grief for 'kind and caring' footballer Molly Webb who died suddenly aged 25". Leicester Mercury. 16 January 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
4. "Loughborough football merger creates new Lightning team". Loughborough University. 28 June 2021.
5. "FIRST TEAM". Loughborough Foxes. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
6. "2006–07 Leicestershire Womens Senior League".
7. "2006–07 Leicestershire Senior Womens League Cup".
8. "2007–08 East Midlands Regional Women's Football League Division One South".
9. "2007–08 East Midlands Womens Regional Football League League Cup".
10. "2008–09 East Midlands Regional Women's Football League Premier Division".
11. "2008–09 East Midlands Womens Regional Football League League Cup".
12. "2009–10 Midland Womens Combination League".
13. "2010–11 East Midlands Regional Women's Football League Premier Division".
14. "2011–12 Midland Womens Combination League".
15. "2011–12 Midland Womens Combination League Cup".
16. "2012–13 Midland Womens Combination League".
17. "2012–13 Midland Womens Combination League Cup".
18. 1 point deducted
19. "2013–14 Midland Womens Combination League".
20. "2013–14 Midland Womens Combination League Cup".

External links

• Official website

52°45′7.301″N 1°14′3.156″W / 52.75202806°N 1.23421000°W / 52.75202806; -1.23421000

• Football clubs in Leicestershire
• Association football clubs established in 1999
• 1999 establishments in England
• Sport in Loughborough
• Women's football clubs in England