Women's Football Teesside

As Middlesbrough secured a fifth place finish on their return to the third tier, 2026 also marks a significant milestone for the club. Middlesbrough FC Women is turning 50. Believe it or not, that's older than me (not by much). Over the past five decades the club has undergone a number of changes. Starting in a park in Middlesbrough as Cleveland Spartans in 1976 (the year before the first Star Wars film was released), John Sims - founder of the team - could not have predicted the journey this club would have gone on from Middlesbrough, Stockton, Billingham, Nottinghamshire, the Riverside, Wembley and North Korea. The club has been involved in big occasions, moments of personal achievement and low moments too. From those early days as Cleveland Spartans, Middlesbrough Women have evolved through eras of change — from local parks to national stadiums, from grassroots beginnings to international fixtures. Each decade has carried its own challenges and triumphs, shaping the identity of ...

Middlesbrough's first season back in the FA WNL Northern Premier Division is a success. Newly promoted Middlesbrough entered the third tier for the fist time since their relegation in 2022 with hopes of consolidation and did so much better than their preseason expectations by finishing fifth. Boro went toe to toe with some of the best sides in the third tier of English women's football. Middlesbrough earned a hard fought point when they hosted third place finishers Rugby Borough with a solid defensive display and a world class performance from Ruby Cook in goal against a physically strong, athletic and well organised Rugby. Boro also made history when they defeated last season's title rivals in the division below 4-0 at Bishop Auckland's Heritage Park in the first ever live televised Women's FA Cup First Round tie. While Burnley and Wolves were on another level compared to the rest of the league, Boro more than held their own with wins against established Premier Di...