The complete story of Palace Women's incredible 2023/24 season.

How they did it

## Annabel Blanchard

> Blanchard joined Palace in 2022 off the back of a remarkable season with Blackburn Rovers in which she earned both Coaches' and Supporters' Player of the Season, and has since grown into one of English football's most exciting playmakers.

Blanchard is a young, two-footed forward capable of playing across the front line or, more regularly, as a No. 10.

Blanchard began her career aged just 16 with Liverpool, but started her time with the England youth setup the year before, and has represented the national side from Under-17-Under-19 levels.

After leaving Liverpool she joined Leicester City and then Blackburn Rovers, with whom she finished joint-top goalscorer in 21/22.

Blanchard then joined Palace in the summer of 2022 and made a strong start in South London, with four goals in 22 Championship appearances in her maiden campaign.

In 2023/24, Blanchard's brilliance shone as Palace Women claimed promotion from the Championship, the forward scoring 11 times in just 19 league games including clinical hat-tricks against both Durham and London City Lionesses.

Such form led to Blanchard not only winning both the Championship Goal and Player of the Month awards in September – as well as a nomination for the latter for November – but also the club's Player of the Month awards for October and March to boot.

At the start of Palace's first-ever top-flight season, Blanchard became our inaugural Women's Super League goalscorer, netting a brace in our first win against Leicester City – 2-0 at the King Power Stadium – in October 2024.

September 2023

Championship Player of the Month

Championship Goal of the Month

Blackburn Rovers, 2021/22

Coaches' Player of the Season

Supporters' Player of the Season

February 2023, October 2023, April 2024

Crystal Palace Player of the Month

Shirts

Twitter

Instagram

Appearances

Goals

Goals Inside Box

Goals Outside Box

Right Foot

Left Foot

Shots

Shots on target

Hit woodwork

Penalties taken

Penalties scored

Touches

Touches in opposition box

Aerial duels

Aerial duels won

Interceptions

Blocks

Recoveries

Tackles won

Duels won

Clearances

Minutes

Attempted passes

Successful passes

Chances created

Crosses

Yellow cards

Red cards

Fouls won

Fouls Conceded

Season

Games

This season marks Palace Women’s Academy’s first with a Category 1 PGA licence, which builds upon and develops our previous existing structure and partners in women’s youth football in South London.
 
Chosen by the Football Association, PGA Licences are awarded to clubs who can provide a high-quality training environment for talented female players aged 14 and upwards, readying them to compete at the highest levels of the game.
 
Our Category 1 licence has allowed for Palace Women’s Under-21s team to compete in the PGA U21 League, where they have taken on some of the finest Academies in the country.
 
Managed by former Republic of Ireland youth coach Orla Haran and former Palace captain Annabel Johnson, the Eagles have recorded recent wins against Liverpool (3-1) and Bristol City (3-2) at home, and away to Tottenham (3-0) recently.
 
Additionally, our Under-16s side are this season competing against Under-18s sides in the Junior Premier League, providing a valuable challenge for the players’ development.
 
The two teams are also taking on a number of domestic cup competitions, such as PGA Cup and the Women’s National League Plate.

In addition this season, Palace Women have also extended the club’s youth pathway, with Under-12s and Under-14s programmes having been launched. Teams are playing in the Junior Premier League and associated cups, as well as the Surrey County Cup after successes in previous years.

This also allows for potential opportunities for Palace for Life’s Emerging Talent Centre players to progress through the club based on their rate of development.

Overseeing this season is our new Women’s Academy Manager, Lewis Craig, who has joined the club following a three-year spell at Manchester United, where he served as Under-21s lead coach.

Craig’s other roles have included that of Youth Development Phase Lead Coach at Morecambe FC; Assistant Head of Academy at Salford City for over three years; and Academy Lead Coach at Burnley, where he served for over eight-and-a-half years.

**Head of Women’s Football Grace Williams said:** “This is a very exciting time for girls’ football in this country, and we are excited to continue to develop young talent in South London.

“We have enjoyed some excellent results already this season and with Lewis’ knowledge of, and experience within, youth football, the future for our Academy programme looks incredibly bright.”

**Craig added:** “I’m enjoying the challenge of helping the club transition into its new structure this season. We have enjoyed a strong first half to 2024/25.

“I believe we can build something here at Palace that will go above and beyond in player and person development, and I'm excited to play my part in that.”

Alongside the senior team’s transition to life in the Women’s Super League, Crystal Palace Women’s Academy sides have made a successful start to the 2024/25 season.

Updates from Crystal Palace Women’s Academy programmes

Manchester United Women

English Women's Super League

Crystal Palace Women

Last Match

Sheffield United Women

Women's FA Cup

Next Match

EXPLORE PALACE WOMEN

### Sheffield United (H)

First up is the FA Cup, where Palace have been drawn at home against Barclays Women's Championship side Sheffield United in the fourth round, and tickets are now on sale!

The match will take place at **the VBS Community Stadium** on **Sunday 12th January**, kicking off at **12:00 GMT.**

This will be the first FA Cup fixture of the season for Palace Women who enter into the competition in the fourth round along with the other 11 teams in the Barclays Women's Super League (WSL).

Opponents Sheffield United entered into the competition in the third round, where they beat Liverpool Feds 2-0 on the 8th December.

The Blades will be familiar opponents for Palace Women, with the teams facing each other nine times in the last five years.

[Get your tickets HERE and cheer on the Eagles!](https://www.eticketing.co.uk/cpfc/EDP/Event/Index/550?position=1)

Please read the information below fully before purchasing your tickets.

### Match Details

- **Opponent**: Sheffield United (H)
- **Date**: Sunday, 12 January
- **Time**: 12:00 GMT
- **Competition**: Adobe Women's FA Cup
- **Venue**: VBS Community Stadium

*Please note that VBS Community Stadium turnstiles for this fixture will open between 10:30 and 11:00, but no alcoholic refreshments will be available before 12:00.*

### Ticket Details

- **Tickets are now on general sale.**

- **Final Sales: Tickets will be available until 12:00 GMT on Friday, 10th January. After this, any remaining tickets can be purchased at the gate on matchday.**

- **Digital Delivery: All tickets will be delivered digitally no later than 48 hours before kick-off. If you need assistance with ticketing, please contact [boxoffice@cpfc.co.uk](mailto:boxoffice@cpfc.co.uk)**

### Prices

**Seated**

- **Adults: £12**
- **Under-16s: £5**

**Standing**

- **Adults: £10**
- **Under-16s: £5**

### Tottenham Hotspur (H)

Our first 2025 home game in the WSL will be against last year's FA Cup finalists, Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs currently sit in sixth place in the league, whilst Palace are in 12th place.

Palace Women's first ever game in the women's topflight was away at Spurs on the 22nd September, and Laura Kaminski's side will be looking to make amends after the 4-0 defeat on the opening day of the season.

[Tickets for this game are available here!](https://www.eticketing.co.uk/cpfc/EDP/Event/Index/550?position=1)

Please read the information below fully before purchasing your tickets.

### Match Details

- **Opponent**: Tottenham Hotspur (H)
- **Date**: Sunday, 26th January
- **Time**: 14:00 GMT
- **Competition**: Barclays Women's Super League
- **Venue**: VBS Community Stadium

### Ticket Details

- **Tickets are now on general sale.**

- **Final Sales: Tickets will be available until 12:00 GMT on Friday, 24th January. After this, any remaining tickets can be purchased at the gate on matchday.**

- **Digital Delivery: All tickets will be delivered digitally no later than 48 hours before kick-off. If you need assistance with ticketing, please contact [boxoffice@cpfc.co.uk](mailto:boxoffice@cpfc.co.uk)**

### Prices

**Seated**

- **Adults: £12**
- **Under-16s: £5**

**Standing**

- **Adults: £10**
- **Under-16s: £5**

Crystal Palace Women have two huge home clashes to kick off 2025, starting with Sheffield United in the Adobe Women's FA Cup on the 12th January, before a Barclays Women's Super League game against Tottenham Hotspur on the 26th January.

Tickets on sale for Palace Women’s FA Cup return this weekend!

Crystal Palace Women v Sheffield United Women (2025-01-12)

Crystal Palace Women v Tottenham Hotspur Women (2025-01-26)

Athur played a crucial part in Palace’s 2023/24 Barclays Women’s Championship-winning side, featuring in 17 of her team’s 22 matches last season as set a spree of club records en route to winning promotion. 

Since gaining their first-ever spot in the Barclays Women’s Super League, however, Palace have had to adjust quickly to their new surroundings, a task which Arthur – having previously represented Celtic, Hibernian, Bristol City, Birmingham City and Aston Villa – is embracing. 

The 29-year-old said: “I think it has been a journey. It has been a case where we are learning as we go, because we are a new group in a new league. 

“When you come up from the Championship to the WSL, it is a completely different game. The quality on the ball, the players you face, international talent from all over the world… it’s all a step up. 

“But we have coped really well with those challenges. We are still learning, and that’s something we need to get better at – learning quickly so we can pick up more points. 

“Getting points early on is key, especially in the WSL. It’s important for our confidence, and as we learn more, I think we’ll start picking up more.”

Last season’s promotion to the WSL back in April was a monumental achievement for Palace Women, and Arthur still reflects fondly on that moment to this day. 

“Getting promoted was such a good feeling,“ she said. ”It’s something you never take for granted, and for me personally, it was special. 

“I got promoted with Bristol City too, and while the feeling is similar, I can now enjoy it a bit more being older and more present in the moment. 

“We definitely took time to enjoy it, but then it was straight into pre-season to get ready for the challenge ahead. 

“The step up is harder now than it was when I joined Bristol City seven or eight years ago. Back then, the infrastructure was not as professional across the board, but now, the quality of the league has sky-rocketed. 

“Players from all over the world want to be here, and the competition is fierce. It’s exciting, but it is definitely a challenge.” 

A huge part of Palace Women’s success so far has been the influence of head coach Laura Kaminski, who has been instrumental to the club’s rapid growth, guiding her team through their promotion season and into the WSL. 

“She’s so authentic, and she brings a human element into the team,” Arthur smiled. “She has a great sense of humour but also knows how to switch focus when it’s needed. 

“She’s always prepared us for every game, and when we lose, she’s good at focusing us on what’s next. She’s been key to our success.” 

“We know we’re not going to win every game like we did last year in the Championship, but Laura has prepared us for that. She’s confident in our abilities and doesn’t let us get too down if we lose. 

“We know it’s about learning from those moments and being ready for the next challenge.”

With their next league fixture in a month’s time – away to Arsenal on Sunday, 19th January 2025 – Palace have time to rest, recuperate, and reflect on a first half to the season which saw them begin brightly, but lose the lead in three of their last four league games. 

Arthur acknowledges the importance of managing expectations this season, especially when faced with the inevitable ups and downs of a first top-flight campaign. 

“We know it’s a challenge, but we’re prepared for it,” she said. “We want to win, of course, but we also know it’s going to take time. We need to manage moments better, but we’re getting there.” 

Palace Women’s next match, meanwhile, will be against Sheffield United in the Adobe FA Cup at the VBS Community Stadium on Sunday, 12th January. Looking ahead to the winter break, Arthur is keen to get some rest, but also remains focused on keeping up the team’s fitness.

“It’s important to switch off, spend time with friends and family, and recharge. But at the same time, you have to stay prepared. 

“Mentally, it’s important to keep yourself in a good place so you’re ready to go again after the break.

“We’ve come a long way, but we know there’s still a lot of work to do. We’re all confident that we can keep improving, and I’m excited for what’s to come.”

**Palace Women's next match is at home to Sheffield United in the Adobe FA Cup at the VBS Community Stadium on Sunday, 12th January. [Tickets are on sale here](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/women/tickets-now-on-sale-for-palace-womens-home-clash-against-sheffield-united/).**

Since joining the Eagles back in 2022, Scotland international Chloe Arthur has been a key figure for Crystal Palace Women, and – with the season now heading into its winter break – is enjoying life back in the top-flight…

Women

Women

Updates from Crystal Palace Women’s Academy programmes

Latest News

Tickets on sale for Palace Women’s FA Cup return this weekend!

Chloe Arthur reflects on Palace's WSL journey so far

Latest Videos

Hayley Nolan signs new contract with Palace!

Palace Women's secret Santa school visit

WSL Highlights: Palace 0 - 1 Manchester United

Kaminski reflects on defeat at home

Pre-match Press Conference Manchester United (H)

Kaminski reacts to loss against WSL Cup group winners

10Annabel
Blanchard

Women

Women

Updates from Crystal Palace Women’s Academy programmes

Latest News

Tickets on sale for Palace Women’s FA Cup return this weekend!

Chloe Arthur reflects on Palace's WSL journey so far

Latest Videos

Hayley Nolan signs new contract with Palace!

Palace Women's secret Santa school visit

WSL Highlights: Palace 0 - 1 Manchester United

Kaminski reflects on defeat at home

Pre-match Press Conference Manchester United (H)

Kaminski reacts to loss against WSL Cup group winners

10AnnabelBlanchard

10Annabel
Blanchard