Leyton FC Ladies - History
07 Feb 2012

In the summer of 2005, Leyton FC Ladies was established as an integral part of Leyton F.C. - London's oldest senior football club having been originally founded in 1868.

Season 2005/06 saw Leyton FC Ladies 1st XI playing in Division 2 of the Greater London Women’s Football League and the junior side playing in the Under 15 Division of the Essex County Girls Football League. It was a disappointing inaugural season for the senior team, finishing in 9th place in the league having won only three matches and drawn five.
The Ladies junior team were the stars of the following season 2006/07 - winning the Essex County Girls Football League Under 16 Division . Having avoided relegation, the 1st XI enjoyed an improved season - winning five matches, drawing two and finishing 7th in Division 2 of the GLWFL.

At the start of Season 2007/08, the club's junior players over the age of 16 joined with the senior players to form just one team to play in the GLWFL Division 2. This squad brought outstanding success to the ladies section of Leyton FC. The team won the GLWFL League Cup with a 2-1 win over Enfield Town Res. and won the Ryman League Womens Cup with victory over AFC Wimbledon (from two levels above Leyton) in a Final played at Harrow Borough FC. In the League, the team finished runners-up behind Hemel Hempstead with 40pts and thereby gained promotion to Division 1. In an incredible coincidence, the huge Ryman League Womens Trophy won against AFC Wimbledon proved to be the old Associate Members Trophy (now rebranded) won by Leyton mens team several seasons earlier. 

In 2008/09, their first season in Division 1 of the GLWFL, the team finished in a very creditable 3rd place with 33pts behind Surbiton T. and Hemel Hempstead. However, at the end of the season an exodus of the majority of the players due to a combination of university, work commitments and retirements left the future of the ladies team in serious doubt. John Bennett, who had managed the team latterly in difficult circumstances, decided to call it a day after sterling service with the club in a variety of roles over several seasons. 

For season 2009/10, Tony Andre was appointed Manager and set about rebuilding the ladies team. A large number of new player were brought in but the team struggled to find any consistency throughout the season - finishing 9th in GLWFL Division 1 North. 

In the following season 2010/11, the Manager's hard work started to pay off with the team finishing in mid-table on 26pts and reaching the final of the AFA Women’s Cup, losing to Regents Park Rangers in a penalty shoot-out. 

During the summer of 2011, a succession of legal wrangles culminated in the closure of Leyton F.C.'s famous old ground behind the Hare & Hounds pub in Lea Bridge Road.

The loss of its home ground and training facilities, together with the departure of Tony Andre, threatened the future once more of Leyton FC Ladies. However, the players quickly formed a committee to run the club and thus preserve the name of Leyton FC.(the mens team had folded and withdrawn from the Ryman League in 2010). 

For the start of season 2011/12, a home ground was established at Wadham Lodge, Walthamstow and Az Ouldrami was appointed Coach/Manager. He left at the start of 2012 and was replaced by Manager Clive Morgan. The team finished 2nd just 1 point behind the 1st place team. The team was promoted to L&SER Womens Football League.