Doncaster Belles W

Early years

The club was founded as the Belle Vue Belles in 1969, by Sheila Stocks and other women who sold 'Golden Goals' lottery tickets during Doncaster Rovers home games at Belle Vue. After finding success in informal local competition, the club became Doncaster Belles in 1971 and joined the Sheffield League in 1972. With the demise of the Sheffield League after three seasons, the Belles joined the Nottinghamshire League setup and dominated for over a decade. Following a reorganisation in 1989, the club won the new North East League in both seasons of its existence, before being invited to join the inaugural eight-team National Division in 1991.

Sheila Stocks played for the club for 25 years, retiring aged 41 after the victorious 1994 FA Women's Cup Final. She later served as physiotherapist and club welfare officer. A teacher by profession, she married future Belles manager Paul Edmunds who worked at the same school. In 2008 she was awarded the FA Special Achievement Award, and received the Doctor of Business of Administration from BPP University following her services to women in sport. She currently serves as the club's president and General Manager.

National dominance

The club reached the Women's FA Cup final for the first time in 1983, defeating St Helens 3–2 at Sincil Bank in Lincoln. The Belles then lost the next three successive finals; to Howbury Grange (2–4), Friends of Fulham (0–2) and Norwich (3–4). In May 1987 the club recaptured the trophy, beating St Helens 2–0 at the City Ground in Nottingham. Doncaster Belles retained the Cup in 1987–88 by defeating Merseyside team Leasowe Pacific 3–1. In 1990 the Belles were back in the final, Gillian Coultard scoring the only goal as Friends of Fulham were beaten at the Baseball Ground in Derby. 1991's final saw the club lose out 1–0 to Millwall Lionesses at Prenton Park.

That summer the Women's Football Association invited the club to affiliate to a new, eight-team National Premier Division. England strikers Karen Walker and Gail Borman scored a combined total of more than 50 goals as the Belles won the inaugural 1991–92 championship with a 100% record. Red Star Southampton were vanquished 4–0 in the 1992 WFA Cup final as the club won a League and Cup double. Walker set a record in scoring a hat-trick in every round of the Cup, including the final.

The following season's League was expanded to 10 teams, and in March 1993 newly promoted Arsenal inflicted only the Belles' second league defeat in 15 years, 2–1, before a crowd of 18,196 at Highbury. The dropped points, coupled with a shock defeat by Wimbledon, meant that Arsenal captured the 1992–93 WFA National League Premier Division title. The following month Arsenal confirmed their dominance by beating Doncaster Belles 3–0 in the 1993 WFA Cup final.

In 1993–94, another costly defeat by Arsenal left the Belles needing three wins from their last four games to win the League. This was achieved and the club regained the Premier Division title by four points from second-placed Arsenal. The Belles also relieved Arsenal of the Cup after reaching their 11th Cup final in 12 years—the first to be played under the direct control of The Football Association. Karen Walker's header from a Joanne Broadhurst corner defeated Knowsley United 1–0 at Glanford Park in Scunthorpe. The club was denied the chance of an historic treble, when the season overran and the Premier League Cup final against Arsenal was held over until the following campaign.

Later years

After the Belles' second double in three years, long-serving manager Paul Edmunds considered retirement. He was persuaded to stay when three of the club's top players left for Knowsley United, who had reconstituted as Liverpool Ladies. Edmunds drafted in youngsters Claire Utley from the youth team and Vicky Exley from Sheffield Wednesday, but injuries to key players saw the team limp to a third-place finish in the Premier Division. In summer 1995 Edmunds stood down to be replaced by Mel Woodhall. A fixture backlog at the end of season 1995–96 saw Croydon playing five games in ten days, winning four and drawing one to erode the Belles' 13-point lead and win the National Premier Division on goal difference. In March 1996 the Belles played at Wembley in the Premier League Cup final. They conceded an injury-time penalty kick to draw 2–2 and then lost the penalty shootout.

In 1997 manager Julie Chipchase ascribed the loss of the Belles' pre-eminent status to a rise in the standards of other teams. In 1996–97 the club had been knocked out of both Cups by eventual winners Millwall Lionesses, and finished second in the League to Arsenal. The next two seasons saw third-placed finishes for the Belles, while 1999–2000 resulted in another FA Women's Cup final appearance when holders Arsenal were beaten in the semi-final. The final at Bramall Lane ended in a controversial 2–1 loss to Croydon, after Karen Walker had a penalty saved by Pauline Cope and Croydon scored a disputed winning goal. Five days later Croydon became the first club to retain the National Premier Division title. A 6–0 win over Aston Villa ensured a finish one point ahead of the second-placed Belles.