Jocelyn Prêcheur, the head coach of London City Lionesses, has insisted everyone associated with the club is not naive about the size of the step up to the Women’s Super League after reaching the top flight for the first time following Sunday’s drama-filled final day of the Championship season.
Lionesses will become the first club unaffiliated to a men’s side to compete in the WSL, following their 2-2 draw away at second-placed Birmingham City. Lionesses, who train in Kent and play their home game at men’s League Two side Bromley’s Hayes Lane ground, will be hoping to break the trend of promoted teams struggling and going straight back down to the Championship after Bristol City endured that fate in the 2023-24 campaign, collecting only six points in the WSL, nine points behind the second-bottom side, while this season Crystal Palace’s relegation has already been confirmed with them having accumulated only 10 points with one game remaining, seven points adrift.