Where are they now? The Bristol City team that conquered Barcelona in the UWCL - including Olympics captain

Barcelona Women’s team who are known as FC Barcelona Femení have been demolishing the world’s best teams left, right and centre over the past few years, as well as being the current UWCL trophy holders.

But before their period of dominance, they were humbled by Dave Edmondson’s Bristol City with his side holding an unbeaten record against the Spansh side.

Bristol City defeated Barcelona 2-1 on aggregate to reach the quarter-finals of the Women’s Champions League for the first time ever.

The Vixens led Barcelona 1-0 in the first leg at the Estadi Johan Cruyff due to an own goal from Barcelona winger Marta Corredera and it ended their 55 game unbeaten run at home in Spain.

Bristol then unfortunately lost their advantage in the second leg when Vicky Losada’s shot was deflected in after a failed free-kick. But luckily for City they managed to bag a late equaliser from a penalty scored by Nikki Watts after a blatant shove from defender Melanie Serrano. This goal then sent them onto the next round.

The legendary victory for City which was celebrated in front of a previous record number of 2,457 fans. A long eight years have passed since this remarkable victory and the players have gone on to have some interesting careers.

Mary Earps

Since leaving Bristol, Earps has had a brilliant career! Following our relegation from the FA WSL in 2015, Earps joined Reading and in her first season she was honoured with a PFA Team of year award!

Earps then left Reading to join Frauen-Bundesliga champions VFL Wolfsburg where she won the domestic double despite only making four appearances.

Earps then returned to England in 2019 to join Manchester United and has since featured in the clubs first ever FA WSL victory against Liverpool in a 2-0 win.

She was also called up to England’s senior team in 2017 and has since made 14 appearances for the Lionesses.

Grace McCatty

A very loyal player who is Grace McCatty left City after more than 10 years at the club. McCatty joined fellow FA WSL 2 side Durham where she made only 5 appearances.

After just one season at Durham, McCatty joined her current team Sunderland and since then she has scored six goals in her 33 appearances for the club.

Jemma Rose

There has been quite a switch up in Rose’s career over the past few years as shortly after the huge Champions League win over Barcelona and four years at the club, Rose left the Vixens to join WSL giants Arsenal. After three seasons at the Gunners, she decided to retire from the beautiful game and has since become a PE Teacher at Sir John Hunt community sports college.

Jasmine Matthews

A back and forth career for Matthews who left Bristol City in 2018 to join Liverpool. Matthews then rejoined the Vixens after one season at Liverpool. After another two seasons in Bristol, Matthews was snapped up by current team Liverpool once again.

Loren Dykes

The legend that is Loren Dykes who after 11 years at Bristol City as a player, making over 100 appearances, decided to retire from professional football to make a career for herself as a coach.

She stayed with the Vixens for an additional season as the first team coach, but later fully parted ways with the club. She is currently the FA Wales assistant coach as well as overseeing the Under-17s.

Angharad James

James has had a unique career playing for many English different teams as well as playing in America. James has had a successful international career for Wales making 86 appearances and was also named Wales Women’s Players’ Player of the Year in 2017.

Following City’s relegation in 2015, James wanted to continue playing in the top flight as she knew herself to be a top player, which led to her joining Notts County. Unfortunately for James County folded in April 2017 which left her to be a free agent. In May 2017 following the folding of Notts County, James signed a one month deal with Yeovil Town for the remainder of the season.

Before the start of the new season, James joined Everton, starting in 43 of her 47 appearances for the club.

In July 2019 James joined Reading for two seasons, making 48 appearances to then later join North Carolina Courage in America.

After making 16 appearances for the club, James was traded to San Diego Wave FC, but she was then traded to her current team Orlando pride eight days later along with a league record of $275,000 in exchange for one of America’s best players Alex Morgan.

Sophie Ingle

After leaving Bristol City in the 2015 season Ingle was picked up by Liverpool in which she made 42 appearances for the reds and also winning Liverpool Womens POTs in 2017. The following year she managed to win another award, in which she was named Liverpool Womens Player’s POTS.

After a great three years in Merseyside, Ingle decided to leave to join her previous, now current club Chelsea.

This turned out to be a fantastic decision for her as in her 78 appearances she has scored six goals. This helped Ingle and her team win the FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s League Cup in the 19/20 season. The following season Ingle also won the FA Community Shield and was nominated for the FIFA Puskas Award.

As well as an amazing club career, Ingle has had a terrific international career. Ingle has made 105 appearances for Wales while being named the country’s Captain. She was the only Welsh player to be selected to represent Great Britain in the 2020 Olympics.

Natasha Harding

At the end of the 13/14 Harding left Bristol City for American side Washington Spirit but the move fell through due to visa issues, so Harding decided to join Manchester City instead. After making 10 appearances for the Cityzens, Harding was sold in January 2016 and she joined Liverpool.

After one season at Liverpool Harding managed to score 11 goals in only 29 games! This impressed Reading who signed her on a free transfer in January 2018.

Harding has remained at Reading and so far she made 70 appearances for the club as well as being named as Captain!

Harding’s international career has also been successful as she has been in the first team since 2008, where she has made 86 appearances and scored 19 goals.

Nicola Watts

Bristol City’s Champions League Saviour Nikki Watts rejoined Reading who she previously played for before joining the Vixens. After joining Reading in July 2015, Watts joined London Bees just before 2016. Since then the star player’s career is unknown.

Corinne Yorston

At the end of the 13/14 season Yorston joined Yeovil Town, where she made 16 appearances and scored 8 goals before the end of the 2016 season, when she rejoined the Vixens.

After two more seasons at City and one of those seasons on loan to Oxford United, Yorston left for good to join her current club Keynsham Town.

Natalia Pablos

The skillful striker Natalia Pablos has had a successful career since leaving Bristol in 2014. Before the start of the 2015 season Natalia joined Women’s Football giants Arsenal for one season scoring 11 goals in 24 appearances while winning the FA Women’s Cup and the FA WSL Cup.

She then joined Rayo Vallecano who she previously played for, for 13 years. In the two seasons that she stayed Natalia made 50 appearances while scoring 36 goals. She left the club in 2018 after announcing her retirement.

Substitutes

Laura Del Río

In January 2015, Del Rio left City to return to America where she joined Washington Spirit. Her first season back in states was cut short following an injury, in which she also missed the entire 2016 season due to surgery on her ankle.

Because of her terrible time with injuries, Del Rio only made 11 appearances for Washington.

In 2017 Del Río then went to Spain to continue her career with CD Tacon, but then later joined Madrid CFF in the same year, where she made 40 appearances, scoring only 4 goals. Soon after, Del Río retired and in August 2019 she took the role of head coach for Spanish fourth division side Flat Earth FC. She was later sacked in October 2019, but has stayed with the club to help develop a Women’s team.

Georgia Evans

Leaving the Vixens in 2017, Evans joined WSL 1 side Yeovil Town just before the 17/18 season making 32 appearances before joining Charlton Athletic in July 2019.

After a gameless season at Charlton, Evans rejoined previous side Yeovil Town which she departed from only a year ago. She now remains at Yeovil despite not making an appearance yet this season.

Bristol City clearly know how to defeat the big teams, but can they do it once more as they are put to the test by Manchester City.

The Vixens face the Mighty Man City in the Quarter-Finals of the FA Women’s League Cup on 19th January.

Man City have won this competition three times before and the last time being in 2019. They also won the Women’s Fa Cup in 2020.

The Cityzens have a fantastic team that will be a huge challenge for Bristol, with the likes of Record England top scorer and 2021 POTY Ellen White, USA Women POTY 2020 Sam Mewis and one of England’s best back line’s, featuring Lucy Bronze and Steph Houghton.

The Mancunians are currently in the top-flight placed in the top 5.

Bristol City may be seen as an easy match in Man City’s eyes, but as proven with Barcelona, we know what they are capable of and what upsets they can cause. Who will come out on top? Keep an eye on BristolWorld post-match for analysis of the match.