FAWNL: Can Bournemouth turn last season’s disappointment into promotion?

FAWNL: Can Bournemouth turn last season’s disappointment into promotion? AFC Bournemouth get their 2026/27 FAWNL campaign underway on Sunday with promotion to the WSL 2 firmly in their sights. The Cherries travel to AFC Wimbledon for their opening game of the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Division, with kick-off at 2pm (BST) at Imperial Fields. Bournemouth are kicking off their second season in the third tier of the English football pyramid after they secured promotion from Division One South West in the 2024/25 campaign. It’s a division which has become increasingly competitive with Cherries manager, Helen Bleazard, aware that promotion will be anything but straightforward. “We’ve always said like last season my job was to not get them relegated, and we were in a position where we were going for promotion,” she said. “So for me, we don’t put a label on it [our goals]. We push ourselves no matter what, we want to get either where we were and more.” The 36-year-old admits her side must take it ‘week by week’ in a league full of professional outfits. She hails Fulham, Oxford United, and Portsmouth who many think have a fair shot at promotion to the second division. Credit: AFC Bournemouth Bleazard initially joined the Cherries as a player in 2022 before ending her playing career on the South Coast in 2025. Shortly after, she stepped in as the team’s interim coach in the August of that year. Last summer she had just one week to prepare for the upcoming season and she admits this time around has been much more organised. “We’ve had a lot of planning,” she explained. “I think pre-season’s been really good, we had a full fixture list before it, whereas last season the girls didn’t quite have that due to cancellations.” Who have Bournemouth signed? In the past season, Bournemouth’s board have heavily invested in the future of their women’s team, with that ambition clear again this summer. The club has announced a new home — the Bob Lucas Stadium — underlining their ambition to build sustainably and prepare for eventual promotion to WSL2. The over 6,500 capacity stadium will host women’s games for free, as the club looks to grow its fanbase. Investment has also been evident in the squad, with ten new faces joining this summer as the side push for promotion. To help integrate them, Bleazard ‘buddied up’ new signings with existing players. “We wanted to make sure that whoever we were signing were not only good players but good people, because that fits the culture of our club,” she said. “I think we’ve done that which is really pleasing and like the girls have said, you’ve seen the togetherness of the group is really there and they challenge each other every day.” Two of those recruits, Tamara Wilcock and Caitlin Smith, spoke exclusively to Her Football Hub ahead of their moves to the FAWNL side. Wilcock, who joined the Cherries from fellow third division side Plymouth, believes ‘togetherness’ is key for a successful campaign. “I think last year in the Plymouth team we were all together and had a few hiccups but we ended up in a playoff. I think from preseason we’ve got that togetherness here and it’s been great.” The versatile midfielder brings a wealth of experience following her 85 appearances across spells at Plymouth Argyle, Stoke City, and Sheffield United — who she made her first-team debut for at just 17-years-old. Outside of football, Wilcock works in alternative provision in education. Here she supports children unable to attend mainstream schools due to exclusion, illness or other circumstances. She recognises similarities to her playing career and relishes the impact she has on young people both on and off the field. A return to the South Coast Alongside Wilcock, Bournemouth have added defender Caitlin Smith to their ranks. The former Chelsea academy graduate began her football journey on the South coast with Southampton before travelling overseas to gain valuable experience in the States. “It’s really good [to be back on the South coast], this is home for me,” explained Smith. “Even though I’m 45 minutes down the road, it’s nice to be close to home and have my family able to come to the games.” Embed from Getty Images Following her time in South Carolina with NCAA Division I side Clemson Tigers, Smith returned to England representing Reading and Plymouth respectively. Smith believes her experience overseas will allow her to fit seamlessly into a new-look Bournemouth side. “In the US it’s a very physical game. They pride themselves on athleticism and I think that tier three is developing into that kind of game. People used to look down on it, whereas now it’s pushing up and becoming a really competitive league. “Every player in tier three wants to be part of a club that’s pushing for promotion and really wants to get into that next division. We’ve all got the same goal, we want to get promoted and it’s really exciting to get going this year.” How have Bournemouth evolved over past seasons? As well as the investments mentioned previously, Bournemouth have improved their off-pitch support for the team. The Cherries have made significant advancements in their medical and training facilities, moving the team closer to an elite set-up. This has meant the introduction of several key roles including; a dedicated team doctor, senior sports therapist and a physiotherapist. This strengthened support should aid the players in their rehabilitation and recovery and improve their on-pitch performances. Bleazard elaborated on the investments, “It’s huge what we can provide off the pitch. We’re diving into a lot more about performance and nutrition as well, but it also gives us time to do more analysis and one-to-one work as well. “We’re trying to be as full-time as possible in a part-time environment. I think the more we can do off the pitch to get those little 1%s to help the girls individually and as a team, it’s only going to benefit them in the long run.” Who have Bournemouth retained? Despite a summer packed with changes, several longstanding players have reinforced their commitment to the club. One of those in none other than Katie James who joined the club in 2021. For James, the evolution of the side throughout her tenure has been ‘massive’. “I remember training at Slades Farm six years ago and we barely had access to toilets. So yeah, it’s evolved massively and obviously to be here at the performance center alongside the academy and the men, it’s unbelievable to have these kind of facilities,” she said. Embed from Getty Images “I think the club shows what tier three can be and what you can achieve at this level. We’re really grateful to have the backing from the men’s team for that to happen.” She elaborated. Looking ahead to this campaign, James insists they have learnt their lesson from last season. At the halfway point, the club were nine points clear at the top of the standings but fell away towards the end of the season, missing out on promotion. As the team prepare to get their FAWNL season underway this Sunday, James believes the club are in a better place. “There’s so many lessons we can take from that [last season] as a group, and I’m sure it’s something that the staff have looked at as well. “It’s something we’re not going to allow to happen this year should we be in the same position.” Related articles from Her Football Hub: WSL2: Former Lioness Rachel Williams signs for newly promoted Burnley from Leicester City WSL: Manchester City’s Lily Murphy joins Aston Villa on loan West Ham Women’s New Faces: Analysing the Hammers Summer Signings Ahead of the 26/27 WSL Season