'An incredible league' - inside WSL 2 promotion race

With less than a month to go in the Women's Super League 2 season, four clubs are still fighting for promotion and the title remains up for grabs.

Birmingham City lead the way, above Charlton Athletic only on goal difference, while Crystal Palace and Newcastle United are also in the mix.

Two teams will gain automatic promotion to England's top flight, while the third-placed side will face a play-off against the WSL's bottom club.

Birmingham just missed out on promotion last season to London City Lionesses in a final-day thriller - and are desperate to return to the top division.

"We were one of the founding members of the WSL and now if you look at the investment that's been done, the infrastructure, the ambition... absolutely we should be in WSL," manager Amy Merricks told BBC Sport.

"But we have to earn the right. I think emotion is good. We have real experience under our belts of managing the situation.

"Last season, there's probably moments where we thought we were out of it. We weren't out of it until the last minute of the last day.

"I truly believe in this group, the quality and the ability that we have, and that's why I'm excited."

'Everyone's fighting for everything'

Blues had been playing catch-up for most of this campaign with Charlton leading the way until recent weeks - but Birmingham have won three straight games to lead the Addicks on goal difference with just two fixtures left.

However, it looks set to go down to the wire again given Birmingham travel to Charlton on the final day (2 May, 15:00 BST).

But has missing out last season increased the pressure on Merricks' side?

"External noise is external noise. We're in that position because we did so well last season and we have real ambition," she said.

"If you come to Birmingham, you have to accept that. We look for that ambition in players when we recruit because that's what we're about and the direction we're moving in.

"We're fighting for something and that's where we want to be. We've said there's no limits here. You want to win again and again.

"What that means is WSL football, then the Champions League and then you go again. It should be that in elite sports. You want to be the best, don't you?"

Birmingham have had huge investment in recent seasons with NFL legend Tom Brady becoming a minority owner, while US-based Shelby Companies Limited purchased the women's team in February, with ex-England and Blues star Karen Carney part of several independent investors involved in the deal.

Blues broke their club record transfer in January to sign midfielder Wilma Leidhammar, will complete the building of a new gym at the training ground this month and Merricks says they are "WSL ready".

In contrast, rivals Charlton have one of the lowest budgets in WSL 2 and have relied on shrewd signings, as well as a strong defensive record.

They have conceded the league's fewest goals (17), kept the most clean sheets (eight) and had a 27-game unbeaten run, which ended in March.

Charlton had opened up a nine-point lead, but three defeats in their past four matches means they still have work to do to secure promotion.

"Everyone's fighting for everything. We are certainly fighting as well. You look at all the points, you look how tight it is at the top and at the bottom," manager Karen Hills told BBC Sport.

"It's just an incredible league. If you'd have told me in pre-season this is where we would be at this point in the season I'd have bitten your hand off.

"But these players deserve to be where they are. If we were to be promoted then I believe it's probably one of the greatest achievements in my career."

'We've still got work to do'

Image caption,

England midfielder Jordan Nobbs is among the stars to have joined Newcastle

Three successive draws have seen Newcastle drop off the pace, but they are not mathematically out of the promotion race just yet.

However, it is out of their hands as they need to overturn a five-point deficit to Crystal Palace over the final two games.

Palace were relegated from the WSL in April having only come up in 2024. Two managers departed during their short spell in the top flight.

But the arrival of former Rangers boss Jo Potter in June helped rejuvenate the club and Palace have won five of their past six matches to cement their hold on third - three points behind the top two.

Palace's final two games are against bottom-five sides so the fixture list appears to be in their favour - but Newcastle are building for the future either way.

"The club is ambitious. This league is so competitive. The club knows that and we know where we want to get to, but we have to also do that in a sustainable way," Newcastle boss Tanya Oxtoby told BBC Sport.

"We've still got work to do. I think every team in our position would say that but we have the foundations there to launch and I think that's the most important thing.

"Everything that we're doing is to be WSL ready and that started the moment I walked in the door. We are heading in the right direction for sure."

'We'll be even hungrier next season'

Bristol City conceded a late goal to Durham on Sunday in a 2-2 draw which means they are now out of the promotion race.

But the Robins have had big changes this season, with the takeover of investors Mercury13 and appointment of Charlotte Healy as manager.

Inconsistency has ultimately proven costly on the pitch, but interim chief executive officer Lowri Roberts says a project launched two years ago was created to build towards a WSL return.

Changes include new staff in analysis, medical and physical performance teams, as well as clear recruitment targets and commercial growth at Ashton Gate stadium.

"I feel so proud to be able to show people around [our training ground]. It's an incredible facility and a really special environment," Roberts told BBC Sport.

"I came in to develop a new women's football strategy. It was all around how we bring in new investment to be able to unlock its true potential.

"I think we're now building a staffing structure who are excited about the future, have got a real thirst for development and want to grow in their roles.

"If we have to be patient and wait another season, then we'll be even hungrier and even better set up."

Manager Healy had to get up to speed quickly with 13 new players joining in the summer, as well as additional staff.

"It was a case of trying to build foundations on and off the pitch to enable us to be in a position where we can compete in this league," said Healy.

"If we want to attract the level of player that we want to, then we have to make sure that we can support those players and give them the best opportunity to perform."

Ben Haines, Ellen White and Jen Beattie are back for another season of the Women's Football Weekly podcast. New episodes drop every Tuesday on BBC Sounds, plus find interviews and extra content from the Women's Super League and beyond on the Women's Football Weekly feed