The home of Palace Women. Find the majority of games played here in Sutton with our official supporters guide.

Visiting the VBS 

## Annabel Blanchard

> Blanchard joined Palace in 2022 off the back of a remarkable season with Blackburn Rovers in which she earned both Coaches' and Supporters' Player of the Season, and has since grown into one of English football's most exciting playmakers.

Blanchard is a young, two-footed forward capable of playing across the front line or, more regularly, as a No. 10.

Blanchard began her career aged just 16 with Liverpool, but started her time with the England youth setup the year before, and has represented the national side from Under-17-Under-19 levels.

After leaving Liverpool she joined Leicester City and then Blackburn Rovers, with whom she finished joint-top goalscorer in 21/22.

Blanchard then joined Palace in the summer of 2022 and made a strong start in South London, with four goals in 22 Championship appearances in her maiden campaign.

In 2023/24, Blanchard's brilliance shone as Palace Women claimed promotion from the Championship, the forward scoring 11 times in just 19 league games including clinical hat-tricks against both Durham and London City Lionesses.

Such form led to Blanchard not only winning both the Championship Goal and Player of the Month awards in September – as well as a nomination for the latter for November – but also the club's Player of the Month awards for October and March to boot.

At the start of Palace's first-ever top-flight season, Blanchard became our inaugural Women's Super League goalscorer, netting a brace in our first win against Leicester City – 2-0 at the King Power Stadium – in October 2024.

September 2023

Championship Player of the Month

Championship Goal of the Month

Blackburn Rovers, 2021/22

Coaches' Player of the Season

Supporters' Player of the Season

February 2023, October 2023, April 2024

Crystal Palace Player of the Month

Shirts

Twitter

Instagram

Appearances

Goals

Goals Inside Box

Goals Outside Box

Right Foot

Left Foot

Shots

Shots on target

Hit woodwork

Penalties taken

Penalties scored

Touches

Touches in opposition box

Aerial duels

Aerial duels won

Interceptions

Blocks

Recoveries

Tackles won

Duels won

Clearances

Minutes

Attempted passes

Successful passes

Chances created

Crosses

Yellow cards

Red cards

Fouls won

Fouls Conceded

Season

Games

February saw Crystal Palace Women move to third in the Women's Super League 2, seeing off the likes of Bristol City and Birmingham City in the process.

Weerden was integral to Palace's rise up the table, making a goal contribution in all three games.

She scored a stunning effort in the defeat to Southampton, before bagging the winner against Bristol City the following week.

Weerden capped off a brilliant month with two assists in the 3-1 victory over Birmingham City, making her the league leader in assists with seven.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">ASHLEIGH WEERDEN THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS 😮‍💨<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BarclaysWSL2?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BarclaysWSL2</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/cpfc_w?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cpfc_w</a> <a href="https://t.co/s96Gft1oSp">pic.twitter.com/s96Gft1oSp</a></p>&mdash; Barclays Women&#39;s Super League (@BarclaysWSL) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarclaysWSL/status/2017978088332710348?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Presented with the award by Manager Jo Potter after training, Weerden said: "Yeah, I'm so honoured. I didn't expect it to be honest because there were a lot of good players on that list.

"So the fact that I got picked out is just an honour. I'm really happy. I'm really proud and this just gives me more motivation to to do even better."

Asked about her favourite moment in February, Weerden said: "My favourite moment? I think the win against Birmingham was a really important one.

"We knew we had to win it to yeah to stay in the game, so I think this was just the most important one and the fact that I got two assists in that one makes it even more special!"

There are still awards to win for Palace's number 11, with Weerden also in the running for the TEN Player of the Month and the PFA WSL2 Player of the Month award.

She will return to action on Sunday 15th March, where Palace take on Nottingham Forest at the VBS Community Stadium.

**Kick-off is at 14:00, you can get your tickets by clicking below!**

Buy Forest tickets here!

After an incredible month for Palace Women, Ashleigh Weerden has won the Barclays WSL 2 Player of the Month award for February.

Ashleigh Weerden wins WSL2 Player of the Month award

Birmingham City Women v Crystal Palace Women (2026-02-16)

Southampton F.C. Women v Crystal Palace Women (2026-02-01)

Crystal Palace Women v Bristol City Women (2026-02-08)

Crystal Palace Women

Women's Super League 2

Birmingham City Women

Last Match

Nottingham Forest Women

Next Match

EXPLORE PALACE WOMEN

**Vote for your Player of the Month for January using the poll above!**

February looked like it was going to be a tough month for the Eagles, with Jo Potter's side playing three teams that are all competing for the three potential promotion places in the Barclays Women's Super League 2.

After an unlucky defeat away to Southampton at the start of the month, the team rallied to secure consecutive wins against Bristol City and Birmingham City.

These wins moved Palace up into third-place in the WSL2, the only promotion play-off spot in the league, and just one point behind Birmingham in second-place.

**Take a look at who is in the shortlist below..**

#### **The Nominees**

##### **1. Ashleigh Weerden**

Palace's number 11 enjoyed another very productive February in South London, with her scoring two and assisting two in three games.

Weerden bagged Palace's only goal against Southampton, before grabbing the winner against Bristol City the week after.

She topped off a great month away at Birmingham City, assisting both Abbie Larkin's and Elise Hughes' goal in the 3-1 away win.

These assists saw Weerden move to the league's leading assister, with seven so far.

[Her efforts across February also saw her deservedly nominated for the WSL2 Player of the Month.](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/women/ashleigh-weerden-nominated-for-february-player-of-the-month/)

##### **2. Abbie Larkin**

Abbie Larkin was back to her goalscoring best in February, with her two goals making her joint top goalscorer in the WSL2.

She grabbed Palace's equaliser at home to Bristol, calmly finishing from Kirsty Howat's ball across the box.

The Ireland international then doubled Palace's advantage away at St Andrews, heading in Weerden's sumptuous cross from the left-wing.

Larkin featured both as a striker and on the right-wing in February, demonstrating her versatility in Palace's attack.

##### **3. Molly-Mae Sharpe**

January's Player of the Month kept her good form going into February, with three fine performances against Southampton, Bristol City and Birmingham City.

Mainly deployed as a right wing-back in the system, Sharpe's offensive and defensive prowess were on show.

She assisted Weerden's winner against the Robins, firing an accurate ball across the box for the Suriname international to thump home.

Sharpe was instrumental in Palace's flowing move against Birmingham City, with her picking out Annabel Blanchard to open the scoring at St Andrews.

With two assists and some strong defensive showings in February, Sharpe proved once again why she is Palace's record appearance-maker.

##### **4. Jamie-Lee Napier**

Potentially an unsung hero for Palace this season, Napier had a stellar February in defence.

She didn't feature against Southampton, but showed out against Bristol and Birmingham on the left-side of defence.

Napier made four tackles and three clearances against Bristol, before a totally dominant defensive showing against the Blues.

With three tackles, four clearances and an 86% win rate with her ground duels, she proved far too much for the Birmingham attack.

##### **5. Hayley Ladd**

She has only been at Palace for two months, and Ladd has been nominated for Player of the Month in both of them.

It was a typically industrious set of performances from Palace's tough-tackling midfielder, with her racking up 17 tackles across the three February games.

Ladd particularly shone in the win at Birmingham, constantly retrieving the ball whilst trying to make things happen in the middle of the park.

Similar to Sharpe, Ladd showed that she can contribute at both ends of the pitch throughout February.

Next up for these players and the team is the visit of Nottingham Forest on Sunday 15th March.

Click the button below to secure your spot, as Palace Women continue their promotion run!

Crystal Palace Women played three of the top six in February, winning two and moving up to third in the league. It's now time to vote for your TEN Player of the Month!

Vote now for your TEN Player of the Month for February!

#### **Women's Empowerment Match**

Our Nottingham Forest clash will be our first game in March, which is International Women's Month, and will also take place on Mother's Day.

To celebrate this special occasion, our matchday will honour women and mothers making an impact in our local community.

There will be Mother's Day-themed activities, and so much more!

#### **What to expect from our Fanzone?**

The **Fanzone opens at 12:30 GMT**, 90 minutes before kick-off, and is packed with family-friendly games and activities. It's the perfect place to get into the matchday spirit!

**You can look forward to a range of exciting attractions, including:**

- **Half-time penalty shoot-out:** Our popular penalty shoot-out challenge returns!
- **Arts and Crafts station:** Create something special for mum with our popular Arts and Crafts station.
- **Face-painter:** Show your support in style and get your face painted with the Palace colours.
- **Pete and Alice:** Get your photo taken with our beloved club mascots, Pete and Alice, who will be there to meet fans of all ages.

And for those looking to grab a bite or a drink, we've got our updated food menu and the **['Alcohol in the Bowl'](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/women/crystal-palace-women-to-participate-in-fan-choice-alcohol-in-the-bowl-trial/)** scheme will be in effect, allowing you to enjoy a drink in the stands whilst you watch the match unfold.

### **Before you travel**

**All tickets will be digital** and will be emailed to the account holder before each game.

**Tickets for every game** will be sent out as PDF files, which can either be scanned on your phone at the gates, or printed off at home.

Although we are not expecting any travel disruption, we always recommend arriving early to soak up the atmosphere and avoid any queues at the turnstiles.

### **Seating Arrangements**

Although all supporters at Selhurst Park matches will be seated, matches **in Sutton** will see supporters have the option of purchasing either a **Seating Ticket** – allowing them to reserve a specific seat within the VBS Community Stadium’s stands – or a **Standing Ticket**.

Standing Tickets are not restricted to specific areas. Supporters will be able to move around all terracing stands at the VBS Community Stadium, depending on availability.

If you are a supporter with any **accessibility requirements**, please contact our dedicated Disability Liaison Officer, Rhianna Odartey, either by email **[dlo@cpfc.co.uk](mailto:dlo@cpfc.co.uk)** or call 0208 768 6000. Limited parking is available for supporters with a blue badge.

### **Going to the game?**

We can't wait to welcome you to Sutton for what should be another amazing matchday in South London.

For any questions or queries relating to the VBS, click the button below to access our 2025/26 Supporter’s Guide to the VBS Community Stadium.

Supporters Guide

### **Getting to the VBS Community Stadium**

The VBS Community Stadium is easily accessible by both car and public transport.

The closest train station is West Sutton, which is just a short walk from the ground. Alternatively, you can take a train to Sutton station and enjoy a 20-minute walk down the high street to the stadium. If you’re travelling by bus, the 413 and 80 routes run close to the stadium.

For those driving, please note that the stadium car park is for permit holders only. We recommend parking at the Gibson Road municipal car park, which is about a 15-minute walk from the ground.

### **Can I watch from home?**

If you are unable to attend the VBS Community Stadium, you can still watch the game LIVE on YouTube, with a link to the stream being provided closer to kick-off.

Coverage starts from 14:00 GMT, with the game being streamed on the **[official BWSL2 YouTube account.](https://www.youtube.com/@BarclaysWSL2)**

The best of the day's content will also take centre-stage on **[cpfc.co.uk](http://cpfc.co.uk)**, and our dedicated Palace Women's X and Instagram accounts. Highlights will also be available via Palace TV in the subsequent days.

### **Match Details**

- **Crystal Palace Women vs Nottingham Forest Women**
- **Sunday, 15th March (14:00 GMT)**
- **Barclays Women's Super League 2**
- **VBS Community Stadium**

We can't wait to see you there to cheer on the Eagles, and make this another unforgettable matchday in South London!

The Eagles will resume their promotion charge on Sunday, 15th March against Nottingham Forest. This game will be Palace's Women's Empowerment match - read below to see what will be on offer!

What to expect from Palace Women v Nottingham Forest

Crystal Palace Women v Nottingham Forest Women (2026-03-15)

Announcement

Announcement

Ashleigh Weerden wins WSL2 Player of the Month award

Latest News

Vote now for your TEN Player of the Month for February!

What to expect from Palace Women v Nottingham Forest

17Annabel
Blanchard

Announcement

Announcement

Ashleigh Weerden wins WSL2 Player of the Month award

Latest News

Vote now for your TEN Player of the Month for February!

What to expect from Palace Women v Nottingham Forest

17AnnabelBlanchard

17Annabel
Blanchard