The academy's most senior team is the Development Squad, which play in the FA WSL Academy League.[2] The academy also has age-group teams at under-10, under-12, under-14 and under-16 levels.[3]
Manchester City Ladies were founded in 1988 by a member of Manchester City's community outreach programme.[4] Although the new club had a reserve side from the start, no junior section was created until 1997 when a member of the club's committee arranged for Manchester City Ladies to adopt the Stockport County Ladies under-14 team which the latter club were no longer in a position to support.[5] This provided the impetus for the club to arrange the creation of an entire youth academy, with under-10, under-12, under-14 and under-16 teams being made and filled with local girls.[6]
During 2000–01, the club experienced the most successful season in its history, with four teams winning their respective leagues, one successful in a league and cup double and the under-13's completing a treble.[citation needed]
Season 2002–03 proved to be another successful campaign, with first team finishing mid-table and consolidating their position at this level, while the under-12's won their league without dropping a single point. This was followed in 2003–04 when the under-13's won the Tameside League and Cup double, narrowly missing out in the final of the League Cup. Following on, the under-13 team competing in the following season (2004–05) had a clean sweep of the honours, winning the treble.[citation needed]
In 2003 the club achieved The FA Charter Standard Club award for both junior and adult sections.[citation needed]
Due to a paucity of clear information and a proliferation of minor regional league competitions at youth level, only national-level titles recorded from the start of the FA WSL era have been recorded.
