Bristol City Women: Ashton Gate to host Women's Super League game with Brighton
- Published
Bristol City Women's other fixtures at Ashton Gate have included hosting Barcelona
Women's Super League club Bristol City will play their first game of 2019-20 at Ashton Gate, the home of their men's side, against Brighton on Saturday, 7 September [15:00 BST].
The move follow's Chelsea and Manchester City's decisions to play at Stamford Bridge and the Etihad Stadium respectively on the same weekend.
Tanya Oxtoby's Bristol City side finished sixth in the WSL last term.
Their women's team most recently played at Ashton Gate in 2017 against Reading.
Bristol City Women chairman Mark Ashton said: "Naturally this is the next step in the development of the relationship between both City men and women.
"We believe this fixture can be another catalyst to propel women's football in the South West forward, especially after such a successful Women's World Cup."
Manager Oxtoby added: "It's fantastic that our season opener against Brighton is going to be played at Ashton Gate.
"I know the girls are really excited to be playing at such a brilliant stadium."
A crowd of 2,457 watched Bristol City - then known as Bristol Academy - overcome Barcelona at Ashton Gate in 2014, before 1,127 saw them host Reading at the ground in 2017.
The latter was a double header, played shortly before City's men faced Barnsley in the Championship, but 7 September's meeting with Brighton will be a stand-alone fixture, as the WSL season opens during a men's international break.
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