From Sam Kerr to Rehanne Skinner: our WSL awards of the 2021-22 season

The Women’s Super League season ended in dramatic fashion. With the title still to be decided with 45 minutes to play, it went right down to the wire. Here we nominate some standout performers this the season.

“Sam Kerr is inevitable” – that is the caption that flies around social media most weekends. When the Australian striker is on the pitch for Chelsea, there is little doubt about the outcome. Despite standout seasons from players across the league, including an honourable mention for Arsenal’s Beth Mead, Kerr stands apart from the rest. Twenty goals in 20 games leaves her with the FAWSL Golden Boot. However, it’s not just the sheer number that she scores but the importance of those goals. Whether it’s the header against Tottenham to pull a 10-player Chelsea back into the game or her sublime volley on the spin to complete the final-day comeback against Manchester United, she appeared in the biggest moments to help Emma Hayes’s side to retain the title.

When Rehanne Skinner took over the Tottenham role in November 2020, Spurs were stuck in a potential relegation battle. By the end of the season, she had guided them to eighth and clear of any danger. However, no one could have predicted the heights they would reach this season under her calm stewardship. They swapped relegation for a Champions League race, beating Manchester City and earning draws with Arsenal and Manchester United. Skinner is never one to get carried away, she has too much footballing intelligence for that. Despite their form fading over the past few weeks, not helped by a backlog of games, a thin squad and injuries to key players, she led her side to an impressive fifth-place finish.

One of the best parts of each season is seeing young players come