By Tony Leighton

Bristol City have blamed the Football Association for the closure of their Women's Premier League club.

The Southern Division outfit ran two senior teams plus four Centre of Excellence sides.

However, the FA's decision to fund one rather than two Centres of Excellence in Bristol has led to the club disbanding its women's section.

City's Centre of Excellence will merge with Bristol Academy, and City chairman Steve Lansdown said: "It's a sad day."

He added: "The sad fact is there is no future in women's football at grassroots and senior levels, the way things are at the moment.

"Despite the FA's big boast that more and more girls are getting involved in football, in reality there is simply no incentive for clubs like ours to run their own teams.

"The situation has been made worse by the FA's move to reduce the number of girls Centres of Excellence around the country."

The FA's National Women's Football Development Manager, Rachel Pavlou, said: "It's extremely disappointing to hear of the demise of Bristol City.

"But we are certainly not reducing the overall number of Centres of Excellence across the country - there were 52 last season and there will be 52 next season.

"In Gloucestershire, though, there were three Centres, including two in Bristol, and there are not enough talented players, coaches or girls teams in the area to justify the duplication of resources."

While Bristol City's Centre is merged with Bristol Academy, Gloucestershire's county Centre of Excellence will remain.