The Women's Premier League year ended on a sour note with the champions Arsenal facing potential FA punishment and the wrath of Birmingham City after pulling out of yesterday's fixture against them.

The Gunners reported on Friday that they had 15 players unavailable due to either injury, illness, pregnancy or being out of the country for Christmas.

"We're on the floor here," said the manager Vic Akers, whose problems had mounted rapidly after fielding a team only two players short of full strength in the previous Sunday's League Cup semi-final against Liverpool.

Arsenal's predicament brought no sympathy from Birmingham's chairman, Steve Shipway, who said angrily: "This is the sort of thing that happens in a Sunday morning pub league. Arsenal have got a big enough squad to have fulfilled the fixture.

As well as costing us money and embarrassment at having to call the game off they've done a great disservice to women's football.

Shipway reckoned his club would be out of pocket to the tune of around £2,000, and the FA spokesman Alex Stone confirmed: "Arsenal will be charged with failing to fulfil a fixture and will have to put their case.

If they are unsuccessful, sanctions against them could include having to meet any costs incurred by Birmingham."