What do you do when your name magically comes out of the hat first? You sing.
That’s what happened to Lucy Clark, Sutton United Women’s manager, when the squad introduced a new matchday tradition. She swears it was fixed, but the moment was symbolic. As Lucy said, “United we stand” - and that’s the heart of this episode.
In this lively and honest chat, Lucy joins Mike to review last season, unpack the challenges, and share what’s next for the women’s side at Sutton United.
Speaker 1
00:58 - 01:12
Hello, and welcome to another episode of Sutton United Talk Time on podcast. It's the Sutton Podcast. I'm your host, Mike. We're an association with Lucky Star Gin, as always, and I'm delighted to have Lucy returning on the podcast once again to talk about the women's side.
Speaker 1
01:14 - 01:26
Love hearing from you. Do put all the engagement in. Let us have your comments, your thoughts, your questions, and on all the socials at Sutton Podcast, tag me in it. It gives my ego a nice little boost.
Speaker 1
01:26 - 01:33
You know how important that is to me. Lucy, how has your nice and quiet summer been?
Speaker 2
01:34 - 01:44
I'm not very nice and quiet. Yeah, busy, busy, busy. I mean, everyone thinks that you have a break, but you don't really get much of one, to be fair. Well, I certainly haven't.
Speaker 3
01:44 - 01:48
I'm pretty sure that, yeah, that goes for most football managers around.
Speaker 1
01:49 - 01:57
Yeah, it's one of those lovely things that everyone kind of just goes, oh, lovely. We'll see you all in the summer. And then there's people behind the scenes going, what summer? We don't have a summer.
Speaker 3
01:58 - 02:01
Yeah, it's been crazy, but good, good, crazy,
Speaker 1
02:01 - 02:10
good. So. We're recording brilliant timing and don't burst this bubble because it's all perfectly planned out. Fixtures are out today.
Speaker 1
02:10 - 02:20
The Euros are on Sunday. England are in the final. We're going to tie it all in together. There is no way I message you about half an hour ago and say, let's just jump on for a quick chat, shall we?
Speaker 1
02:20 - 02:34
It's perfectly timed. Come on. But we are recording ahead of the Euro final. The Lionesses have reached their third successive final and they're looking to retain the Euros and get revenge on Spain.
Speaker 1
02:36 - 02:48
How much impact do you think, I mean obviously you've been in the women's game for a long time, not just as a manager, but how much impact do you think success for England trickles down to our level?
Speaker 3
02:50 - 03:00
Yeah, no, I think it's massive. I think we had the probably one of the biggest booms in women's football. When we last won the Euros a year, we hosted it. It was absolutely massive.
Speaker 3
03:00 - 03:19
And, you know, they've been on the crest of the wave ever since, haven't they? So, yeah, I think now women's football is just obviously, it's just getting bigger and bigger every season and will continue to do so. And I think for the English game, it's great that we're having sort of continued success and long may it continue.
Speaker 1
03:21 - 03:42
Yeah, I was chatting to online the other day, I think it was Nick Goodwin, saying this is just such a weird sensation for so many people of my similar age that England are expected to do well in tournaments. We always have this little hope, but there's never this level of expectation. It's like these kids don't know they're born. There's finals all the time.
Speaker 1
03:43 - 04:27
we're like remembering oh well we scrape through the groups we'll be all right um but the club they're showing it um in roland's bar so um if anyone is um around on sunday um get down to roland's and watch it as a group um i won't be because uh i'm under strict instructions because it's the little person's um eighth birthday so um i won't be going out to the pub definitely not um but can you kind of explain where we are on the pyramid. So obviously, lots of people know the men's first team, but women's pyramid is very similar build and we're in a very similar position. Can you kind of explain where we sit and how long it is going to be before we're in the women's Super League?
Speaker 3
04:28 - 04:59
We're in exactly the same tier that the men's team are. The one difference being that it splits a little bit earlier, whereas in the men's pyramid it splits the level below us, whereas in the women's pyramid it kind of splits two above. So you've got the Women's Super League, then you've got the WSL 2, which was formerly the championship, which would be where Crystal Palace are. Then you've got the National League North and South.
Speaker 3
04:59 - 05:34
So, for example, AFC Wimbledon are in the National League South of the women's section. Then you've got the National League, and it's then split into five because of the areas. So we would, should we get promoted, which is the aim, we would go into the Women's National League South East division and then there's us where it just splits a little bit more regional, but like sort of to where in the London and South East. So we obviously go as far down as Brighton and, um, sort of Barking, Dartford and that kind of sort of around the M25 that way.
Speaker 3
05:34 - 06:03
Um, and then probably, uh, as north as sort of, um, sort of Heathrow area, I think is, you know, there's a couple of teams around by Heathrow that we, uh, um, that we play. So, and then sort of everything down there in the Southeast is, uh, is the level that we're at. So same sort of tier, um, obviously sort of less teams. So, um, It's good the divisions have sort of 12 teams, obviously they're expanding the Women's Super League over the next few years.
Speaker 3
06:03 - 06:15
But it's been, yeah, so we're the same tier as the men's, but obviously with less teams in there. So, yeah, same amount of promotions for us both to get to the top division, right?
Speaker 1
06:17 - 06:27
Yeah. I mean, did I, did I read or did I hope that there's a change in the promotions coming up or the season? So
Speaker 3
06:27 - 06:41
yeah. So, so it's been, lots of leagues have had bottlenecks recently and it's been really hard. You've had lots of good teams. I mean, Fulham took what, five, six years to get out of our division.
Speaker 3
06:42 - 07:18
Um, even with, you know, whatever budget, because you've just got only one going up and it's been that way for a long time, sort of even higher up the levels, just the one team going up. I mean, from sort of what would be the equivalent of League One, so the National League North and South, they used to then have a playoff for just one to go up to the championship, which is ridiculous. And there was a case, I think it was not last season, season before, down in one of the South West divisions, Bournemouth and I think it was Exeter had literally identical records. Neither had lost a game.
Speaker 3
07:18 - 07:38
And obviously only one went up, which is just like crazy, you know, that you could win 19 out of 22 games, draw the other three and not go up. It's just like ridiculous. But because they're expanding the Super League, there is now going to be a little bit more movement. And we finally now going to have playoffs.
Speaker 3
07:39 - 08:11
So I think In our division, the winners will go up into the National League and I think the runners-up will go into a play-off with a runners-up from one of the other leagues in our tier for another promotion play. So, yeah, finally there's something a little bit more because if you just get one team running away for it, running away with the league, then then that's kind of it. Your season's done. If you're second, third or fourth, it's a bit like us with Fulham last year.
Speaker 3
08:11 - 08:17
They sort of ended up running away with the league and you've got other teams that have got good records but end up kind of playing for nothing.
Speaker 1
08:19 - 08:37
There's quite a few cups, I notice. But on last season, let's talk about last season. What was, what did you think of last season? What were your, could do better?
Speaker 1
08:38 - 08:46
And on reflection, what have you sat back and went, actually, I didn't maybe appreciate that so much at the time. What were you proud of now?
Speaker 3
08:48 - 08:51
I will always think of last season as the year of the goalkeeper.
Speaker 1
08:53 - 08:55
It was... I want to know what you're talking about.
Speaker 3
08:55 - 09:16
Yeah, it was... Yeah, I mean, we had a centre midfielder playing goal for 11 games last year, which is just absolutely ridiculous. But that was the way it was. We tried to, you know, at this time last year, we was really trying desperately to recruit a goalkeeper.
Speaker 3
09:18 - 09:43
and we wanted a bit of competition. The goalkeeper we had decided that they wanted to know that they were number one or they were going to leave, so they decided to go somewhere where they were guaranteed number one, which left us at the start without a goalkeeper. Obviously, we had one for one game, then we had one for another that made one appearance and made a bit of a hoo-ha, through no fault of her own or ours. We'll skip over that one.
Speaker 3
09:44 - 10:01
And yeah, then we managed to get one in from QPR and then she got injured and she was really good. She'd done really well for us, but got injured. So it meant we was having to play sort of games with a set of midfielders. Again, I didn't really...
Speaker 3
10:01 - 10:27
Again, goalkeepers were really tough to come by last year. As I'd got one, I didn't really want to just get somebody else in and then You know, they want to play football and there was, you know, there's clubs for them to go play. And we was hoping that the goalkeeper we had would come back from injury a bit quicker than she did. And yeah, she was just having a few issues here or there trying to get back.
Speaker 3
10:27 - 10:55
And then when we got her back, played a few games for us and then decided to take an offer for another club. So she left and then again we were without a goalkeeper and then we managed to get a goalkeeper in for the last sort of five games, done really well. So it was a year with a goalkeeper, something that we've obviously looked to address again this year and hopefully we will be announcing a new signing or two on that front. We've got some really good goalkeepers this year.
Speaker 3
10:56 - 11:36
I think last year we looked back and thought obviously we had them issues with Dinner League which Yeah, probably cost us some points here or there, if I'm honest. No thought through to the goalkeepers that came in and helped us out, but it is an important position, so definitely cost us some points. I think cups we've done OK, apart from the one that we wanted to do well in, which is the FA Cup, because of the finances that we get there. We went out on penalties in that in the The third qualifying round, which was a real big kick in the teeth, to be fair, a match we should have won.
Speaker 3
11:36 - 12:07
So we should have done better there. We made quarterfinals of a couple of other cups, went out on penalties. We'd done really well in the Ismian Cup, making the semi-final of that. And unfortunately, we got drawn away to Billy Ricci on a Wednesday night and we ended up having to pull in four or five players from the development team because lots of players just couldn't make it, which was quite frustrating at the time.
Speaker 3
12:08 - 12:25
But we'd done really, really well until we conceded a goal. And then again, the year of the goalkeeper, our goalkeeper got concussed just before half-time. So, we was well in the game at half-time and then the goalkeepers come in all dizzy at half-time and said, I can't play. So, we were then having to put a player out in goal for the second half.
Speaker 3
12:25 - 12:40
So, that was a bit frustrating as well. But yeah, we've done all right in the Cups. Sadly, didn't quite make it over the line to a final, which would have been nice. I think if we'd have had our full team out against Billa Ricci, we'd have given them a game, you know.
Speaker 3
12:41 - 12:56
Who knows in football and obviously going out of two cups on penalties is just, yeah, really, really harsh. But, you know, you've got to separate teams somehow. League, I think we showed, we started getting players back. We had a few injuries here or there.
Speaker 3
12:59 - 13:19
And as the season ended, we were starting to get lots of players back from injury. And then we actually sort of was being able to use the squad that we built last year for the first time sort of, you know, come sort of, you know, March time. And we showed then how kind of strong we were. within our squad.
Speaker 3
13:19 - 13:53
I mean, we was 1-0 up against Hertford, who finished runners-up. We did ultimately lose 2-1, but we scored about 15 minutes ago and I think the girls were like, oh my God, we're 1-0 up here. And then we conceded two within about a minute, which was, you know, there's certain things we sort of drum into them about after we'd scored and they'd completely forgot about everything that we told them. Yeah, lost that 1-2-1 and then Fulham who were battering every team, winning by big margins in all their games.
Speaker 3
13:53 - 14:26
They beat Dartford 6-0 away I think it was. Yeah, it was steamroller in pretty much most teams, especially at the end of the season, because they'd suddenly gone and recruited loads of players from like tier three in the championship to make sure they got over the line and to progress them for next year. And we took them up to Chipstead on a Tuesday night and yeah, they were taking a ball into the corner flag as they were 1-0 up in the 93rd minute and we'd had a big chance with about seven, eight minutes to go to equalise or however long it was.
Speaker 3
14:27 - 14:44
But late on in the game, a big chance to equalise, which sadly we didn't take because the ball just wouldn't drop. But they're making substitutions in the 91st, second and third minute. And it's like, wow, this is Fulham with all their big budget and big name players. and we gave them a real run for their money.
Speaker 3
14:44 - 15:14
So for us the season ended too soon because we were hitting four, we beat Ashford 4-0 and we were winning other games and we finished the season really strongly with the squad that we managed to get together and finally everybody available. So yeah, I think just a bit more luck would have been nice last season. I think, again, you know, Millwall, where we lost 2-1, we had two Stonewall penalties not given. And, you know, it's just like when...
Speaker 3
15:15 - 15:37
Don't want to moan about referees and decisions, you know. They say they even themselves up, so we're due loads this year. because they clearly didn't, you know, we had, we, again, one of the cup games that went to penalties is a clear hand ball where the girl had her arm literally out, sort of extended from her body sideways and the ref never gave it. So a bit more luck as well.
Speaker 3
15:37 - 16:04
But overall, you know, I'd give us a solid, a solid C plus, I think, for last year. I think we progressed well in the fact that we went from the season previous We ended the season, I think, with a minus 47 goal difference. Last year, we ended with a minus three goal difference. We got more points.
Speaker 3
16:04 - 16:34
We won more games than we had the previous season by quite a margin. We scored more than double the amount of goals that we'd scored the season previous as well. So yeah, lots and lots of sort of positives, and we conceded about 30, 40 less. So when we sort of look at that to the season before, then yeah, we showed progression, which was what you want.
Speaker 3
16:34 - 16:37
You want to be showing progression every single season, don't we?
Speaker 1
16:38 - 16:58
Absolutely, that's what Steve keeps saying for the targets for this is be better. Okay, fair enough. Well, there was obviously the controversy with Blair. I don't want to delve into it too much because it's gone, but do you think that affected the girls in any way?
Speaker 1
16:59 - 17:23
I know there was all sorts of rumours of a sort of just they were refusing to play and then they're telling me well that's not quite right because we're in the cars on the way there and we got a message saying it's off but do you think that the sort of sudden eyes on Sutton and particularly the type of eyes on Sutton did have any effect on people's morale or anything like that?
Speaker 3
17:24 - 17:54
I think it brought the girls closer together. I mean they were frustrated because Blair had played for five years previously for other teams within the league and in the pyramid without any real major dramas and continued to play once she left us and you know there's 74 other trans people playing football, some at a higher level. They're not now, obviously, because the goalposts have moved.
Speaker 3
17:54 - 18:15
But at that time, there was 70-odd players playing. There was a team not too far from us that had five or six trans players playing for them. last season. It was just us, you know, Blair was obviously noted from previous and myself from my referee days and obviously being a manager, they decided to come for us and pick on us.
Speaker 3
18:16 - 18:28
I think he brought the girls together. I mean, Ebb Street game, yeah, nobody refused to play. Loads of the girls were already at the ground, like ready to go and play the match. No, not a single player.
Speaker 3
18:29 - 19:05
The girls had rallied round and, you know, they was prepared to put a statement out and they was, yeah, fully backing absolutely everything. And, yeah, there was absolutely no issues. I think, if anything, it probably made them a bit of a stronger group because, you know, it was kind of welled against them and they're like, you know, they wanted to show that we are, you know, we're unified and still are unified. And yeah, they backed Blair and backed the decision because Blair at the time was allowed to play football and there was, you know, no issue with her playing.
Speaker 3
19:05 - 19:10
But, you know, as I say, Twitter thought otherwise.
Speaker 1
19:13 - 19:22
either the season before or the one before that had played against us and played extremely well against us. And so I can't remember what team that was. Yeah, she was at
Speaker 3
19:22 - 19:24
Saltdame. She was at Saltdame
Speaker 1
19:24 - 19:24
for
Speaker 3
19:24 - 19:25
years. And
Speaker 1
19:26 - 19:26
he had Hastings
Speaker 3
19:26 - 19:28
before that. He
Speaker 1
19:28 - 19:34
might have been Hastings. Yeah. So yeah, quite frustrating. But I can't believe you said we were unified instead of saying united.
Speaker 1
19:34 - 19:36
But anyway, that's fine. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 3
19:36 - 19:38
Yeah. Terminology. Yeah.
Speaker 1
19:38 - 19:38
Terrible.
Speaker 3
19:38 - 19:41
Terrible. We was united. United
Speaker 1
19:41 - 19:45
we stand. United we stand. get a song going.
Speaker 3
19:45 - 20:03
I'll tell you about that, make sure you are. Let me just quickly say, we've now done a thing in the changing room, the girls, the social group, that every match now, we're pulling a name out of the hat and that person has to sing a song. And the first match, whose name come out of the hat, I'm sure it was rigged, mine. And what song did I sing?
Speaker 3
20:03 - 20:05
United we stand. Love it.
Speaker 1
20:08 - 20:31
My name doesn't go in that hat, that's fine. So we've mentioned the busy summer and there's a few kind of bits and pieces so it's going to jump around a little bit. Today, three new signings announced, literally as I'm scribbling down here I'm looking on Twitter and Instagram, oh god I've got no time to look at that. So Just a little talk through the squad rebuild so far.
Speaker 1
20:32 - 20:50
This is going to go out on Saturday afternoon. So if there's anything lined up, you can talk up to about Saturday afternoon. OK, cool. But yeah, give us a little mention of where we are so far and how does that stand with where you want to be at the start of the season?
Speaker 3
20:51 - 21:18
OK, so we've had a few that have left us, released, and we wish them all the best. I can name them if you want. I think I'd like to think I remember them all. I think Jazz has moved on and we thank Jazz for her service within the club.
Speaker 3
21:18 - 21:35
I know lots of players like Jazz, but Jazz has moved on. Tony Ambusi has moved on, as has Gabby, who we signed last year. Both of them to have gone to Millwall. say Gabby, you know, Gabby lives closer to them.
Speaker 3
21:36 - 22:09
I mean, it's, yeah, they moved on, Ilana's moved on and Amelia's moved on. So we wish them all the very best in their future careers and thank you for their time at Sutton. More importantly, we've, looking forward to us and about us, we've, the It's been blown away the interest we've had from players that have wanted to come and join us this year. Lots of players that are currently still trialling.
Speaker 3
22:10 - 22:33
It's hard because, you know, you want to make sure that we're, you know, I want to be generally honest with them. Some of these players are new to us, so it's not like, you know, players that we've known or seen. So we need to see how they fit within the group. And also, I think it's very important as well with us this season with the recruitment.
Speaker 3
22:33 - 23:05
I think we recruited quite well last season. I think this year it's more important with the recruitment for this season that we get not only the right players in but also players with the right temperament and it will be good for the group. So we've taken a little bit of a time with the signing of new players this year, but we've brought four in as we currently stand. And I'm really so happy with the players that we've brought in.
Speaker 3
23:05 - 23:16
You can pick them all up. I mean, Amy Warren's really, really good down the left-hand side. She previously was at Sutton. and then moved on to play for Woking, was at Woking's first team last year.
Speaker 3
23:17 - 23:51
She's come to us this summer and really good on the left-hand side, good with the ball, lovely left foot, good energy, like really happy with her. Ellie Moon, we've got again, used to be at Sutton as a junior, so it's Our junior path obviously worked, Shane. We couldn't keep them and progress them through, but she's been at Hayward Teeth and Whiteleaf and has now come back to us and can play right back or in midfield. I was really impressed in both training and in the matches that she's played as well.
Speaker 3
23:52 - 24:17
Then we've got Louise, Louise Dunne, who's, again, was with us as a youngster. She then left and went on to play for Fulham and has played for AFC Wimbledon. She's been to university. She was the captain of University of Leeds for the last few years, has now moved back home, having finished her studies and has come back home.
Speaker 3
24:18 - 24:44
And she's a right wing back or a right midfielder, puts in an absolutely brilliant cross. Another really, really good player. And then we've got Phoebe Langley, who's only 16 and wasn't with us previously, but has been with Chelsea and with Reading and was picked up for their School of Excellence. She was Surrey's captain for the last four years, played for, represented Surrey 77 times.
Speaker 3
24:47 - 25:23
And yeah, another brilliant player, really exciting prospect. But I think, yeah, it's not a case of, if you're old enough with me, then you're good, you know, age doesn't matter if you're good enough. And yeah, she's like, she came into women's football last year when she turned 16 in December. um and like yeah we've seen some footage of her really good and she's come and joined us and she's she's another really really good player and I know lots and lots of clubs are after her um this summer uh and we're delighted uh as we are with all
Speaker 3
25:23 - 25:48
of them that uh that you know she's um agree to come join Sutton. So they're the ones that are over the line, but we do have some really exciting ones that we're just trying to get over the line, um, uh, that are training with us and have played matches with us. I mean, we've had five pre-season friendly so far. Um, so I do, I do expect some, some more, more to be announced over the next sort of week or so.
Speaker 3
25:48 - 26:14
Um, And yeah, I mean, we're looking at probably bringing, we're still looking at bringing in some more players for the first team and like the whole development team. So we've dropped the name reserves. We're calling it, it's going to be now known as the development team. The whole development team, which of course I'm part of and looking at and overseeing, is going to have a complete revamp in lots of ways this year, including sort of players.
Speaker 3
26:14 - 26:41
Whilst we've retained some of the really good prospects and girls from last season. We've also brought in some really, really excellent. We've had, you know, kudos to our system below us. With the foundation, we've got five or six girls that are coming in from the under 18s that are all like really, really good quality that will come into the development team.
Speaker 3
26:42 - 27:07
And potentially, you know, I can see some of them playing first team this year because there's a lot of really good qualities. We're really excited, not only for the first team, but also the development team this year. I think the development team is going to be so strong and we are all really, really excited at the sort of the quality that we have. coming through the club and joining a development team or the squad.
Speaker 3
27:07 - 27:12
If they're good enough they'll make their way into the first team regardless of how old they are.
Speaker 1
27:13 - 27:14
You're stealing
Speaker 2
27:14 - 27:14
is what you're saying.
Speaker 1
27:15 - 27:16
It's a good enough.
Speaker 2
27:17 - 27:20
Well, yeah, that's it. Well, we're one club, right? So
Speaker 1
27:20 - 27:21
you're right.
Speaker 2
27:22 - 27:23
One club.
Speaker 1
27:24 - 27:52
Also, the fixtures came out yesterday or today, and some of the fixtures have come out. not all of them. So obviously there's loads of cups to fill in and someone has, I think Kieran has already said, well hang on a second, what do you mean three games between October and December? But how this ties in with the next sort of conversation piece, How excited are you that we're back in the borough?
Speaker 1
27:52 - 28:09
I know there were some reservations earlier in the summer or tail end of last year. We had a little chat about the ground, but announce the news and just let us know how you feel that we're back in the borough and hopefully get more Sutton fans down there.
Speaker 3
28:11 - 28:35
Okay, well first off, big thanks to Chipstead because they were absolutely amazing hosts last year and yeah, bent over backwards to accommodate us. And yeah, they were absolutely brilliant. And a massive thank you to Tony and Liz there because yeah, they were brilliant for us last season. And we sort of do leave there a little bit with a heavy heart.
Speaker 3
28:37 - 28:58
However, moving on, going to the David Weir, it's we're back in the borough where, you know, Chipstead's unaccessible. That's one issue with Chipstead. And with all respect to them, they don't have, you know, the pitch. Pitch was okay, but probably didn't suit us at times.
Speaker 3
28:58 - 29:30
You know, they couldn't, they're a small club, so to get work done on the pitch was tough for them. So we're back in the bar, which is good. And I have to say, um, well, well, so there's, it's not built as a purpose football ground, David, let's just, you know, but again, the manager there, Tony's, uh, amazing and sort of everything that we've kind of asked for, or, um, you know, looked at implementing they've done, which means we can train there.
Speaker 3
29:30 - 29:49
The training facility for us, I think is just amazing. We've got, obviously, the use of the gym, the track. There's a big hill there yesterday and if you look on the socials later, we had all the girls sprinting up that hill yesterday as part of their pre-season training. We're working really hard pre-season this year, by the way.
Speaker 3
29:49 - 30:13
Again, we're going a lot on the like you'll hear from Steve and John and Terry, with the men's first team, we're very stat-based as well this year in lots of the stuff that we're doing. So, you know, we're gathering all that data, but we're working really hard. So we've got that there. And the use of the facilities there for us for training are absolutely brilliant.
Speaker 3
30:13 - 31:02
We finally now got, you know, full-size grass pitch that's home that we can train on and play. And whilst I know there's been issues with the pitch, I think it's looked after by the same people that look after our fabulous surface at Gander Green Lane. and they have renovated it into, you know, it's a lot, lot better than it used to be, to be fair, like, and I know that there's money gone down on drainage and yeah, we got a small issue with foxes that are deciding to dig parts of the pitch up that we're having to sort of treat as we go, as we go along, but Yeah, I mean, it's a nice flat surface, well looked after.
Speaker 3
31:03 - 31:19
So the surface this year will suit us a lot better for the kind of football we want to play. Obviously, let's have a look what it's like in December and January after we've had some rain. And obviously, I think the academy are playing some games there and training there as well. So hopefully it will hold up because we need it.
Speaker 3
31:20 - 31:39
We're a good footballing team. I think those that have come and watched us the other night against Slough will testify to that. You know, we had like nearly 80% possession. So yeah, I've gone from a little bit of like, oh, I'm not sure about this, if I'm honest, to now going there and training there.
Speaker 3
31:39 - 31:58
And now we've played our first match there. We had our first training session there last night and it's, yeah, Listen, if we go up, we might have issues. Changing rooms are not big enough and you have to have certain sort of criteria. We have to obviously have ground grading like all teams in the Pyramid do.
Speaker 3
31:59 - 32:19
But for us, where we're at, yeah, really, really happy. I'm buzzed. I think the supporters are, but I asked a few and I will, we had a few parents and stuff to come, but Andrew and Lynn came the other day and they're amazing. They bought their season tickets to go get your season tickets.
Speaker 3
32:20 - 33:02
And I asked them what they, what the view was like and they was like yeah you know the view is fine and obviously the more we get there you know we might be able to look to have sort of an area behind the goal or whatever um to get people a little bit closer to it but at the moment you know let's fill the stand that we've got and then hopefully we can have a bit of an issue after uh where we have to look at it but the view from the stands really good um you know you're sort of high ups you get a good a good angle of the pitch and you can literally sit on the halfway line so So yeah, I'm kind of buzzing about David Weir, to be honest with you. I think, you know, it's, yeah, I'm happy and it will do for now, right?
Speaker 3
33:02 - 33:08
Until we get up into the, well, we'll talk about the five-year plan a little bit later, I guess. But yeah, no, really happy.
Speaker 1
33:09 - 33:16
Excellent. I mean, yeah, we've already got our season tickets. So, I mean, what am I going to be? Maybe a 20 minute stroll?
Speaker 1
33:17 - 33:26
So as opposed to get to Chipshead, Box Island Drive. We used to be like looking at two hours public transport and I'm like, there's no chance there. I'll get there. Yeah.
Speaker 1
33:26 - 33:36
It's like, okay, I can literally stroll along. We've already got our season tickets. Rosie's looking forward to it, already moaned that When are they starting? When are they starting?
Speaker 1
33:36 - 34:02
So, that's good. But, I mean, you gave a shout out to Gypsy, which is obviously fantastic, because if they were in the borough, then I can imagine that you'd be like, no, no, we're here. But to the fans and to people that came along, were there many that came along? I mean, it was a bit of a trek, but did many people sort of separately away from the players, friends and families, get a chance to come over?
Speaker 1
34:02 - 34:03
I know Sarah came over a few times.
Speaker 3
34:04 - 34:25
Yeah, Sarah's amazing. She, she came to most of the home games. So big thanks to Sarah for that. And obviously, yeah, we had a few, I think, at least I'm going to be blatantly honest, I think there's people, some people made the effort once and then was like, oh, you know, the nearest train station, you've then got to walk up a road where you're dicing with
Speaker 3
34:25 - 35:05
death. because it was literally, you know, there's no pavements and it's a great big hill to walk up, you can't cycle there, you can't get a bus there. So yeah, we did have some people that would come and make the effort and, you know, come along as and when they could, but it was, Yeah, it was, it was mainly sort of, you know, parents or friends or family and stuff like that. And whilst we, you know, big thanks to some of the supporters that we did have last year, I know we're going back to last year again, but You know, we had lots of parents that were great in helping out as well.
Speaker 3
35:05 - 35:20
Big shout out to Alex and and to Tony who helped us and Elizabeth who helped us on match days and stuff. And also we had that The, you know, epic time in Guernsey, you know, for Guernsey's first
Speaker 1
35:21 - 35:21
ever
Speaker 3
35:21 - 35:53
match on the island, where the result was great and their hospitality was great. But knowing that we took some supporters, you know, over there, big shout out to James from our social media team, I think, who come over and covered it in, you know, which was absolutely brilliant. So now we've got the, you know, the footage that we can look back on and, you know, reminisce with pride about the whole experience. But yeah, some of the parents, et cetera, made it all the way over to Guernsey.
Speaker 3
35:56 - 36:16
for that was just amazing. So yeah, no, we had a few and we obviously this year, now we're back in the borough, like the, let's see, I mean, I've had a few messages of Clive, I'm going to shout out Clive, who's like, so he's going to come and watch us this year. And we had lots last year where I would speak to him and say, are you going to come and watch the women? Are you going to come and watch the women?
Speaker 3
36:16 - 36:27
And I was like, oh, I can't get to Shipstead. Well, we've got no excuse now. There's loads of buses there, there's train stations, Yeah, there's zero excuse not to come and watch us this season. Exactly.
Speaker 3
36:27 - 36:29
Zero excuse. And the football
Speaker 1
36:29 - 36:29
is good,
Speaker 3
36:29 - 36:31
right? Yeah,
Speaker 1
36:31 - 36:41
absolutely. I mean, it's one of the things that really frustrates me was, ah, it's this different to the men's game. It's like, well, yeah, it is. OK, get over it.
Speaker 1
36:41 - 36:50
Move on. There was one put out yesterday, I think it was, or the day before, one comment about the women's match. Oh, I watched it for three minutes. It was rubbish.
Speaker 1
36:50 - 37:13
And I just turned it off. And I'm like, There isn't a football match in the history of the world that hasn't had at least three minutes of rubbish, because it's just the way it goes. I mean, people are saying that, well, Andrew said the World Cup with France and Argentina, and I'm like, nah, there would have been some time wasted and some injuries if you just tuned in for that particular three minutes. But it's, yeah, it's great football.
Speaker 1
37:14 - 37:32
It goes to anyone sort of longing back to the old days. It's that great feel where you can just, well, David Weir's might be different, but wander around, talk to people, chat to the players. It's obviously not when they're playing, that'd be quite distracting. But it's a really, really good, good feel and great football.
Speaker 1
37:32 - 37:43
And hopefully, as you said, even better this year with the pitch to show off their skills. So, yeah, definitely come along. There's season tickets. 30 or 35.
Speaker 1
37:43 - 37:48
Yeah, good. Yeah. Yeah, kid. The little one was five.
Speaker 1
37:48 - 38:00
That's why I had 35. So 30 30 quid, and it's the season. And also, you're supporting the women's team as well. So make sure you come along and the fixtures are up.
Speaker 1
38:01 - 38:03
Do you remember off the top of your head the first fixture or not?
Speaker 3
38:04 - 38:38
I'll tell you them all if you want. So, well, we've got Benfica, but sadly, that's going to have to be moved because the stadium's not available on that day. So we are due to play Benfica at home, but that's going to, hopefully, we're going to switch that to Benfica. Then we've got Dartford away the following week, who finished second last year and would probably, if there was a a bookies that will put in, you know, putting out the odds for this season.
Speaker 3
38:38 - 38:49
They'd probably be the favourites going on the last couple of years. So we got Dartford away. So that's a real big test. Um, a bit like the men that's travelling to York, you know, but get, you got to play them all twice anyway.
Speaker 3
38:49 - 38:49
So let's get
Speaker 1
38:49 - 38:49
it out of
Speaker 3
38:49 - 39:10
the way and we can see where we are. And then on our first home game at the David Weir will be a Wednesday night, under the lights, the 27th of August. And that'll be against Millwall. So, you know, big game for our first home game, under the lights.
Speaker 3
39:10 - 39:19
And yeah, hopefully we can get a big crowd there because, yeah, you know, big team, Millwall. So let's see how we can do against them.
Speaker 1
39:19 - 39:26
Benfica were the ones with the noisy river sailors. That's it. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1
39:26 - 39:30
Yeah. I wouldn't have been able to handle that anymore. That's fine. First game.
Speaker 1
39:30 - 39:43
Get out of it. So wherever you want to go with this one, go wild, go go. Temporary expectations. But what are the hopes for the new season?
Speaker 3
39:47 - 40:01
Listen, progression. So let's progress from last year. Definitely need to finish a lot higher than we did, and I think this year we will. Fulham are gone.
Speaker 3
40:02 - 40:18
but we gain Brentford. So sort of, you know, you lose one West London club and you gain another. So Brentford are going to be strong coming up. Ashford, who went up, spent a few years in the National League and have just dropped down.
Speaker 3
40:18 - 40:46
Ashford Town, they're obviously, you know, going to be a tough team with their new, they've just got their new 4G pitch and, you know, I know that they've recruited pretty well. So they'll be fairly tough. Yeah. You've got Dartford, you've got Millwall, Saltdine, you know, have now got a Welsh international that's coming as a head coach, but she hasn't got a club, so will she be getting her boots on as well?
Speaker 3
40:47 - 41:07
And they've been a good team for the last few years, to be fair to Saltdine, and obviously Dorkin down the road. investing really well in their women's team and they're going to be there or thereabouts. So I think again, it's, you know, you're going to, can we get into that? The aim will be, can we get into that pack?
Speaker 3
41:07 - 41:35
And I felt that we showed at the end of last year that we belong in that pack, if we can go and keep everyone fit and be consistent. And as I say, we've now added some real quality as well to the group, along with the girls that we've got. I mean, as I say, we are unbeaten in five in pre-season and that's been without our two internationals. Big shout to Kasheila, by the way, for winning gold in the Ireland games and she played in every match.
Speaker 3
41:37 - 41:56
So, well done to Kasheila. So, we've got a gold medalist in the ranks, and she's the first international player to represent her country while being a Sutton player. Obviously, we've got Lily, who we're very proud of, of course. But yeah, to play for your country with your club being Sutton United, Kasheila's the first, which is amazing.
Speaker 3
41:59 - 42:26
I want us to get into that pack and see where it takes us. We need a bit of luck with, you know, players not getting injured, player availability. If we can keep everybody fit, fighting for their places in the squad and in the team, and we can show, you know, the consistency that we showed us towards the end of last season, and they can keep... We've got a couple of new coaches in as well that are really good and
Speaker 1
42:26 - 42:26
going to
Speaker 3
42:27 - 42:39
help the girls progress, both as individuals and as a team. Then who knows, right? Listen, play-off maybe? I think you've got the teams there that are going to be...
Speaker 3
42:39 - 42:55
Your Dartford, Shoredine, Millwall have really recruited loads of players this year. They're kind of where we were last year, I think. Their manager come in, sort of like I did in January, saw that season out and then has rebuilt the squad. like over the summer.
Speaker 3
42:56 - 43:10
So you don't know how strong or good they're going to be. But obviously, yeah, Dartford, Saltdean are going to be up there for sure. Barking have signed a couple of good players as well. I'm not quite sure what's going on in Ed's fleet.
Speaker 3
43:11 - 43:24
You look there, you know that then teams are going to be there or thereabouts. It's can we get in and in the mix amongst them teams? And then how will we do against them teams? Because there will be the decisive moments is how can we go to Dartford and win?
Speaker 3
43:24 - 43:48
You know, if we can go there and win and get three points, then, you know, you kind of think, yeah, well, we've got a good chance of being up there and about. But yeah, it's I think they're the kind of fixtures that are going to define where we'll finish this year. The aim is to be sort of top four or five. And then who knows, you know, a bit of luck, a couple of decisions go our way.
Speaker 3
43:49 - 43:57
Can we, can we get in a play? And ultimately we want to win the league. Ultimately we want to get into the national league, you know? So, um, Yeah, that's the aim.
Speaker 3
43:59 - 44:06
Can we do it this year? Maybe. I'm not going to say no, that's for sure. Not in July, you know.
Speaker 3
44:06 - 44:10
So, yeah, we'll kind of see. And a good cup run in the FA Cup. Yeah, that
Speaker 1
44:10 - 44:10
would
Speaker 3
44:11 - 44:11
be nice.
Speaker 1
44:14 - 44:33
be a nice problem that you have to have then next season, you've got to find somewhere else to come up to grade. I did warn you this was coming, the full on management chat. What does success look like in the five year plan? So we're having a chat ahead of the 2030 season.
Speaker 1
44:35 - 44:49
Where are we? What does success look like? And what would you love to have happened to Sutton United women's team in that five years? it's realistic, it's not five year promotions.
Speaker 3
44:50 - 45:14
Oh listen, listen, realistically, Back again to Green Lane. That would be good. Obviously, I know there's lots of stuff that has to go on behind the scenes, but from my personal view, of course, that's home. And hopefully we'll get some more games there this year.
Speaker 3
45:15 - 45:28
Five years, where do I listen? National League, probably National League South. You know, you go to the championship, you've got to go full time. So that might be a step too far.
Speaker 3
45:29 - 45:47
National League for sure. I mean, yeah, you know, if we've not got a promotion within the next five years, then yeah, I probably feel that I've not done as good as I should. because we should get promoted within the next five years, for sure. At least one level.
Speaker 3
45:48 - 46:00
And I want to do it quicker than five years. Potentially two. If we can get to the National League South, I think that would be a really good level and a tough level. But AFC Wimbledon are there.
Speaker 3
46:02 - 46:13
And, you know, if they can be there, I feel that we can be there. And they took the time. It's hard, you know, to progress. The AFC Wimbledon, for example, struggled to get through the levels a little bit.
Speaker 3
46:13 - 46:30
And as I say, we just pre-mentioned Fulham took sort of five, six years to get out of this level. So it is a tough level to get out of. And it is a tough tier five, five league out of them all. So, yeah, I mean, definitely National League, potentially National League South.
Speaker 3
46:30 - 46:52
having made this, you know, this look. Could we make an FA Cup second or an FA Cup third round or even a fourth round and suddenly be in a, yeah, be in the hat with like, you know, the Super League teams. I mean, Fulham again, they did it last year from our level. So, you know, it does happen.
Speaker 3
46:52 - 47:03
Luton Town have done it from sort of our level. So it's, Yeah, that's correct. At least one, preferably two, would be a realistic target.
Speaker 1
47:04 - 47:13
We'll have Brighton, we'll have Lily playing against us in the FA Cup. boo her again.
Speaker 3
47:15 - 47:16
You'd never
Speaker 1
47:16 - 47:28
do that. Oh yeah, you know, you've got to. Lucy, thank you very, very much. We're going to wrap up this episode of Sutton Podcast.
Speaker 1
47:28 - 47:42
As always, we appreciate everyone's attention and their feedback. Get involved, let us know what you think. Drop me some comments on social media at Sutton Podcast. And we are going to be back with another one.
Speaker 1
47:42 - 47:50
I haven't quite worked out my summer plan yet because I'm useless. But thank you to our sponsors, Lucky Star Gin. Thank you, Lucy, again. And thanks for listening.
Speaker 1
47:51 - 47:56
We hope you enjoyed this episode. Take care and we'll catch up soon. Don't forget, get your season tickets. Get down to the David Weir.
Speaker 1
47:56 - 47:59
There is no excuses. Goodbye. Take care, bye.
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