Inside the Lower Leagues: Accrington Stanley prepare for their biggest cup day yet

Chairperson Samantha Smithson and head coach James Mallett discuss how the Tier 6 side have big plans ahead of their second round FA Cup meeting with Huddersfield Town...

Nov 24, 2024

∙ Paid

Accrington Stanley Women enter the second round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup for the first time on Sunday, hosting Huddersfield Town at the club’s main 5,450-capacity Wham Stadium.

Not the usual home of the club of the same name, with no official link with Accrington Stanley, the two have a close working relationship and often share resources, including allowing the opportunity for the women to play in Accrington itself this weekend.

The team currently play in Tier 6, Division One of the North West Regional Women’s League. In all competitions, the team founded just five years ago have won 14 games out of 14, but with just six of those in the league, they trail both Penrith and Bolton Wanderers, the latter of whom have nine wins from nine after investing heavily, in all relativity for the level, in the summer.

It is though a relatively new dawn, with a group of players largely recruited in the summer, a head coach who only joined in July and a chairperson who took on the role just 18 months ago, so their rise has been mighty as they look for a place in the third round.

Check out over 100 more unique stories in WFC’s Premium section, available for just £45 for 12 months, paid in one go, or a £6 a month rolling subscription.

All subscriptions come with a 7-day free trial to allow you to explore our full archive.

Plus, guarantee you everything that is to come over the next 12 months…

Available for iOS and Android

“We’re a separate club, but we have a really strong working relationship,” says chairperson, Samantha Smitson. “We are completely independent right now, but the teams have a close relationship, we work together as close as we can, but we are Accrington Stanley Women.

“Accrington is the badge and for them to host the game this weekend is brilliant. It’s a chance for the girls to play in front of a good crowd and run out on a big pitch in a big stadium for what they’re used to. In true Accrington style, we’ve had a good downpour, but fingers crossed it all comes off.”

Smithson took the role in March 2023 after the previous chairperson became a director, and like everybody else involved with the Tier 6 side, does it on a voluntary basis.

But there is an attachment there, with Smithson herself having played for the original Accrington side almost 30 years ago, as well as Blackburn Rovers, while her niece was one of the original players for the new Stanley side and is still part of the squad this season.

Smithson was in the military before going into the sporting world six years ago, and now wants to give back to her local community through Stanley Women.

Check out other recent Inside the Lower Leagues features…