How the University of Nottingham became an FA Cup first round side
You don't see many teams with the word 'University' in their names reach the first round proper of the FA Cup, so WFC went to Nottingham to find out more about UoN's journey...
“Oooh, that’s the FA Cup” comes the intrigued whisper from a multitude of people either entering or exiting the David Ross Sports Village on the University of Nottingham campus.
Tucked away in a corner of said entrance is indeed the Adobe Women’s FA Cup, on show for people to have a photograph with should they want one.
But there’s a reason it’s found its way to a university campus, and that’s because the University of the Nottingham is in the first-round proper itself of the competition this Sunday.
While others, such as the i2i International Soccer Academy, are linked with a university, as well as Loughborough Lightning whose team represents Loughborough University, this is the only team to share the exact name of the campus it represents at this stage, playing way down in Tier 7 of the pyramid.
“I think it’s crazy that it’s here,” smiles Amelia Penfold, one of the team’s players. “I don’t believe it’s here, but seeing people walk in and take photos, it’s so cool.
“The whole experience…I can’t believe we’re playing on Sunday against a Tier 4 team, here at our home with so many fans, friends, families, it’s going to be awesome.”
Team captain, Ruby Murphy, admits she’s “not allowed” to touch the trophy, but says it’s an “insane” feeling as the team prepares to host Cambridge United.
“I don’t think I can put it into words,” she says. “A lot of semi-professional clubs enter the FA Cup, and for us we’ve entered it to push ourselves. We’re a lower tier club and I’m so proud of all the girls, the community sense we have is very different to higher up the tiers, and I think that’s really helped us.”
Murphy and Penfold share a lot in common, besides their football team. They’re both studying sports rehabilitation, though Penfold is only in her second year compared to Murphy’s final year as she studied nursing for a year before switching courses.
But their differences lay bare how unique this setup is, with Murphy relatively local as a north west native compared to Penfold who was born and raised in New Zealand.
Like many, she came here after spells living and playing in the USA and Dubai to study and play football side-by-side, choosing the University of Nottingham as her home for her four-year stay.
“I didn’t think the programme would be as good as it is, but the standard of everything has been amazing,” Penfold says.
“It was a big reason I came here. I like the education side too, but then knowing I could play football in a country where everyone knows football is amazing…yeah. I initially came for the campus, but the football was an amazing plus!”
The fact she has a British dad also means it hasn’t taken Penfold too long to get up to speed with just what the FA Cup means between these four shores.
“My dad is a [Crystal] Palace fan. When I kind of told him we were in the FA Cup, he was like, ‘THE FA Cup?!’ So yeah, I know about it!
“Watching the draw was amazing. We were all at training and asked Jake to stop for 15 minutes, we all just huddled around one laptop. The adrenaline was amazing, it was crazy seeing our name in there. I’d like to be able to do that again!”
The Jake in question is Jake Poole, Head of Women’s Football at the university, and has been for some time.
After spells working at Leicester City and Huddersfield Town, Poole took up his current role five years ago, helping to build the programme from the bottom up.
“It’s been a long-term project with a vision in place for a few years now,” he says. “We wanted to take the success we’ve had in the BUCS league on a Wednesday and it’s really important we show that nationally now.
“We’ve entered a team in Step 7 and the opportunity to now compete in the FA Cup is an exciting prospect for everyone.”
With local neighbours Loughborough Lightning have worked their way up to Tier 3 and the FA Women’s National League, beyond that Nottingham is a rare example of a university which has enjoyed this much success.
It begs the question, why them?
“We’re fortunate firstly from an academic perspective it’s a really strong university, and that’s why many are here. They’re studying for degrees but get to train here in top class facilities and I think that’s a really interesting and unique pathway, and the quality we have here is hopefully showing in this FA Cup run.”
Murphy adds, “100% a lot of work behind the scenes. Jake has a plethora of experience, and he knows the environment he wants to have here.
“We have American scholars, we have local girls, and it’s just having a good recruitment process and trying to create that work hard, play hard environment.”
That environment includes a training schedule not dissimilar to what some teams leagues way above them will enjoy.
The team trains on a Monday, has meetings on a Tuesday before BUCS league games on a Wednesday. The team then trains again on Friday before matches on a Sunday, which at times entails players representing other clubs as well as now league games for the university.
“We’re a university programme, so we’ve had success winning the National Championship two years ago, but traditionally we have girls who go and play for other clubs, and now we’re trying to get them to buy into the idea they can do it for us and play for us on a Sunday and do everything in house.
“It’s a pathway which excites the girls. They spend a lot of time together and we’re on a step-by-step journey, not just through the rounds, but the leagues too.”
Both Penfold and Murphy have seen that development rate up close given both are now in their third seasons playing for the university.
“I think so, for sure,” says the New Zealand native. “Football has definitely grown so much. I think a lot of universities will start doing this, some already are. The women’s game is improving so there’s so much opportunity.
“It’s getting so much bigger. The Lionesses have been so influential and inspirational, and for us, we’re in the FA Cup, one of the biggest competitions in the world.”
For Murphy, it’s even more special given her first two years have been blighted by injuries, with the captain suffering an ACL injury in both her knees on separate occasions.
“I didn’t play my first year and only played towards the end of last year,” she recalls. “I’ve kept myself involved enough to be the captain, and every year I think it’s the best team and I’ll say it again this year. The intensity the American scholars bring in drives the standard massively, their athleticism is mad.”
Murphy is a good example of someone who has chosen to take a step back to combine football with education, and perhaps a prime reason why the university is enjoying such success, given she played as high as Tier 3 with Plymouth Argyle when she was just 16.
“I’ve sat on the bench in the FA Cup, and I always wanted to play in it, and now I’ve done it with my closest friends when nobody expected us to. Selfishly, I’m absolutely buzzing!”
She adds, “I almost went to the USA too, but when I chatted to Jake, I realised it’s not the only place to go. It used to be, but the game here has developed so much and it’s no longer the worst idea in the world to stay here, play in the lower tiers and build up through the pathway.”
Poole admits the recruitment process is always ongoing, pointing to the fact they kept an eye on Murphy for two years, but unlike most clubs his transfer windows are relatively quiet, with everyone tied to the university programme.
“For three years, they’re locked in, and that gives us a chance to really develop them, players from PGA pathways or FA WNL pathways, plus the girls from the States and the NCAA.
“We spend a lot of time on it, but it is a unique model in that we’re not going to lose them and can work with them in a full-time environment.”
It does though mean team bonding is a must, with these players living in each other’s pockets every day, not just in football.
“I think the older players set a standard,” says Murphy. “I’ve tried to do that this year. When you join a club, you just get on with it, but university is a new life for people.
“Like you say, you get what you get, we don’t go out and sign players. Everyone here is within a four-year age gap, so we all understand each other, all going through the same things, but the recruitment drive we have here is massive.”
With three teams linked to university programmes in the first round, it begs the question, can it catch on a successful model?
“It’s a good question,” says Poole. “The first thing is the challenge we face in that we can’t ask Tier 3 or 4 players to play in Tier 7. We’ve tried to get the team to a point we can introduce some of those higher end players within the Sunday league games.
“You look at Loughborough in Tier 3 and I do genuinely believe the level of player here is Tier 3 or 4 level. We’d love to reach the point of being in the FA WNL, that’s the aim in the long-term, the next three to five years.”
Whatever happens on Sunday when Tier 4 side Cambridge United come to town, it’s an experience which has already left its mark on everyone involved.
“I’m just lost for words,” chuckles Penfold. “Honestly, I’m excited, I’m nervous, I think we all are, but I love this team. We’re like sisters, Jake’s an amazing coach, we’re one team and whatever happens we do it together. I’m looking forward to the before, the during, the after, I’m just excited.
“I’ve had the photo with the trophy. I sent it to my dad, that was his one request..!”
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