Page 14 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.14 2021-22

An interview with…..

Louisa Butcher (Stourbridge)

Stourbridge are continuing to create headlines in this season’s
Vitality Women’s FA Cup and on Sunday, they claimed a second
successive FAWNL scalp when they beat Cambridge City 2-1..
Glassgirls defender Louisa Butcher described the team’s Cup
run as ‘unreal’ and is looking forward to facing Sheffield United in
the next round, but they are also keeping their eye on the league and
setting their sights on the title:
WSS: Well done on another fantastic Cup win, how does it
feel to take another National League scalp?
LB: Another win in the FA Cup, is always amazing- but we are on
an unreal run at the moment, and to get the last two wins against
higher division teams is something we look forward to! The FA Cup
is always full of surprises and to know we have created one of those
is great, and memories that myself and the team will never forget.
It’s always good beating a team in higher divisions, but it’s also a
chance to test ourselves and our abilities as a team.
WSS: Was it nervous at all late on, after Cambridge City
had pulled a goal back?
LB: 100% the nerves towards the end of game, backs against the
wall defending and just the grit and determination to get us into the
next round of the FA Cup was all we were thinking of!
WSS: After having beaten Derby in the previous round, did this give the team extra
confidence for this game or were expectation levels higher?
LB: There has always been the belief around the team, that we can do something special.
Confidence was increased after Derby, but even before the Derby game there was belief and
togetherness as a group we believed we really could create a massive upset in the first round, and
we have taken that motivation into the other FA Cup round.
WSS: Yyou've been rewarded with a home draw against Sheffield United, what are
your thoughts about having to take on a Championship side?
LB: Finally to get a home draw is good, and to have this in front of a Championship side is going
to be good! The girls and myself can’t wait for this game, to firstly play against a Championship
team but to test ourselves. We believe again we can create an upset, we have a special group of girls
who are up for any test but also believe that we can get a result.
WSS: No game this week, so you won't play again until the Sheffield United match, is
that an inconvenience or are you happy for the break?
LB: We have played a lot of games, especially in the cup with some away trips. It’s good to have a
rest and to recover, but I think it’s key for us as a group to look back and realise how far we have
come. But look back on the results and the teams we have beat and enjoy that. As when we have
games each week we win on the Sunday and then come into training on a Tuesday and Thursday
and we think against the opposition for that week. So as a group we have really had time to look
back and think about and relish what we have achieved.
WSS: The league of course will be your main priority and presumably you have been
satisfied with the way things are going?
LB: Yes, so far so good! We have played 7 league games, won 6 and lost 1. We are happy so far, I
mean we have played a lot of cup games recently so haven’t played a League game for a while. But
we are happy where we are currently sitting top (as of last time I check). There are still a few
league games to go but again we believe, that we can do something and hopefully go onto win the
league.
WSS: Your division is looking a particularly strong one this season and Cup results
are proving this, is that what you are finding?
Issue no. 14 - 2 December 2021 womenssoccerscene@mail.com