Women's football team compete in final
This year’s Women’s Football Cuppers Final will kick off at 4pm on Thursday 25 April at Queens’ College Sports Ground. Undergraduate Finn Ranson (2017) interviewed the team captains Hannah Sanderson (2017) and Beatrice Wood (2017).
Hannah Sanderson, Natural Sciences
What’s been the route to the final?
We’ve beaten Trinity, Selwyn-Robinson and Queens’ to get to the final, with an exciting 7-2 victory over Queens’ in the semis. The games have been a great team effort, with everyone pulling out the stops (including dashing back from London) to be there and ensure we had a strong squad.
What are the team’s main strengths?
Our strengths are the depth of our squad – we have a lot of talented players and as captain it’s difficult to ensure everyone gets enough game time. We have a lot of good wing players and fast strikers, so attacks down the flanks are often where we can be threatening. Another strength is teamwork and passing; that has improved a lot throughout the year as we have got used to playing as a team and the new players have settled in.
How long have you been playing football?
I’ve been playing since I was 12, when I started playing for my local Sunday league team. I now play right back for the University second team.
How would you describe your playing style?
Fast – I like sprinting down the wing either to open up space on the attack or to slow down a striker when defending. When I play for College I play as a centre back and have a more ‘no nonsense’ style, clearing the ball to the wings or midfield to protect our goal.
Tell me something I might not know about you, or about football.
Women’s football has had a surprisingly long history and was very successful until the FA banned it. On Boxing Day, 1920, 53,000 watched Dick Kerr's Ladies beat St Helen's Ladies 4-0 – still the biggest crowd in Britain to watch a women’s game. But in 1921 the FA banned women from playing on Football League grounds, stating that “the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged."
Who is your sporting hero and why?
Fran Kirby and Steph Houghton are heroes. I support Chelsea and Fran Kirby is one of their top goal scorers. She is an incredibly skilled player and a lethal striker. Steph Houghton is another hero of mine because of her amazing leadership qualities as captain of England and Man City, and the way she commands a defence.
Beatrice Wood, Law
How has the team’s season gone so far?
Really well! Reaching the Cuppers final is obviously the highlight of our season, but we’ve done well in the league too. I’ve seen a real improvement in passing and dribbling since the beginning of the season and the freshers who started back in October have been a real asset to the squad. We’ve all gelled really nicely and the players have definitely grown in confidence after each match.
How long have you been playing football?
I’ve played for around 6 years, for my local club and school, and I now play for CUAFC Eagles.
If you had to compare yourself to a footballer, who would it be and why?
Probably Jamie Vardy – most of my goals are tap ins from inside the penalty area or come from chasing after through-balls. I don’t think I’m quite as quick as him though!
Tell me something I might not know about you, or about football.
You might already know this, but I only found out the full extent of the gender pay gap for female and male footballers a couple of days ago and I was really shocked. In England, English players in the FA Women’s Super League get an average of £26,752 a year, while men in the Premier League equivalent are paid an average of £2.64m. I don’t think much else needs to be said.
Who is your sporting hero and why?
Jessica Ennis-Hill. I remember watching her win gold in the heptathlon at the London 2012 Olympics and I especially admired her because she went on to win her final event even though she didn’t need to in order to become champion. She also does a lot for charities and I met her once when I was taking part in an Athletics competition in Sheffield – she was genuinely a really nice person!
