Nottingham Trent University’s women’s football team have entered the Women’s FA Cup for the first time.
The university’s fourth team, who do not compete in the BUCS competitions, are one of 376 sides entering the 2020-21 competition.
They will also be the only team representing a university in the national competition.
Manchester City, winners of the 2018-19 competition, are current holders after the 2019-20 season was curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Teams from the Women’s Super League – the top tier of women’s football in England – do not enter the competition until the Fourth Round,
Joining established women’s teams from Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal in the prestigious tournament, NTU’s side will enter the competition at the extra preliminary round.
Having had a successful campaign last term in the Nottinghamshire Girls and Ladies League Senior Division, first-team head coach Daniel Corlett is looking forward to the challenge of the cup.
He said: “[Previously] we had a fourth team that didn’t play competitive fixtures in BUCS but they did play friendlies against some of the local league teams.
“They were quite competitive and we hit a point where a number of them were quite committed.
“With their commitment level getting as high as they did, and a number of the second or third team members who wanted to play more football, I had a year during the 2018-19 season to get the costs sorted to integrate them into a league last season.
“When the league was curtailed we were fifth, so comfortably in the top half. The fact they were in the top half was really positive.”
He added: “The Women’s FA Cup is open to anyone nationally. I thought it would be something quite nice to add in, and it offers them some more playing opportunities.
“So for a lot of the 2nd or 3rd players, who don’t play externally, the more playing opportunities the better.”
NTU has four teams offering women the opportunity to play regular football.
The university has three sides compete in the national BUCS competitions; meanwhile, a fourth team participates in a local league against teams from Nottingham Forest and Mansfield Town among others.
For many people, the chance to compete in the FA Cup is increasingly rare, but Corlett is proud to be able to offer the experience to NTU students.
He said: “There are a lot of players who have not had the opportunity to play in the Women’s FA Cup.
“For a lot of the players we had, they would have come through junior ranks.
“It means they did not have the chance to play at senior level.
“To give them that opportunity is brilliant. We’ve got a couple of post-grads who will hopefully be over in time to be available.
“To give students from here, but also from the likes of Norway and Hungary, the chance to take away that they have played in the Women’s FA Cup is great.
“I’m quite proud to give them that opportunity.”
A bye into the preliminary round of the competition could be granted if there are not enough teams to fulfil the opening stages of the tournament.
The extra preliminary and preliminary rounds of the Women’s FA Cup are to be held on September 6 and September 20 respectively.
Nottingham Trent University will find out their opponents in the draw for the Women’s FA Cup on Friday, August 21.
By Matt Lee
Photo: Matt Lee