 Hello and welcome to the official AFC Bournemouth podcast coming to you from Vitality Stadium. We're here to bring you closer to some of the personalities connected to the club, be it players, staff, management or people from in and around the community. Now today we've got another exciting guest but before I introduce you it's time to say hello to my co-presenter Neil Parrott who has been reporting on the cherries for 30 years. Neil, how are things? Yeah, good, good, very good. Really looking forward to today's podcast, today's guest, I'm not going to say who it is but I've watched this team a few times this season. Really exciting team to watch scoring lots and lots of goals and this is going to be a good podcast. Well as you say today's guest is very exciting and very topical indeed. She's fresh from scoring four goals in the FA Cup win over St. Austal and she's lining up for another big game at Vitality Stadium as our women's team expect a record crowd here next month. So without further ado I'm delighted to welcome striker Lucy Cooper onto the AFC Bournemouth podcast. Lucy, thank you so much for joining us, how are things, how have you been? All good, yeah excited to be here, it's always a pleasure to do anything with the club, you know how much I love it, so yeah just excited to get chatting. Now we're going to get straight into it because we're top of the league, you're top of the goalscorer charts and we're into the first round proper of the FA Cup. It's been a fantastic start to the season, just tell us about it from your perspective. Definitely it's like Neil said it's an exciting team, it feels exciting to be part of it, you know scoring goals, winning games, it's perfect, the team environment, it's absolutely amazing, the girls, you're getting so well, it's really exciting to see what's going to happen this season and yeah like you said big win yesterday in the FA Cup so we're looking good. Now in the first round proper you've drawn Bridgewater at home, we were talking to just earlier there about all these home draws you're getting in cups, just give us your reaction to playing them third time this season I think. Yeah well love playing at home like all the clubs you know we've got a really good fan base at the minute, we're getting lots of new supporters coming in and yeah playing at home is always great with the atmosphere that we can create yeah all the girls are happy with that too and with Bridgewater as well sorry it's we've played them before so we know a little bit about them so we can do some analysis on that so yeah be excited. I don't want to put too much pressure on you but I was looking at the prize fund for the women's FA Cup and it's it's quite substantial it's £4,000 for winning the game this weekend just gone and another £6,000 at stake does that do you ever think about things like that? Honestly not but it just shows the development of women's football already in such a short space of time you know the funding that's coming into the girls we don't really think about that much obviously it will help but at the end of the day we're just there to go out for 90 minutes and kick a ball around a pitch and hopefully get a win. Now the FA Cup must hold fond memories for you I know you scored a dramatic injury time winner against Bournemouth Sports in the first round on your debut in November 2021 tell us about that day. It feels like a very long time ago yeah that was it was an incredible day obviously played for the club since I was 11 I think and to work through from under 12s 14 16s played for the development team then to come in and be subbed on in that game I got the best memories of it and then obviously to score you know I play football to score goals as a striker that's what I want to do um so to come on score and end up getting the winner just incredible yeah sometimes I like looking at the photos from that you know and when I'm feeling a bit down just to show that you know there's always some positive there and to carry on scoring goals. Just going to go back to the where it all started for you your football journey I've interviewed a couple of girls from the women's team and they told me that they had to start off playing for a boys team was that the case for you? No I've had a really like most young girls you know I've loved my journey that I've taken from a young girl I started playing in my primary school that's where I first started playing so I never played for a boys team but in when I was really young at St Mark's my primary school we used to play on concrete pitches at break time you know we'd run out with our little boot bag our astroturf boots on and then we'd play and I was the only girl in the whole school that played then and so I love playing with the boys they're all really great you know they just treated me as equal and as you're younger you don't realize it but now I've had time to think it's really great they obviously treated me that way so I played for them and then one of my teachers said you know Bournemouth it's when we first started up the girls program I was like Bournemouth looking at trials you should go and trial and then I did and I guess the rest is history but um yeah I've been at Bournemouth my whole whole career and yeah I love it here. And just tell me Broadstone Girls do you have a spell there? Yeah I played for Broadstone so like I said I played for with the boys at primary school when then had a spell for a year or so at Broadstone and they were like my first proper team we used to play in bright pink socks which was I wasn't a massive fan it was an orange top black shorts and fluorescent pink socks and they were my first team and that's when I first started getting the buzz for scoring goals I used to be a centre forward even then um played for them and then obviously trialled for Bournemouth. As someone that is clearly into her fashion orange and pink? Yeah I was not a fan one of the the manager was one of the girls' dads and the daughter was like oh we're playing pink socks and the manager was like yeah we'll do it and I remember rocking off and I've been like oh god pink socks it's really not a bit of me um but I loved it there it was my first proper team environment and I remember my first game that I played for them I scored two goals and then the game got banned because it chucked it down with rain but still I remember that game and being first introduced to proper girls' football and you can see the development already from when I played then to how it is now so I went back to my primary school a few weeks ago for work experience and they already had two or three girls' teams and it was just incredible over the space of seven years to see I was the only girl playing then to now you've got fully fully fledged girls' teams so yeah that's great. For you obviously it kind of links into my next question you joined AFC Bournemouth in 2016 seven years ago as you say what was the woman's setup like then if you can compare it to now you know so much has changed over such a short space of time? Yeah it's been incredible to see the development because I've been here the whole time I can really see every year how it's changed so quickly um and it's obviously it was very different when I first joined because there were less girls playing it was less and like with the women's England women's team it wasn't as bigger thing but now to see how many girls' teams there are and just to look at some of the under 10s and 12s girls they are 10 times better than I was when I was younger it really is incredible to see that even to what I think in like five years time how incredible that like young progressing coming up um so yeah it was very different but to see the journey has been incredible. Now you were top girl scorer in every age group it would be fair to say I you kind of mentioned it earlier but I take it you were always a centre forward did you ever experiment with any other positions? No I've literally been a centre forward since I could kick a ball um when I was really little my parents used to take me to the beach and I used to kick a ball along the beach and even then all I could think about was just kicking in a little girl war between like pebbles I wanted to score goals um and then with the boys um my primary school to play for Broadstone to then Bournemouth always been centre forward Steve put me right and left wing a bit last season and it was great to get another experience another point of view but the whole time I was like I want to be that centre forward I want to score goals um but yeah you know I'm always willing to try new things for the team but I definitely have my preferences. You had some international recognition playing for England schools under 15s representing Dorsett tell us about that experience that again just incredible experiences playing international football um did loads of trials up and down the country with you know me and my dad would go and then my mum would come to trials everywhere and then just working through each trial you know getting the email like you're through to next round through to next round you know builds up your hope and then to finally I was at school when my dad phoned we're not allowed phones at school so don't tell him um but he phoned and I went in the toilet and he told me I was in that feeling it's just it was incredible and then from there to go on and represent my country with the rest of the girls again just another incredible experience that I'll remember forever. Was it Holland? Yeah so we did we went to Holland for a few days and like a training camp and played I am Eindhoven and there and then we played Ireland, Scotland and Wales but it was during Covid so we planned like this big tournament like the Bob Doctey no was it the Bob Doctey I think it was a Bob Doctey it was like a big tournament that all the school teams they kind of go and play but Covid unfortunately ruined it but even that I still had the chance to play so many incredible sides and playing with players who now are breaking through into WSL teams um incredible experience. Now you've had a whirlwind since you've broken into the first team here but you had to wait until your 16th birthday to actually play for the first team was that I know rules are rules I get that but was that a source of frustration for you? I mean it was I wouldn't say frustration it was just more excitement counting down the days waiting when Steve said that he want to bring me into the first team set up to train so I trained with the girls before I turned 16 you know just waiting for opportunity and then whilst I was training I'd go and play for the under 16s to get the game experience as well and then I was just counting down the days and then after shortly after my birthday I played for the development team um did really well there and then came up into the first team from there and luckily I've been there ever since. Just tell us about that step up into the national league I know perhaps you might not have too much to compare it with but how how tough have you found that that league? It was obviously really daunting as a young girl who hadn't had that experience before but it was incredible I love the competitiveness of football in general so to play against women twice your age who are fitter stronger faster it just already in the space of two years I've been with the first team it's improved me so much and I'm continuing to improve from that so I love it and I wouldn't change it. Now you won the strategic solutions goal of the month award in February 2022 I can see the smile on your face as we look back at that it was a brilliant strike against pool town although your biggest fan, your dad Rich, he missed the goal and you tell us about that. I know fuming still fuming at him for that um it was a great game and I remember it because I had a chance of like five minutes before I scored and I passed it and Maisie turned around to me and was like like keeps you gotta take a shot next time you know you're in you confident enough you know take that touch and hit it and then five minutes later if that another like identical chance came and I was like let's just hit it and hope for the best and yeah it was a really great moment for me and you know to them win the award as well it was amazing. And your dad? Yeah not still not very happy about that he um he missed it I think I think he was messaging my mom about you know how I was getting on because she couldn't make it for that game so she was probably messaging her and then yeah looked up and the ball was in the back of the net. Now tell us a little bit about your family your mom your dad your brother Joe I understand how they've helped you and been there for your footballing journey. Definitely my family I love my family a really tight group um and throughout everything you know I've played football since I could walk they've been there every step of the way um my brother as well you know having to drag him along for he's not the biggest football fan so having to drag him along for all the matches so my parents come and watch um my dad played football as well when he was younger so he loves it and he loves living it through me as well it's that shared experience um but yeah I love my family and it's been great I'm really lucky to have such a close family that can follow me up and down the country. Now you're a Bournemouth girl through and through a big cherries fan when did you first start coming to watch the men's team here and what are your memories as a child? Yeah so always it's always been Bournemouth for me um love the club and I started supporting them when I was at primary school you know I remember sitting with my dad and as I was first getting into competitive football like you know I should support a team and my dad's a westam fan and I've got people who support Arsenal and Tottenham in my family and I was just like I can't really do that um and you know we just thought like you know it's a local club um let's just support them and I remember getting my first Bournemouth shirts for my eighth ninth birthday um and then from there just going to watch the men's team with my dad but yeah I've always loved the club and everything it stood for Tell us a little bit more about your brother because you haven't he's got a bit of a talent as well isn't he? Yeah so um my brother does musical theatre and drama and he's really good at singing um so I do all the sport and he does all I leave all the singing and dancing to him um it's always been like that from a young age now I do keep you up to a football in the corner and he'd be singing along to Frozen or whatever it was at the time when he was really really little um so it's great you know that we have such opposite passions um and so he goes on a Saturday to do his drama for the whole day Saturday and then on the Sunday I go and play the football so it's got a really great balance in the family um and my parents have just been incredible at supporting both of us no matter what you know they just they just want us to be happy for it all and that's just the best thing there's no pressure to do anything to try anything you know just do what you want to do and if that makes you happy then who cares what people think go ahead and do it um so yeah it's it's great so when you used to come and watch with your dad when you were younger who were your favorite players? I used to love watching Callum Wilson um Matt Ritchie as well I used to love it when he'd play but yeah Callum seeing Callum Wilson score goals yeah I think that's probably why I love scoring goals so much myself have you got any idols in the women's game? Ellen White for me is just as that natural goal scorer she's one of those that just knows where the goal is she will score goals in any situation and I've always loved that and randomly Steph Holton I always used to really like watching Steph Holton I think it was just she's such a good leader on the pitch and as a captain um yeah I remember in my school I used to go on a word document on the computer and copy and paste pictures of like the line s's on my a4 word print it off and then I put it next to my bed so I was like I could go in my bed I could be like okay I need to be like you when I'm older um and yeah it was always Steph Holton and Ellen White but you know all all there's so many incredible women's players now especially that younger girls can look up to and I think that's really helped the development of women's football especially over the past few years. Now you're here today because you're on half term I know you're in your final year at Parkstone Grammar School just tell us what you're studying there. Yes I'm year 13 now I'm doing year of my A levels which is exciting I think I'm doing A levels in PE biology and psychology and I've been at Parkstone since year seven so about the time I started playing for Warmouth as well and I've stayed there since and I love it there you know it's an all-girls school so it's interesting going from a primary school where all I'd do is play football with the boys to having to wear a skirt every day which was a new experience as well um but you know I love it there and the PE department have been incredible with my football and promoting the women's team as well um so yeah I've got A levels coming up in the few months and then we'll see what happens from there. Now unconfirmed rumors tell us that you take your homework on the best way away games is this true? Maybe yeah no it is um you know it's at the minute of obviously a lot going on with mock exams and front my GCSEs as well I like maintaining positive grades and I strive for the best in everything in my life you know I'm bit OCD I want everything to be perfect I want to be the best that I can be in everything whether it's football school so yeah there's many occasions where I bring like sets of little revision cards I brought a whiteboard and pen on the coach at one point then I'd sit in the corner and all the girls are looking me like you know we've got gaming and however why are you doing your biology revision but at the time you know it needed to be done and I'm glad it did because I've achieved really good grades in GCSEs and I'm hoping for even better in A levels too. Do any of the girls try and help you? I mean Gemma really is a teacher for starters. Yeah yeah I was actually talking to Gemma a bit in the changing room yesterday about PE and Moly Gladwell was talking about electrophoresis or something in biology you know just random changing room talk um but yeah I know some of the girls I've helped Holly with her revision before and all her she'd bring her homework on the coach you know I'd help with that but they've all been great you know it's it's funny that we can joke about it too. Now in terms of individuals in the squad someone that is larger than life Katie Scadding and she mentioned that she's met Prince William recently as well. She has yeah she's brought that up once or times yeah you know we love Scads. Scads is the glue that binds the team together she really is incredible and for everything you know how she plays football but just the team spirit that she creates in the environment you know without her I think would all be a bit lost um yeah so she's a great girl. I remember interviewing her that day when she just met Prince William and she was disappointed that he didn't ask her about any other penalty saves in the hope she's seen her cut final. Yeah I know well she should do because yeah that was an incredible day and Scads really was the best and she won us that game you know that penalty shootout I'd bring it up to everyone if I could too. Now I also understand that you do get ribbed for your taste in music tell us a little bit about your taste in music. Yeah so one of my biggest hobbies you know aside from football I love my music all kinds of music all the girls laugh at me because I say I've got the music taste of a middle aged woman or middle aged man you know I listen to everything um it depends what mood I'm in but I like Oasis, Blair um I've been to Arctic Monkeys and Royal Blood concerts so I like the rock indie side as well you know it's great for football to get me pumped up but then in the change room when Whitney Houston comes on or Abba comes on or Stevie Wonder you know anything um yeah I love it and it's good preparation for a game I think. Who is the dressing room joker and tell me about some of their pranks. Oh that's a good question um I think we all bring something to the changing room you know before and after a game before a game depending on what game it is you know it's a lot of nerves and I'm a really nervous person for games so I like just sitting there and thinking um but you've got big personalities like Scads you know we said and um Blaise Helen she loves the music as well so you know we're being the corner doing our hair and she'll get her hair spray can out and we'll do a little karaoke you know all of that um but then when Steve comes in you know it's time to focus but then after if we win a game it's incredible you know that's the best part of a match day experience we win a game the changing room after you know the music playing everyone dance him it's great. You must have been doing quite a lot of that this season. Definitely yeah on the highlights um thing really good. Now we know your studious you've told us and you're something of a bookworm as well so just tell me what are you reading at the moment. Yeah Gail's gonna rinse me even more for this yeah um I love I love reading too and I'm quite a like hyper person you know I overthink a lot and I've got quite an active brain so it's good for me to just have a few few minutes to read and try and relax a bit um I like thriller books at the minute um there's a book series called um Gail the Dragon Tattoo that I'm reading it's like a thriller book and I've read all sorts you know Hunger Games all the classics um Harry Potter you know you name it I've read most of them. Now are you keen on any other sports are there any other sports that have ever tickled you fancy or given it a go maybe you're on holiday or just down the park. Yeah so I've tried a bit of everything I think like most football has always been my passion that's the first kind of big sport I found and have stuck with but um enjoy athletics and sprinting especially in primary school I did a lot of running then um and you know at one point I remember doing at Kings Park doing town sports I think I was five member right it's going back to like year five or six I think I was fifth fast to endorse it at 100 meters at one point when I was about 11 there you go that's a little secret fact um so yeah I enjoyed sprinting um netballs always winded me up a bit because you know at all girls school we play a lot of netball and I can never really get into it but yeah I've tried tried all sorts but you know football's my passion and effin always comes back to football. Have you watched the David Beckham documentary yet? Of course I have yeah I watched um we're watching a bit on the coach I think and the girls are talking about it because um Blez is massive Beckham fans so we were talking about it on the coach I think I've got one more episode to watch but yeah that's great series. Well I won't ruin it for you now we've talked a lot about some of the other girls and it's called someone we haven't talked about Abbey Jones vice captain talk us through our gold celebration. Yeah yeah she's great you know and it's it's great to see other score and I've as much joy celebrating goals of others than I do myself so yeah you know whenever anyone scores it's such a team response you know Steve always says he doesn't care who scores it's fact the team have scored because we've all contributed to it so yeah when Abbey scores you know it's always great um so yeah it was a lovely experience as well. Just so I know do they play football at your school as well? Yeah so they do when I first joined in year seven there wasn't as many so I'm the only girl really in my year that properly plays but I'm in year 13 now so I can look down at all the young years and see from year seven to year 11 there's teams across all the years and that's incredible to see you know I've gone and helped out sometimes with the coaching with some of my p teachers and the talent already as young girls is really great to see. Do all your friends at school take an interest in how you're doing for the team and are they going to all be listening to this podcast and stuff? Yeah hi guys if you're listening um so yeah you know my friendship group they're not overly sporty I'm like the sporty one in our friendship group but it's great so they always take such an interest in me and my sport and they've brought tickets to come see us at the Vitality which is really great um but yeah again like my family it's great to have friends that support you for everything and to have friends aside from football as well because you know as much as I love football it's not everything so it's great to you know go to school and discuss other things as well. Now you've obviously done very well this season you've got 11 goals already and as with men's football when players are doing well other clubs can take an interest now I know that that has happened with you and a club from a higher level showed an interest in you what persuaded you to stay here? Yeah I would just say and it was interesting experience you know it was probably the toughest few weeks I've had in a while because mentally it's just a lot having another option. Bournemouth has been my life like I've said for years um so lots of sleepless nights restless struggling to concentrate because it was just a lot for me to think about but it just got to a point where I was at school and I was just imagining not wearing a Bournemouth shirt and that made me quite upset and yeah just the thought of not putting the Bournemouth shirt on with Koopa 9 on the back I was like I don't know if I'd survived like that and then yeah I went home and I spoke to my parents and again family have been incredible the whole way through they were like this is your decision you know you've got to choose what's best for you and at the time I was like I can't right as of right now I can't imagine being anywhere else. Now ahead of the start of this season the women set up here came under the direction of the football club through Bill Foley's ownership having previously been overseen by the community sports trust what changes would you have noticed only a short while ago but what what sort of changes have you noticed as a player? Definitely you know the support I think sort of number one thing you know obviously financially but as well just mentally knowing that you've got someone coming in who's taking a massive interest into women's game it's really good for confidence of the team and to have those people come and watch us at games is also incredible you know and it just goes to show that the team's only getting better we're only on the up and yeah the sky's the limit. Now the the new ownership sanctioned the signing of five new players for the women's team at the start of the season Gemma McGinnis, Daniela Kozinska, Olivia Vendito, Gemma Hillier and Alicia Buckingham just tell us a little bit about those those five players. Yeah you know it's incredible to have such great players come straight into that into the setup they came in immediately and made a massive impact you know great people great players and they've only just boosted our team more you know from obviously a football point of view but they're also amazing people you've got personalities like Gemma Hillier our captain born leader on and off the pitch you know helps everyone for everything messages me after the game you know I can struggle sometimes mentally with football and anxiety a bit as well and she's always there to message and make sure that I'm okay and she does it to everyone and the rest of the girls yeah come in and it's a real great team environment at the minute we're just like a big community and yeah it's great to be a part of. Competition for places must be fiercer than ever. Yeah definitely you know it's it comes with football you know all the girls we all get on so well but you know we are fighting each other for places and you know we're all here to do a job so yeah competition for places as well but you know we're all going to be needed at some point and we are all needed at some point we're not just in the team to stand there you know we're all great players and there's place for everyone it just depends on the situation. And what about the women's game in general the Euros last summer the World Cup this summer Mary Earp shirts absolutely everything is it's flying at the moment. Definitely yeah and that just shows like I said before the development of women's football it's the quickest I've seen any sport in general just accelerate you know across all aspects from young girls playing from the shirts we're talking about from how many people are watching it on the TV it's really great to see and to be part of this journey throughout the years we can look back on this in 50 years time and just see wow how much is come on so yeah it's really great environment. I mean even now you know we look at the here and now with Bournemouth and we have girls only soccer schools we have record crowds down at Ringwood which you know is 15 20 minutes away from Bournemouth to come and watch the girls play and then we've got player appearances I think five of the girls went to a primary school to go and meet some kids and give out some prizes and and do a question and answer session even in Bournemouth you must have noticed a huge difference. Yeah definitely you know we we can't take these things for granted you know when I walk off the pitch yesterday high-fiving little kids who said well played you know it's just it's the best feeling ever you know it's almost as good as scoring girls having kids you know shout your name and want autographs and all of that it really is incredible to be part of and yeah it's only going to get better. Do you ever get recognised? Sometimes not all the time like not massively like I wouldn't be walking up the street yeah there's Lucy Cooper but you know young kids that I've met or I've had messages on Instagram from old teachers and like people come into watch our games it's really great but hopefully it's going to get even better too. One day in the future do you have aspirations to play for your country? Of course yeah yeah definitely I think all footballers have aspirations to play for their country you know that's something I've dreamed about like when I said earlier I printed off pictures of the lionesses and put it next to my bed um always wanted to you know put the free lion shirt on and yeah we'll see what happens in the future. I just want to go back and ask you a little bit more about Gemma Hillier there because that that's quite an interesting point you made there that I mean bear in mind you've only known her a short period of time and she's almost treating you like a long-lost friend that must be quite reassuring and comforting at times. Yeah you know she's great you know great captain great person she was in the team when I first started training with the first team when I was 15 and then she went to Dubai to go teach for a bit and now she's come back you know she's just come straight back into the environment she obviously played for before so she knows what it's all like but you know obviously coming back into a team it can be daunting but you know you don't get that impression from her at all she's just come straight in and she's a great person to have around the team she's cool she's relaxed great on the pitch but then we'll always have your back. And then you've got somebody like Gemma McGinnis moving over from Ireland to come and play here Daniella who's from Poland and I think her parents are coming over for for the big game at Vitality just just that shows commitment if you like. 100% again those two amazing girls you know Gemma to come in and just score goals for fun like you watch her on the ball she plays like Messi you know Daniella coming in and saving goals it's really great and it just shows like you said the commitment and how incredible it is here and what we've got going. Yeah we've got a really good team. Now we know there's a big game coming up at Vitality Stadium on the 5th of November there was a big game here last season but ended in a 0-0 draw and I know that you told me that you were a little bit disappointed about that day. Yeah I think so you know as like I said as a striker especially I want to score goals and the team want to score goals and we're playing to win so 0-0 draws are always confusing games because you haven't lost but you haven't won either so hopefully this year you know we're gonna we're gonna score some bangers get some great goals and hopefully get the win. Talking of bangers you've obviously read the next question so the women's team host Portis Head here at Vitality Stadium on the 5th of November can we expect some fireworks. 100% hope so yeah you know and big game for us there will be nerves I would definitely be very nervous for the game but you know just got going it's a massive opportunity for the girls to show everyone you know this is how good a team we've got this year you can see it already in our results and clips from the goals we've scored but to go out and put on a great display would be great. Now I've been to a few games at Ringwood this season and Zoe touched on the fact that there have been some big big crowds there but it's gonna it's gonna this is gonna be there could be over five maybe six thousand here definitely what is that going to be like it was three thousand last year. Yeah it's going to be incredible and shows that in the space of a year you know we've more than doubled how many tickets been sold so to see all the faces you know in the crowds of the young girls that we're inspiring as well as the older fans you know just enjoy watching football you know and it can be frustrating to see you know online and elsewhere you know it's never perfect it's not everyone's obviously gonna love women's football but you know we're encouraging just come down and watch you know we could really replay some great stuff we play great football and it's just a lovely environment to be part of. Now I'm gonna hand you a photograph now it's been sent in by a member of your fan club. Oh my days I have not seen this photo in years. Right so it's a picture of you in your cherry's kit about how old were you there. Oh my god too young seven or eight maybe nine and you are pictured with your cousin Ben Cooper who is a coach on our community sports trust now in all seriousness I think he's helped you along the way with coaching and things. Yeah yeah definitely you know that was that's my first form of shirt the Cabrini one I think I had Lucy five on the back and you know Ben's great guy you know to play for the club you know at youth level it's someone to aspire to even for me as a young age I remember going to watch him and then to be part of the coaching team now you know I see him all the time and it's great that he's continuing to inspire other people as well. Now for you it's quite hard to sometimes think you know you're only 18 and you only turned 18 a few weeks ago how did you celebrate? I was pretty relaxed I think actually you know obviously I had football on the Friday so it was my birthday I had a sick form I went and got a tattoo which was interesting always wanted one for years and took my mum with me we went I went and got one and there came home and yeah chilled out for us the day. Now there's a little bit more to the tattoo story come on just tell us a little bit expand on that and about your mum because it's quite interesting. Yeah so I've always wanted to tattoo from a really young age you know and I've spent ages figuring out what I wanted to get where I wanted to get it we're not allowed a sick form so again don't tell them please. So yeah I thought force it through know what style I wanted and my mum got a tattoo when she was 18 as well and she got a little cupid angel on her 18th and I was like you know let's let's get the same so I've got again I've got a little cupid I'd like to think it's better than my mum's but I got that on my 18th as well dad's not a massive fan of tattoos so I didn't talk to him loads about it he knew I was getting it but I got it and then I was like here you go dad this is what I got but yeah it was a lovely experience you know and to go with my mum as well it's something that again just shows the closeness of my family yeah great experience. And you were allowed to treat them to their first drink on your 18th birthday as well is that right. Yes I went and got the tattoo and then I ended up buying them a drink which I don't know if that's normally what people do on their 18th but yeah you know my dad took me to the pub and I was like right it's my daughter's 18th you know she's going to buy me a drink I was like oh god dad so you know that was lovely to you know sit with them and it rounded off a really lovely day. Now back to the football if you could plot to the next few years just how you would want it how would it look for you. Oh that's a great question you know I think just want to continue developing you know promotions or we're all after it in a minute you know we're winning games or scoring goals I'm going to love this team you know and I think the sky's the limit like I said before with this we're going to keep working hard you know there's there's a lot more we can do so yeah we'll see what happens but we're just going to keep trying. Now a career in professional football certainly looks a lot more appealing now than it did a few years ago certainly when you started playing football is that something you'd like to see have you thought about it? Definitely yeah I think my dream would be to be a professional footballer with Bournemouth you know I love this club and we'll see what happens with the continued development you know what what can happen in two years already so much has changed so we'll see what happens and obviously again we're talking a few years down the line you're still only 18 you're still only doing your A levels but you are clearly a very intelligent girl would you have any thoughts on what you might do if you know professional football didn't happen? Definitely so it's always been massive for me as much as I love football and love sport to keep the education as well so that's always I've always maintained that no matter what so that's why you know I've always worked really hard I bring my revision on the coach because I want to get the best grades possible and I'm looking at applying for university now going through all that process is a bit of a pain but you know it has to be done applying song all out and then potentially you know deferring for a year to play football you know just keeping all these options open but definitely I've looked at all careers in sport looked at sports scientists sports psychologists p teaching coaching anything as long as it's to do with sport and you know I really enjoy helping others we'll see what happens does that psychology learning help you with your football? Definitely yeah I think it's no secret that I'm quite an anxious person know with nerves before games and you know I can struggle a lot from a mental point of view on the pitch and off the pitch as well so you know learning about it and trying to apply it to myself is really important and again the girls especially the past few weeks the girls have been really incredible with recognizing that and helping me through it um so yeah. We've got 10 to tackle now 10 either or questions quickfire starting with Bournemouth Beach or Sandbanks Beach? Sandbanks Beach. Abba or take that? Nando's or chicken and blues? Chicken and blues. Brilliant that's good. Yeah I'm actually not don't tell anyone I'm actually not a massive Nando's fan really I heard that you had a team social at Nando's the other week yeah I couldn't go I didn't go to the team social at Nando's I was in London unfortunately I know but yeah not a massive Nando's fan. Skydive or zip wire? Oh I haven't done the zip wire at Bournemouth but skydive was one skydive. Ferrari or Lamborghini? Ferrari 100% that's always wanted a red Ferrari you know my dad's always wanted one and then that I want one yeah not Ferrari. Who would you rather partner and attack Harry Kane or Alan Shearer? Oh I'm gonna say Harry Kane Cricket or rugby? Oh my god brother's gonna kill me because he's really good at cricket but I'm gonna say rugby. Beth Mead or Kira Walsh? Beth Mead. Devon or Cornwall? Oh Cornwall. Who would you prefer a 50-50 tackle with Amber Treewick or Helen Bessart? Oh I can't answer that I actually can't answer that oh no can I just say inconclusive for that one I can't answer it. We'll leave it given that we've got a big game in a couple of weeks we'll leave it as inconclusive. Yeah good answer yeah. Well Lucy it's been an absolute pleasure thank you so much for your time and of course we wish you the best of luck against Porterhead here at Vitality Stadium. Thank you guys it's been a pleasure. Now tickets for that one are still available they can be brought online over the phone or in person at the club's ticket office we'd love you to all be part of a record breaking crowd. Just before we finish Zoe I've got something for Lucy. My wife was clearing out the garage yesterday and in amongst all the cobwebs and spiders she found our record collection and we would like to donate our record collection to you for being such a great guest on the podcast. Really? Oh it's the best day ever. I feel like I should clap but there's only three of us in the room so I'll be a bit silly. Oh my gosh. Oh my days. Oh that's so new my John. Oh can you just come back every week please can you just give me more. You've got a lifetime contract on the AFC board with podcast. Thanks you know I'll be here every week that is amazing. Thank you so much. Well there we go if you've enjoyed our club podcast which has ended with a bit of a twist we'd appreciate any likes or subscribes on whatever platform you're listening on. Now thanks again to Lucy Cooper and from Neil Parrott and myself Zoe Rundle. We'll see you next time.