The Women’s FA Cup offers a chance to dream for players and fans of smaller clubs. We are following the journey from the first round proper to the final at Wembley, continuing with photographer Sophie Grew’s visit to Wolves for their second-round tie with Nottingham Forest
Following their convincing 7-1 victory over Sporting Khalsa in the first round, Wolves faced fellow third-tier side Nottingham Forest in the next round. The teams had met in the Women’s National League – Premier Division North – three months previously with Wolves winning 1-0.
Regarding attendance today, it’s an unknown quantity. There have had attendances over 650 earlier this season, but the average has been about 300, something like that. I don’t know about today; with the terrible weather we’ve had recently that may affect it. Hopefully the fact that it’s an FA Cup match, it may be a lot more, you never know. The bar has been very successful this season with the big crowds they’ve had coming in, and it’s also a pleasure to work the bar as some great people come down here, it’s very enjoyable. Wolves used to play here quite a while ago, 2009 I think they used to play. They’ve come back again recently, and the standard has improved dramatically on the pitch and off the pitch, with all the people that are involved in running it now, it’s a major operation and it’s great to be involved with it as a
Football club ourselves. – Paul Tudor, bar manager at CKW Stadium, home of AFC Wulfrunians