Haway The Lasses Podcast

Our special guest this week is Alex Clark, the man who basically runs the SAFC Women off the pitch, who speaks candidly about what is happening at the club.

What's the crack?

• How's morale in the squad after the tough start to the season?
• Why Jonno Craig is the right man to be the new goalkeeping coach
• An injury update on Hutchinson and Towers
• Recruiting dedicated commercial, media, and fan engagement staff for the Lasses
• Reflections on attendances and an honest assessment of the SoL doubleheader
• Alex gives us a reassuring insight into safeguarding and player welfare in light of the NWSL Report into abuse in the women's game
• How the club is engaging in the Karen Carney review of women's football and discussions on the future of the game.

You can take part in Karen Carney's review of women's football by completing the official Call for Evidence form.

UEFA Report into the impact of the Euros

Give us a like, a 5* rating, and a review, and please share the pod with your friends and on your social media! Seriously, it helps so much.

Discover our articles on rokerreport.sbnation.com on social media and network with other Lasses fans - go to linktr.ee/rrlasses

#SAFC #HawayTheLasses

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Local lass Gemma Wilson grew up playing football on the streets of Washington and went on to represent our club as a no-nonsense central defender in our famous 2009 run in the FA Cup, she three WPL titles including a league and league cup double, a WSL2 title, and was part of the squad that took us to the top of the WSL. Not too shabby a career then!

Wilson retired in 2015 after a career that included coming through the ranks with Steph Houghton, Jill Scott, and Carly Telford, playing alongside Mel Reay, Kelly McDougall, Beth Mead, Demi Stokes, and Lucy Bronze amongst many other great names in women's football. She's also a massive Sunderland fan and very nervous about the Lads' trip to Wembley for the League 1 playoff final.

Roker Report's Women's Football Editor Rich Speight sat down with Gemma for an hour for a wide-ranging interview that will give you a first hand overview of the recent history of our club.

You can listen for FREE on Acast, iTunes, YouTube and across your favourite podcast platforms - we're brought to you by the Sunderland Community Soup Kitchen and Her Game Too - get stuck in!

Discover our articles on rokerreport.com social media and network with other Lasses fans - go to linktr.ee/rrlasses

What are we talking about?

Gemma being a mascot at Roker Park.

Starting out at Sunderland AFC as a player and the setup like for young girls coming through at that time.

The FA Cup run in 2009 and that win at the Stadium of Light against Chelsea. Mixed emotions from Gemma about that whole campaign.

Not being selected to join the inaugural WSL and the loss of a generation of young players. Could SAFC have done more to secure our place then?

Playing in and consistently winning the WPL when the WSL was up and running without the prospect of promotion.

The players and their families keeping the flame of women’s football alive

The WPL Cup win at Northampton, just a week after winning the league - a fantastic couple of weeks for the Lasses

League reorganisations and demotions.

The high point in our history with the fourth-place finish in the WSL and the difficult decision to retire in 2015

Her career outside of the game

What does she think of the lasses who are playing today and the work Mel is doing?

We’ve got a big summer ahead with the Euros with a fair few of your former teammates involved, and Gemma's excited about the Lionesses' prospects

Where do you think SAFC Women and the game, in general, is going? Do you think we can regain our WSL status in the next few years?

Finally, Cheesy Chips on Wembley Way on Saturday!

#SAFC #HerGameToo

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"Chemistry, Biology, Toxic Misogyny..." plus poverty, equality, and the role of community in making the lives of people in Sunderland better are vital themes in this lovely pre-Christmas chat between Robyn Walker, singer in the up-and-coming Sunderland band BigFatBig - who provide the theme music for this podcast - and our outgoing host and editor Rich Speight.

They talk about football, poverty, the parallels between the barriers faced by women in music and football, and the role of both the Sunderland Community Soup Kitchen and other charities in the city centre that are making the lives of our young people better every day of the year.

Please donate to the Roker Report Christmas Appeal for the Sunderland Community Soup Kitchen today - click here https://www.gofundme.com/f/sunderland-community-soup-kitchen-fundraiser-2022

Listen to more of BigFatBig's music and book tickets for their gig at the Ship Isis on 11 Feb here.

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This is the interview we've been waiting the whole season to bring you. Maggie Murphy is the CEO of Lewes FC, who play Sunderland Women on Sunday at Eppleton CW.

She's also the founder of Equal Playing Field, a global charity that works in communities to promote human rights and women's equality through football, and sits on the WSL and Women's Championship board - so we had plenty to talk about.

In this podcast, we explore her inspirational journey from youth player on the Isle of Wight into football administration at Lewes, via the Tanzanian Cup final and a record-breaking game at the top of Mt Kilimanjaro.

• How did the Qatar World Club bid motivate Maggie to get involved in football?
• Why is fan-owned Lewes such a unique football club?
• How has their model evolved since she has been running the club?
• Is there a future for part-time teams in the WSL structures?
• How can clubs like Lewes and Sunderland have an influence in shaping the future of the women's game?
• Is Sunday's game the longest away trip in English football?

Get answers to all these questions and so much more in our wide-ranging chat, then get down to Eppleton on Sunday and support the Sunderland Lasses as they take on the Rooks from Sussex in our last home league fixture of the calendar year.

Match tickets: https://www.eticketing.co.uk/safc/EDP/Event/Index/1848?position=1

Equal Playing Field: https://equalplayingfield.global/

Lews FC - Equal FA Cup campaign: https://lewesfc.com/football-for-good/equal-prize-money-campaign/

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A bumper podcast with the assistant gaffa and the host of our opposition's podcast. What a way to start your weekend!

Please do complete our reader & listener survey to tell us how we can make our coverage of SAFC Women even better https://tinyurl.com/RRLassesSurvey22

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