The Lewes FC Pod: A Whole Different Ball Game

Only 19, but stronger than Rhian Cleverly’s Dad, centre back Ellie Hack tells us all about scoring for England, her confidence building techniques and what it was like to jump out of a plane for Breast Cancer this summer. A cracking season finale for Behind Closed Doors at Lewes FC and what a season it has been!

Absolute power house Georgia Timms has played every position in her football career. In her first season with Lewes, Georgia was immediately blown away by the level of comeraderie amongst the Lewes team. After Lewes landing 5th place this season, their best yet, Georgia comes in to talk to Billie about how she thinks it all went, her numerous secret personal talents and what happens when you punch the ground with enough frustration. 

Did you know that midfielder Lucy Ashworth-Clifford has survived multiple natural disasters? We didnt! Had you heard she had a previous identity under the name of Antonia? Us neither! Did you have you any idea Lucy's Grandad was the greatest legend of all time? Find out more and hear Lucy's story in this juicy episode of Behind Closed Doors at Lewes FC. 

Ini Umotong comes into the studio to tell us aaalll about her inCREDIBLE career scoring goals all around the world, left right and centre. We also find out about some (very handy!) hidden talents, her family and what she thinks she'd probably be doing if she'd not discovered football as a tot....

Level headed Midfielder Mollie Rouse comes in to talk to us about the importance of connecting with your team mates, her turbulent adventures training around the States, being a HILARIOUS sagittarius and winning bronze at the U20 World Cup. Welcome Mollie, to Lewes FC!

Box-fresh Zoe Cross comes into the studio to tell us all about her 4 year whirlwind at the University of Missouri (USA), her artistic talents keeping her feet on the ground (by obsessively painting shoes!), relationshipping long distance with a runner and how lockdown has resorted her to befriending the four walls of her childhood bedroom. What fun we had! Zoe has only been at Lewes a month or so, so isn't this just a perfect opportunity to get to know her! ENJOY

Roodie comes into the studio to tell us how she sees football as an opportunity for incredible amounts of self-growth, how living on the other side of her home in New Zealand has transformed her into her most confident self, how kiwis have the most endearing everyday terminology and how her passions for environmental health have even helped her to score a goal at Aston Villa purely incentivised by a vegan sausage roll wafted behind the opposing net... but this player is no donkey! Come and find out what strikes us about our fabulous forward, Katie Rood

Lewes FC Centre Forward Ellie Leek comes into the studio to talk to us about what makes her tick, what it's like being in a relationship with another footballer, her feelings about her star sign and the brilliant public online event some of the Lewes FC players are organising to celebrate LGBTQ+ History month this February! An episode with lots of laffs, inspiration and important discourse! 

Lewes FC midfielder Paula Howells tells us what she hopes for the future of LGBTQ+ equality in sport, her experience playing for England, and the bucketloads of appreciation she has for Lewes FC and their fantastic support through her most recent and incredibly rare injury to the knee

This is your chance to personally get to know the players off the pitch! How did they get here? What keeps them going through the highs and lows? How do they do it?! We're kicking off the series with Captain Rhian Cleverly and her story. Fascinating, motivating and inspiring for anyone and everyone!

We chat with Xavi Bové about how social media and access to real stories are changing the way in which fans and teams interact with players at all levels of the modern game.

Including:

…What makes a great player, off the pitch

…What fans really want to heart from their players and teams

…What this means to modern sponsorship and commercial deals, and why it's good news for players

…How to be a great storyteller and a great athlete

…And more 

Enjoy!

Our John Peel talks with Richard Irving. Richard is the Football Supporters Association Network Manager for Community Owned Clubs, as well as a true Rooks fan and match day volunteer (ie, an all round hero). Richard was previously involved in the Arsenal Supporter’s Trust, and their move to the Emirates - before gravitating to Lewes FC.

(NB: the interview was recorded a few weeks back and so some of the reference points may be a little out of date ref coronavirus.)

Inside this edition you’ll find…

Why Lewes FC and non-league football is an increasingly interesting game for all kinds of football fans - versus the Premiership money-go-round

How testing a time it is right now for owner/member run and owned clubs - and why they’re more sustainable than ’normal’ clubs.

What ‘behind closed doors’ may mean for non-league football - and how and when we may return

How we need to prevent elitism within the game when making our 'restart' choices

How fragile a return to football might be in the context of repeat infection and and longer term planning

Why time out now may help us to chart a better course for the game - resetting some of the financials

Why money may need to matter less in non-league football (and why talent across all aspects of a club should mean more)

What alternative revenue streams might be available in the absence of crowds

Enjoy!

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We chat to Lucy Mills, Program Manager for the FC Barcelona Foundation (and all-round inspirational mover and shaker) about...

...CULERS - the old skool fan mode that's soon to take the Dripping Pan by storm

...Great ideas for online Zoom quiz prizes

...What community means to a mega-club like Barca

...Helping refugees across Europe

...How the Barca Foundation came to be

...How Barca is growing its commitments to community programs

...How women's football is taking off in Spain

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Enjoy!

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We chat to top sports psychologist Shameema Yousuf about her work with footballers and other top sports pros, and how wellbeing helps with things like...‍

...Dealing with the little voices in players' heads

...Better acceptance of the ups and downs of life and performance

...A better balance with life off the pitch as well as on it

...Recognising sporting emotions for what they are

...Dealing with life in lockdown

We chat with women’s first team boss Simon Parker about the highs and lows of the season so far.

Including:

…How a harmonious squad came together

…That bad run of results

..,Turning the corner

…What it's like to be a football club on lockdown

…Preparing for a restart

…What to expect when we get going again

Enjoy!

A chat with guys about what it’s like learning your trade abroad, and playing top-flight football in places like Canada, Iceland, USA and France. Including:

…How a player ends up swapping A Levels for North America

…Having two days to prepare

…Learning and training in a different language

…Perks, upsides and downsides

…PRIVATE JETS!?

…The difference between their football and ours

…and such more besides

Enjoy!

(PS: apologies for some slightly dodgy audio towards the end… The internet was failing us a little.)

Lewes FC Chairman Stuart Fuller talks to men's 1st team gaffer Hugo Langton about match day preparations and influencing things once the game’s underway. Including:

...Getting the team together

…Dressing room team talks

...The role of the skipper, off the pitch

...What really happens in the warm up

...Being late and when things go wrong

…Changing things when the game's underway

…Tactics and substitutions

…In-game breaks

…Secret messages, codes and the dummy playbook

Enjoy!

Barry Collins chats to our men's 1st XI gaffer team about what an early end to the season will mean for non-league football. 

Including:

...the potential impact on the leagues

...what it'll mean to the players

...swapping matchdays for  virtual pints and team bonding

...what it means for new signings and recruitment

...and the ongoing transfer market.

Enjoy!

Central defensive #Union bosses Rhi and Caitlin discuss essentials such as:

…How to stay sane when self-isolating

…How to mark an international striker

…Doing rock, paper, scissors to decide who lines up where

…Putting it in the mixer from time to time

…And aggression vs organisation - their special super powers

Enjoy!

Lewes FC Chairman Stuart Fuller talks to men's 1st team gaffer Hugo Langton about getting the details right before a game. 

Including:

Sleeping at night

Player communications

Planning for random pitches and weather

Getting the formations right

Scouting - good and bad

Technology and information overload

Ellie talks about what it’s like being better at football than her brother, battling against WSL midfielders, juggling university with life as a pro footballer, her brilliant summer alter ego cricketing career, and prospects for this Sunday’s match vs Sheffield United.

Katie talks about her language skills and finding an apartment while playing for Juventus, Annie's dancing, the all-new LFC matchday vibe and playing a forward four like Ajax circa 1975.