As they prepare for life in the East Midlands Women’s Football League Premier Division, Notts County Women, and their captain Holly Fowler, are looking to build on both a lengthy, unbeaten league run, and from the experiences gained in last season’s post-season, Trevor Clifton Trophy tournament.

Here at the Nottingham Sport we caught up with the 24-year-old County defender, and found out about her love for the club, and how much it meant to be able to don that armband, ahead of the new campaign in the East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League.

A third generation, County fan, following in the footsteps of her grandfather, and her mother, Fowler began kicking a ball at a young age, thanks to her elder brother, although she soon had ideas much more than he was putting her through.

“I started at Burton Joyce Boys when I was eight-years-old, then, when the rules changed, I had to find myself a team, and ended up playing for Arnold Town, for their first team, in the same league I’m in now with County,” explained Fowler of her beginnings in the beautiful game.

“My grandad, he was a County fan, and first took my mum when she was six-years-old, then she took me when I was six as well; his ashes are actually on the centre circle at Meadow Lane.

“Mum, she’s always been a big football fan, whereas my dad is more rugby and, having an older brother, he would always put me in goal when I was younger.

“I got sick of doing that very quickly and soon decided I wanted to play outfield.”

Maybe unexpectedly, especially to those outside of both County Women, and Holly Fowler’s close circle of friends and family, the County Captain is three-quarters of the way working her way through higher education, in Architecture.

Having first studied at Sheffield Hallam, Fowler is heading into her sixth, of eight years, and currently on the Masters in Architecture programme, at Nottingham Trent University.

“I’m about to go into my sixth year (of eight) studying Architecture at Nottingham Trent University,” continued Fowler.

“I’m combining that of Uni-work, work, and football, in one go, and I do have an eye for graphic design, but there’s always been an interest in old buildings.

“I put my football first though, before my career, which my mam does often question, but she gets it, she knows how much I love County.

“I was previously at Sheffield Hallam University, and played for Sheffield as well; when I came to County though, I only had one trial here.

“I’d missed the first, and another I was in Barcelona at the time, but I eventually got an email through from Adam Dunleavy (County Women’s manager) saying that he wanted to see me again, and it’s just gone from there.

“Then, when our former captain moved down south, I was the vice-captain at the time, the girls here were putting me forward for it and, when we had the Women’s FA Cup match, against Lincoln United, who are a really nice team and play some good football, the armband was on my spot in the dressing room before the game.

“Our average age though, it’s around the 20 years mark, so it’s a young, yet experienced squad that I have around me, which works – they’re not daunted, and we back ourselves to do well, which is showing in pre-season.”

And what about when they start back; having taken part in the post-season, EMWRFL Trevor Clifton Trophy, a competition in which both the County Firsts, and Development sides, entered.

As with everyone else in the beautiful game, the ongoing pandemic has been a massive hindrance over the past two seasons, curtailing not one, but two seasons; league matches in which County Women has remained unbeaten.

Now though, it’s onto the new campaign, a Premier Division one at that, Fowler saying that; “We’ve been unlucky over the past three seasons though and have a ridiculous unbeaten run going which sounds a lot longer than it is (due to not having a full season for a few years) – it’s now time to show what were all about on the field this season.

“We’d love a good cup run this season, for many reasons, that and to continue receiving the increasing support we get from the County fans, which is really good.

“League-wise, it’s a hard one as most teams in the Premier Division we’ve not played against before, so, maybe a top-half finish would be great for us.

“Yes, we’re going to lose, at some point, so it’s also how we recover from that – we’ve lost games before, so it’s what we do afterwards, and quickly, when it does happen.”

Notts County Women begin their EMWRFL Premier Division campaign, on Wednesday 1 September, away to Rotherham United Women, followed by their home game, on Sunday 19 September, against Oughtibridge War Memorial Women, whilst their local derby, with Mansfield Town Ladies, takes place on 5 December (A), and 27 March (H).

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @mrgaryreed Holly Fowler in familiar black and white.