Huge congratulations to Henfield Football Club Men’s Senior reserves team, who were victorious in their cup game against Southwater, winning the prestigious Tony Kopp Cup! James Bowes from HFC met with Gemma Parsons, manager, and Kenney Wyatt, captain, and the highlights of his report follow here.
It’s the 10th of May and Henfield Men’s Reserve team reached the Tony Kopp Cup final against favourites Southwater, which was being hosted at Billingshurst Football Club. After a nerve-racking start, and with Henfield reduced to ten men, the team were standing strong against a very capable opposition.
60 minutes on, and Henfield took the lead following a corner kick which was tucked away into goal by Jonny Ruiz. Southwater throw everything they have at Henfield and despite some heroic defending and great goalkeeping, they manage to equalise in the 85th minute. Thirty minutes of extra time rapidly ends, and it was on to the inevitable penalties.
Liam Nakazawa-Cowie is in goal for Henfield. His involvement in the game had been crucial and now all eyes were on him. The 300+ crowd was noisy and mostly in favour of Henfield. Liam saves the 5th penalty, to a loud uproar.
There was nervous tension as Keiron Hunt stepped up to take the last penalty for Henfield, he scored an incredible goal high into the back of the net. Cue the celebrations and pitch invasion as Henfield Reserves had won the game and the Tony Kopp Cup, something they hadn’t done since 1967!
The Tony Kopp Cup is for all non-league teams from Division 2 and downwards. It’s known locally as the Horsham FA Cup. It was donated in the 1960s and to this day the cup is presented by the family of Tony Kopp. Winning this cup was a proud moment for Henfield, and especially for their first ever female team manager, Gemma Parsons.
Captain of the team Kenney Wyatt, who has been with the football club for 21 seasons said: “Winning this cup was a massive achievement. The support from everyone who had turned up to watch the game was something I will never forget. I have played in the quarter finals of this cup four times, the semi-final of the cup three times and been in the final twice. I’m so proud of the team and of our manager Gemma.”
Gemma has been the Men’s Senior Reserves manager for the past two seasons. She is the only female manager of a senior men’s team across the whole West Sussex Football League and they believe she could be the first, with records suggesting so for the past twenty years. She joined the team at 27 as an assistant manager after being approached by the then manager Andy Smith. The proposal was to try just one season, but it wasn't long before she stepped up to manage the team.
“Initially it was quite intimidating, and I felt I was being questioned a lot, however we learnt together as a team and I quickly grew in confidence,” said Gemma. “I knew that I could do this job, despite many challenges along the way. The team have always encouraged me and our success in the cup has been a real reward for all our hard work.”
The journey to cup victory wasn’t an easy one. In March, the team reached the quarter-final and the game went to nail-biting penalties. Gemma said: “Special mention must go to Ollie Barratt for his performance in goal during that game, in particular saving three out of five penalties which was a crucial turning point.”
On semi-final match day, the club was greeted with a waterlogged pitch and the strong possibility of the game having to be postponed. Gemma and other volunteers spent five and a half hours removing standing water and prepping the pitch with small lawnmowers. This type of team effort, not just from the squad but supporters too, shows the level of dedication and illustrates why they are worthy cup winners.
It was tense watching penalties being taken during the Cup Final match, but the team had nothing to lose; they came as underdogs and their successes throughout the tournament were a matter of pride. For Gemma too, she was proud to win a trophy that her father had also once won as a player for Steyning Old Grammarians back in the 1980s. Her dad is now living with early-onset dementia, so the win comes with added emotion for the family.
Gemma’s time as team manager has had its challenges, and it’s likely that she’s had to prove herself more than her male counterparts. Sadly, she’s had experience of mindless comments from a small minority of opposing team members and supporters, but despite this, she is proud that she’s carved a way through a male-dominated sector and that other managers now see her as an equal. She hopes that her experience will encourage other women to get involved in football, after all, 30% of football fans are female, so a broader representation is only logical.
James Bowes, Operations Director of Henfield Football Club said: “The entire club is extremely proud of the Reserve team for their resilience and effort and congratulates them for their huge success this season. Additionally, Gemma’s determination is truly inspiring and we hope this demonstrates that girls and women can have important roles in football. We would like to thank Gemma for her hard work and we recognise the differences she is making.”
James Bowes
