Morgan: A Special Occasion To Cherish

LCFC Women
30 Apr 2021
4 Minutes
Jonathan Morgan says it will be an honour to lead LCFC Women into their first fixture at King Power Stadium this Sunday.

- LCFC Women meet Charlton Athletic Women on Sunday (2pm kick-off)
- The champions will be playing at King Power Stadium for the very first time 
- Leicester will lift the FA Women's Championship trophy at full-time on Filbert Way

- Manager Jonathan Morgan speaks about why the day will be so special for the Club a
- City are determined to win the game and notch their 16th victory of the league campaign, he adds

The Foxes were crowned FA Women's Championship champions in early April and, following 15 wins, two draws and 47 points amassed over 19 games this term, they will now celebrate the historic achievement by lifting the league trophy on Filbert Way.

Taking on Charlton Athletic Women in a 2pm kick-off - a game you can watch live on LCFC TV - Morgan is looking forward to an incredible day for everyone connected with LCFC Women.

Commenting in his pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon, he said: "It's massive, it's a historic moment for us, for the girls to play at King Power Stadium. It's just another fantastic gesture and intention shown by the Club and the girls are relishing the opportunity.

The fact that we're going to lift our trophy in King Power Stadium, and the fact it's a historic occasion as our first game there, is phenomenal.

Jonathan Morgan

"It's been a very weird year for everybody playing football with nobody in the stadiums, but in all honesty, the girls should be in awed with the experience in King Power Stadium. It's a fantastic facility, it's a fantastic stadium.

"I don't think it will impact upon the way they play but they should definitely take in the moment and saviour it and realise that this is the way the women's game is going. We're at a club that's allowing that to happen and to facilitate that possibility for our girls.

"The fact that we're going to lift our trophy in King Power Stadium, and the fact it's a historic occasion as our first game there, is phenomenal and I feel very lucky, to be honest, and thankful that I get an opportunity to be a part of it."

After falling to a rare defeat to Lewes Women last time out, ending the Foxes' 12-game winning run, Morgan believes that result will now provide extra motivation for the team to finish on a high and ensure they can celebrate promotion in style.

However, he knows it will be a tough task against an in-form Charlton side who have won three consecutive games and are unbeaten in five in all competitions. 

"We all saw what happened last week, we had a bit of a wake up call and it was a very poor game on our behalf," LCFC Women's manager admitted. "But take nothing away from Lewes, they had their game plan and they beat us fair and square.

"The thing I said to the girls after the game was that we don't want to be lifting the trophy on the back of a loss, because it will make it an anti-climax. We want to be winning and happy.

We have to feel confident in our ability that we've done it all season so far that we can tick off that last game for ourselves.

Jonathan Morgan

"The way that we all felt last week, I don't want to have that feeling this week. That might have been the kick that the girls needed and they've trained really hard for it this week, hungry to make sure they make it a reality.

"The majority of the time, our girls have been very switched on and focused and professional. That won't change this Sunday. I believe with the added pressure of being at King Power Stadium and wanting to win for our historic debut there will make the girls focus that little bit more, rather than the trophy.

"But once that whistle goes, from the first kick of the ball, they just want to go out and play and it becomes a second nature to them.

"Charlton are in fine form. Riteesh [Mishra] and Karen [Hills] have been doing a fantastic job recently with the Charlton players. We know that they will be really tough opposition. But we have to feel confident in our ability, we've done it all season."

A place in the Barclays FA Women's Super League awaits in 2021/22 and Leicester's final challenge before they take on the top tier is a Vitality Women's FA Cup Fifth Round tie against Manchester United on 16 May. That encounter will provide another incentive to perform, Morgan told the media. 

He added: "I'm always looking forward to the next challenge and the next chapter of the Club's history and that is playing in the WSL, which we're so pleased to get to. Equally, I have to make sure that the girls focus on the here and now and just enjoy the moment.

"Behind the scenes, we are working very hard to make sure we get ourselves ready and prepared for the WSL. But the girls are not looking that far ahead yet, they're just looking forward to being at King Power Stadium.

"We've got the Man Utd game coming up afterwards as well, which is a nice carrot for them to focus on for the remainder of this season."

All times BST.