A Fantastic Opportunity, Says Holly Morgan
- LCFC Women have joined the Club’s portfolio of professional teams ahead of the new season
- Their longest serving player and captain Holly Morgan has signed her maiden professional contract
- Morgan says it is a ‘special moment’ to have her commitment recognised in the next step of her career
- More hard work and dedication is required ahead of the 2020/21 campaign, Morgan believes
The Leicester-born skipper has previously spent 16 years with LCFC Women, moving through the age groups to become a stalwart in the centre of defence.
The 27-year-old’s maiden professional contract coincides with the move to join forces with Leicester City, who are committing to developing the women’s game at all levels, something which is particularly meaningful for Morgan.
“I’ve been at Leicester since I was 11, which makes me feel quite old,” she joked. “It’s quite a special moment for me because I’ve seen us at the top, at the bottom, I’ve seen us go through promotions, go through relegations, I’ve seen it all.
“I’ve been a part of it all, so to be able to sign my first professional contract at a club where I started and where I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time here, it’s a special moment and I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet.
'Special Moment' For LCFC Women Captain
LCFC Women skipper Holly Morgan reflects on the addition of the women's team to the Club's portfolio of professional teams this summer.
“Further down the line, I’ll probably look back and think I’ve committed and invested a lot of my time into this club and it’s nice to be able to actually have a professional contract and be a professional footballer.”
LCFC Women are welcoming a host of new signings into the squad this summer, and according to Morgan, they have already bedded into the group well, creating a positive mood within the camp.
Returning players from 2019/20, meanwhile, are determined to make the most of the opportunity they have been given to become part of a full-time setup.
Holly continued: “To be back at training, also getting to know the players that have come in this season, it’s just been a really nice feel-good factor at the training ground, so it’s been wonderful.
“We’ve got a variety of people, some experienced, some younger faces and I think both of those really compliment us as a group of players.
“We need more experienced players, more leaders, players to look up to, but also you need the young players who have got that burst of energy, wanting to show what they can do.
“It’s nice to see returning faces develop and actually starting pre-season, you can already see their growth and how they’ve matured more, especially now that we’re in a full-time setting.”
Morgan started all 15 FA Women’s Championship fixtures in 2019/20, as LCFC Women finished sixth in the shortened season, with 15 points from the 15 games played.
She believes there is a lot to learn from the previous campaign, which featured a historic Women’s FA Cup Fifth Round victory over Barclays FA Women’s Super League side Reading.
“Last season was full of so many learning curves,” LCFC Women’s No.5 added. “It was always going to be a season where we just wanted to stay in the league and it was the season after that we were preparing for. That is our main aim for this season, to push for the promotion spot.
“We learned a lot, we’ve developed, we’ve understood what worked, what didn’t and we also have a greater understanding of what’s expected of us and what’s needed, because the league is incredibly hard.
“We’ve got to take what we’ve learned into this season and put the wrongs right. We’ve got a good mindset, a good attitude, so hopefully we can have a successful campaign.
“We’ve got the transition from part-time to full-time so that in itself is something that a large majority of us are moving into, which is going really well, but it’s just a season that we are quite excited for.
“We can see that the opportunity is there for us, but we just have to take it as players, so there’s a lot of responsibility on our shoulders.
“With the position that we’re in, we’re very fortunate so we have to be able to take that pressure and deal with it and hopefully use it in the right way to better our [team] performances and better our performances as individuals.”