We Wanted To Play Like Champions, Says Barker

- Sophie Barker reflects on LCFC Women's record-breaking 2020/21 season
- The midfielder lifted the FA Women's Championship trophy for the Foxes on Sunday
- City were 4-0 winners over Charlton Athletic in their first game at King Power Stadium 
- Barker discusses the squad's togetherness during her post-match interview with LCFC TV

City ran out as 4-0 winners over Charlton Athletic Women on Sunday to cap off their season with a 16th league victory of 2020/21 on their debut at King Power Stadium.

Natasha Flint opened the scoring on Filbert Way, before a brace from Hannah Cain, and a second-half own goal by Shanna Vassell, helped Leicester mark the occasion with a dominant performance on the final day of the season.

Barker, meanwhile, has worn the captain's armband for much of the campaign and lifted the trophy alongside Remi Allen at full-time and was full of pride to celebrate with her team-mates.

"It was amazing!" she told LCFC TV afterwards. "I’ve done it a couple of times, but to be fair, I've not done it on a pitch like this. It was a shame to not have family and stuff there, but you could tell they were with us all the way through this season and that's the best feeling I've had for a long time.

"It took us a while to get there. We had a rocky start. But when you have a start like that, it's been quite difficult all the way through, I think that brings you together. From behind the scenes, people don't realise how hard it's actually been for us. It really has brought us together."

The spirit within City's squad has grown throughout the season, after many new faces arrived last summer, and Barker believes the blend of youth and experience has helped them achieve their goals this term.

The Foxes end the season as champions with 16 wins from 20 games and the best goal difference by some margin in the division.

"We've got a really mixed group of girls," she added. "Me and Rem (Remi Allen) are the oldest and then you've got some babies. It has really brought us together. Our experience has showed all the way through. It took a while for the girls to trust us, but we have actually been there, we've done it.

"They do call us the mums and they say that we're the old ones and we moan all the time! But if we didn't, we wouldn't be where we are now. It’s took me and Rem and a couple of the older players to do that and it's allowed the younger girls to show their flair.

"Today, it's just come together with a 4-0 win, you can’t ask for more really. We wanted to go out there and put a performance on like champions today.

"You cannot use the pitch as an excuse here today. It suited us, a bigger pitch, and it was a carpet out there and it allowed us to play football. Kirstie [Levell] didn’t really have a save to make and we showed why we have won this league and why we're the best team in it."