Saturday 1 August 2015 17:01, UK
Notts County and Chelsea Ladies are both hoping to win the Women’s FA Cup for the first time this weekend at Wembley Stadium.
The Wembley final comes just four weeks after England international and County defender Laura Bassett inadvertently deflected the ball into England’s net in the agonising World Cup semi-final defeat to Japan.
The Women’s FA Cup final is being staged at the national stadium for the first time, and a record 30,000-strong crowd is expected as White, Bassett and the remaining Lady Pies tackle Chelsea Ladies on Saturday.
Despite her disappointment in the World Cup semi-final, 31-year-old Bassett’s resilience is apparent after she said: “My motivation is to make Notts County Ladies as successful as it can be.”
County will be competing against players who rub shoulders at their Cobham training base with the likes of John Terry – Chelsea Ladies’ club president – and Jose Mourinho.
White, 26, said: "To bring home some silverware to the city would be fantastic. People will hopefully recognise Notts County Ladies a bit more.
“To reach a cup final was one of our main goals this season. We have had a good run, beating Tottenham, Aston Villa and Everton and now we are ready for another massive game.
“Chelsea as a club speak for themselves, but in the women's game we're right up with them.
"We lost to them earlier in the season, but we’ve improved an awful lot since then. I think it will be a really good game and another great advert for women’s football."
White already has two FA Cup winners’ medals from her time with Arsenal, but believes the thought of lifting the trophy at the home of football would surpass that.
As an English player it is a dream to play at Wembley. It’s the home of English football. Playing a Cup Final at Wembley has to be near the pinnacle of your career.
She said: “I take a lot of pride in the two cups I’ve won, but this will be extra special to play at Wembley, in front of a big crowd, a record crowd.
“It’s an incredible feeling to now only be a few days away. We have had a lot of football to play between then and now, but it has been hard to keep it at the back of your mind, because it is such a big occasion for the football club.
“As an English player it is a dream to play at Wembley. It’s the home of English football. Playing a cup final at Wembley has to be near the pinnacle of your career.”
Chelsea's Gilly Flaherty was a member of the Arsenal team that lost to Everton in the 2010 final and is keen to avoid more agony as 2012 runners-up Chelsea continue the quest for their first-ever piece of silverware.
“It’s the biggest game in the club’s history, and hopefully it’s going to be a great occasion, but I don’t just want it to be a good occasion, I want to go there and win,” said the 23-year-old defender, who also won the competition five times with Arsenal.
“The fact we have it at Wembley shows how far we have come in the women’s game.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have been involved in many cup finals in my time and won a few, but I’ve also been on the losing side as well and I don’t want to do that again. That loss against Everton will certainly be driving me on when Saturday comes.
“The win against Bristol in 2013, the year after we lost against Chelsea in the semi-finals funnily enough, is probably my favourite FA Cup win, because a lot of people were against us.”
