Soccer Mum Sally Butler making a difference to community

The campaign was launched to recognise unsung heroes in football across the country, who make a difference in the community.

Butler has certainly made a difference with Soccer Mums growing from seven members to over 50 since its inception.

She is honoured to be included among the nominees for the award, and is also grateful that Soccer Mums has received such recognition.

"In terms of how it felt, it was fairly unexpected," Butler admits. "It came out of the blue really, but overall, it felt fabulous.

"Certainly in terms of the recognition for Stafford Soccer Mums because we've done quite a bit in the community. It's really about encouraging people to get involved in the community and in sport, which is what we're all about.

"So for Soccer Mums to be amongst the nominees for that is just fantastic. Especially when you see the calibre of nominees. I mean I've looked through all the videos, and thought, 'oh my goodness, how are we in amongst this'.

"But there are some people out there doing some really amazing things. Just to be nominated is incredible but the idea of winning would just be next level. It's almost unthinkable."

At the age of nine, Butler was prevented from joining her school's football team because she was a girl.

Not accepting no for an answer, she was eventually allowed to play with the boys but was not treated as an equal.

But after her two daughters took up football, Butler and several other mums decided to form Stafford Soccer Mums FC.

Butler is delighted to see the increased opportunities in the women's game, and is proud that Soccer Mums as a club has played a part in that movement.

"When I was a child, I was turned down from playing football because it was for boys. It was as simple as that really at school," she reveals.

"My own daughters fortunately have had a completely different experience. They've both shown an interest in the game since they were quite young and have been able to join teams and excel.

"I've been on the receiving end of the lack of opportunities in football, so it's good to feel like we're paving the way for future generations."

Soccer Mums train twice a week and have grown to four teams competing regularly in local leagues. They also competed at the inaugural World Cup for older women in France back in 2019.

Butler was also among the 87,192 in attendance at Wembley when England's women team defeated Germany 2-1 to win the European Championships in 2022.

And she has revealed that there was a huge wave of interest after the Lionesses' exceptional exploits.

"Even with ourselves at Soccer Mums, we felt it last year. I was fortunate to be at that final at Wembley 12 months ago and I'm so glad I took a chance on those tickets," she says.

"To have been there in that moment when they won, it was incredible. In terms of how that played out for us, it created even more momentum. We had lots of enquiries from people after that.

"They'd been watching it, they'd been thinking could they have a go? They could see what we were doing, and we had an increase in numbers last summer which was off the back of the Lionesses' success.

"It gives people a role model. Kids will look up and think that could be me, and women watch it and think, I could have a go at it myself. Even if there aren't those aspirations to be a Lioness it's definitely had an impact."