Wolves Women column: Dan McNamara relishing another chance at FA Cup bragging rights

Another brilliant opportunity stands before us this weekend as we once again are part of historic day for Wolves Women and for the women’s game in general. 

The new Women’s FA Cup rights deal that sees the earliest rounds broadcast on TNT Sports – and now Channel 4 – is a brilliant way to spotlight the women’s game and help it grow in this country and we are naturally delighted to have been chosen again for our match against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

It just had to be Forest, didn’t it? An old rival of ours that we have tussled with for years, we probably didn’t expect to face them again this season after they pipped us to the title last season, but the FA Cup draw can always throw up the unexpected. 

It’ll be a strange one for many of our girls, with Lyndsey Harkin, Becky Anderson, Amy Sims and Charlotte Greengrass having all joined us from Forest, while a few others have also played for them at some point in their careers before Wolves. For Lyndsey especially, being the huge Forest fan she is, last season’s title winning captain and a club ambassador, I’m sure it’ll be a weird one for her but knowing her determination and drive, I know that will mean nothing to her come 12.15 on Saturday and she will want to win this one just as much as any other game.

It's a bit of a different experience for us again, playing Saturday lunchtime, but we are buzzing for the challenge and to test ourselves against a side who have really adapted to WSL2 this season. We’re extremely grateful to Hednesford Town stepping up to host us with our usual home at Telford unavailable and we are excited to play at a Keys Park venue that has some unbelievable facilities for their level.

As we come into this game I remain so unbelievably proud of the girls for consistently performing at the highest level every week. On Sunday we recorded a 5-1 win over Liverpool Feds which extended our run to 30 league game unbeaten stretching back to September 2024 when we were beaten by… Nottingham Forest. 

It was also 16 wins in a row and puts us in a really good position for our final two games of 2025. 

If you had told me at the start of the season we’d be in the third round of the FA Cup having been on TV twice and a point off the top of the table with a game in hand, I wouldn’t have believed you. This group of girls is one of the best I have ever coached, who continue to excel every single week.

We’ll need your support this weekend if we are to get a result and it would be great to get as many members of the Pack along to Hednesford as possible. With the men away at Arsenal, it would be brilliant if some of you could get along to Keys Park to back this superb group of players. Tickets are on sale now via Hednesford Town, so log on and get one now if you haven’t already!

It’s probably one of those rare occasions where we come into the game as underdogs – and it’s one we are relishing.

Macca