Lucy Potter: Experience and Toughness | OneFootball

While still settling into her time at Brentford, Lucy Potter says she has tried to bring her “experience” and “toughness” to the squad this campaign.

The left-footed defender joined the Bees from Ashford Town ahead of the 2024/25 season, bringing with her experiences in winning leagues, and subsequently earning promotion.

She, alongside Bees forward Ashley Cheatley, played a key role in Ashford’s promotion to the National League Division One South East at the end of the 2021/22 season.

Now at Brentford, it’s a journey Lucy wants to experience again with a new group.

“Brentford as a team, you can see in the league, with no disrespect, we should be higher. We shouldn’t be winning games 6-0 every week, realistically,” she said.

“It’s trying to make sure that yeah, we’re comfortable here, but it’s going to get harder and we need to make sure that we keep that intensity.

“I try to bring a leadership role, obviously I’ve tried to settle first, I didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but I’ve tried to settle and bring my experience and a positive attitude and toughness.”

It’s worked for Lucy and the side so far, the defender playing all eight games, starting the last six, all of which have resulted in wins for the Bees.

Joining Brentford wasn’t all about wins for Lucy, however, who eyed a new challenge when she decided to join Karleigh Osborne’s group.

“Brentford came up, and the set-up and everything they had with women’s football was appealing.

"Obviously knowing Ashley, playing at Ashford with Ashley as well, she gave me some info about it, so I came down and now I’m here,” explained Lucy.

“We are two leagues below [Ashford] at the moment, but that doesn’t take away the set-up, what they do for women’s football, what they give to us as players and how they make us feel in terms of the professionalism.

“For me, it outweighed where I was at the time. Although I was playing against higher teams and higher leagues, what we had doesn’t match up.

“Obviously Karleigh’s got goals, the team’s got goals to go where we need to be and we’ve got everything around us, we just need to climb up the leagues now which I think we can do this season.”

Climbing the ranks has been something Lucy has done her entire career, beginning with playing in the backyard with her dad and brother.

She joined Fulham’s Academy at the age of eight after being scouted while playing for her primary school, a place she stayed until she was a teenager.

After time away from the game, she returned to play at Kingstonian, a club she captained for multiple seasons.

Eyeing a fresh start, she joined Ashford, beginning her playing time with Cheatley. It was there that the pair enjoyed a league win and subsequent promotion.

“It was a good season and I’ve got great memories there, but I’m hoping obviously now I’m at Brentford, to hopefully win the league this season and win some more trophies,” said Lucy.

Lucy, along with fellow recruit Carolin Engelhard, has fitted seamlessly into an already strong defensive unit featuring Regan Graver, Samantha Read and goalkeeper Evie Witek.

“Obviously me and Caz came in as newbies, so from day one we’ve kind of always been together. We’ve bonded really well,” explained Lucy.

“Regan and Sam as well, we’re a tight-knit group I would say - defenders’ union. I came in as a left-back, wing-back and now left centre-back, so anywhere up the left

“It’s been great and I’m really, really enjoying it, enjoying playing together, the chemistry, the communication, we’re all learning. We don’t want any goals going in, so that’s the aim.”