AFC Sudbury ready to ‘shock’ ahead of hosting Norwich City in their first ever FA Women’s National League campaign

When home-grown talent Ronni Harrison leads AFC Sudbury out against Norwich City in front of a likely record-breaking crowd at The MEL Group Stadium on Sunday afternoon (2.30pm) it will realise a dream that many had not even thought possible.

But Luke and brother Stefan Mallett’s Yellows have earned their right to be an FA Women’s National League outfit following a rapid rise with back-to-back promotions as successive season champions in the Eastern Region Women’s set-up.

And they will certainly be looking to prove their point that they are not just there to make up the numbers in National Women’s League Division One South East.

Ahead of their East Anglian derby, which comes after knowing whether Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses are crowned world champions in Australia – with the clubhouse opening early to show the game - assistant manager Stefan Mallett said: “Hey, we’re not here to take part, we got promoted on the back of a very good season, and we’re not just there to take part, let’s put it that way. We will shock a few people and I know that for a fact.”

While there is likely to be a few new faces, who the club are keeping under wraps ahead of their big season opener, there is no question of thinking they should have gone on a bigger recruitment drive for National League experience over the summer for the step up.

“The main point to that is the academy,” said Stefan Mallett of the full-time programme which delivered the club’s first national trophy (National Football Youth League Cup) last season, with a good number of their team involved.

“They are what they are because of the level of coaching they get day in, day out.

“We bring so many through from the academy that have maybe never played women’s football before, such as an Alex Penny, a Holly Kennard, a Jess Allen. “Do we trust them? Absolutely.

“And I’ll be really honest, what’s stopping them from just playing at this level? Why not go higher.

“Genuinely, when we looked at it after the first couple of games last season, we thought ‘these girls can play higher’, and it’s proven that.

“Do we think the same again? Absolutely.”

He added: “We’ve maybe gone and got one or two that will add to the squad but we’ve absolutely no need to revamp the squad at all.

“The girls are there on merit, they’ve done fantastically well to be there. They absolutely deserve it.”

Chairman Andrew Long was among those who will be bursting with pride watching the club - who did not even have a separate girls academy when he came over in February 2019 - take their first initial steps as a National League team.

"When I think of pictures in my head in February 2019 honestly, that was nowhere near,” he said.

“I couldn't have envisaged a situation where any team from a little market town in Suffolk could be competing in what is effectively League Two in the men's game.

“I will be there on Sunday trying to mask my disbelief at what's happened but failing miserably.”

He added: “The word 'incredible' is grossly over-used in the current world but it does beggar belief that little Sudbury can compete at the same level of Norwich City and Queen's Park Rangers.

“If you look at the gates Norwich City Women have it's another world we've had to prepare for in a way we've never had to do in the past, but without losing sight of what an achievement it is for the club and the town and everybody around.

“We have got there much, much more quickly than anybody could ever have envisaged. It's huge and what's even more remarkable is the majority of the players in our team are home-grown, the vast majority.”

The historic match on Sunday, at highest level possible for an-all East Anglian league fixture, is being sponsored by nearby wedding venue Smeetham Hall Barn.

Tickets for the game, available on the day, are £7 for adults, £5 for concessions with U16s welcome free of charge and 17 and 18 years olds asked to pay a nominal £2 fee.

In light of yesterday’s World Cup semi-final victory, the club has said it will be opening up early for the game and showing it on a giant screen in the clubhouse. Admission price will be inclusive of both games. The turnstiles will be open from 10.30am.