Lucky Albion: Burton Albion LFC at St George’s Park

Tony Leighton asks what Burton Albion Ladies captain Amber Lawrence has in common with Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Joe Hart, and answers that all of them play at St George’s Park, the FA’s Burton-on-Trent base set in 330 acres with twelve outdoor pitches and a full-sized indoor 3G surface. The 19-year-old calls the facility “different gravy” and admits it was among the biggest factors in her leaving Aston Villa’s development squad to join Burton, whom she has since captained to the Staffordshire County League title and promotion. Darcie Sanders, Amie Savva and Jody Mortimer also moved from bigger clubs. Manager Adam Smallman says the venue is a massive selling point but that visiting teams treat it as a cup final, while club secretary Gill Banton recalls Marieanne Spacey advising the players to have fire in their bellies but ice in their brains.