29th July 2022
Attacking midfielder Henna Butcher has become Cheltenham’s fourth signing in as many days, joining from Keynsham Town Ladies.
A target of Tom Davies last season, Butcher opted to stay at Keynsham, then a FA WNL Southern Premier outfit, to play a role in their fight against relegation. Following their unsuccessful battle, she has decided to turn her attention to Cheltenham’s battle, looking to use last season’s experience to help The Robins avoid the drop.
“Tom made it very clear that I was still very much a player he wanted to bring in, which was obviously nice to hear,” Butcher said, talking to Gloucestershire Live’s Jon Palmer. “But it was the set up and ambition of the club that convinced me to sign.”
Henna’s journey in football started out at the age of 10, training at the Brighton and Hove Albion Girls’ Centre of Excellence for five years. She would then move on to Lewes FC Women’s Development Squad before a brief hiatus from the game to focus on university life.
After three years at the University of Bristol Women’s Football First Team which saw the club earn back-to-back promotions, with Butcher being named as captain for their first BUCS Premier campaign.
“After Covid and uni, I had to find a new team so joined Keynsham for my first season in the Southern Premier,” she said.
“Individually I was picking up goals, but as a team it was a very tough season and unfortunately, for a number of reasons, we just weren’t able to compete in most games. We were deep in a relegation battle when Tom first approached me, looking to add reinforcements for Cheltenham’s promotion push.
“He painted a very tempting picture but it felt like ‘jumping ship’ which just didn’t sit right with me. I did keep a close eye on their results after that though and was very pleased to see them win the league.”
On joining the new club, she has settled in quickly and has enjoyed the pre-season preparations. “Both the staff and players have been very welcoming from the start. You can see from the intensity at training that everyone is focused and determined to succeed this season. It feels like the structure is there to do so too, both within the team and the club, so it’s a good environment to be in.”
Describing herself as an ‘explosive’ player, Butcher believes she offers a good amount of pace and high energy levels which can make the difference in the middle of the park. “I have played in every position, but what I like about midfield is that you’re heavily involved in all aspects of the game,” she said.
“What I enjoy most is putting the opposition under pressure, robbing the ball, and then driving forwards to create attacks. Of course getting goals is always nice too.
“I can’t wait for the season to get started so we can put what we’ve been working on into practice. Individually I also want to make the most of the coaches available and the knowledge they’ve got, to just keep adding to my game.”
Despite having to wait for Butcher to put pen to paper, manager Tom Davies was very pleased with his latest acquisition, hoping that her experience from last season will play a crucial role in the club’s fight for survival. Talking to ctlfc.com, Davies said “Henna’s proven her ability at this level, notching goals last term. She’s hard working and is improving each session alongside this new group and we’re excited to see her progress and continue her form into this season”
Cheltenham’s first ever fixture in The FA Women’s National League Southern Premier kicks off at 2pm on Sunday August 21, as they play host to Plymouth Argyle Women. For a list of The Club’s 2022/23 fixtures, click here.
