“It was so special to me. It’s such a privilege for me to be able to represent where I’ve come from as well.”
19-year-old Una Lue has always lived in the Cheltenham area. And now, she’s Cheltenham Town Women’s number 21, and ended last season as the club’s top goal scorer with 23 goals in 34 appearances in all competitions.
In just her second full season, she has already racked up 59 appearances in a Cheltenham shirt, 13th overall in Cheltenham’s Women’s National League records, and is the club’s 4th highest goal scorer.
She made her first matchday appearance in August 2023 against Maidenhead United, and her first start came against Billericay Town in October 2023.
🤩Debut delight🤩
— Cheltenham Town Women FC (@CTWomenFC) August 27, 2023
A special mention and congratulations to Una Lue and Libby Hyett-Uckun who both made the step up into the first team today!
Well played, girls! #ctfc
Her first goals for the Robinesses came just a month later in November, scoring a brace against Cardiff City Women in the first round of the Women’s FA Cup.
Reflecting back on her debut two years ago, Lue admitted, “I never even thought about being on the women’s team. I didn’t think it was possible because I don’t even remember watching them or seeing them, but here we are.
“It’s incredible for me and such a privilege to be able to represent where I’ve come from. It’s so special for me to be able to say that.”
2024/25 marked her full first senior campaign, making 34 appearances in all competitions.
“It was so difficult in terms of learning the game and everything like that,” Lue said. “I just love being switched on and always going. It suited me quite a lot.
“I obviously like to have a break, but I love just keeping going and keeping the flow.”
Cheltenham Town Women had a historic season last year, making it to the National League Plate final and the Fourth Round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.
“I will never forget that run,” Lue said. “It was so special that entire run, and just massive performances from everyone in the squad, putting in big shifts in and just working together and fighting together as a team is so special.
“You can’t replicate it with anything really.”
In the Women’s FA Cup, Cheltenham Town faced Yeovil Town, Moneyfields FC and Norwich City, before facing Wolves in the fourth round.
Lue scored twice in the third round against Norwich, creating history for the team.
She was also recognised as the ‘she’s a baller’ Baller of the Round in that game, creating plenty of recognition and awareness of the young striker.
“That was so surreal. I just play football for fun, and it just happened.
“I was like ‘what, I don’t believe it’ but it was such a privilege to be recognised.”
Looking at the start of this season, it’s been successful for Cheltenham, but a struggle for Una Lue.
No goal involvement in her first four games of the season, but against Birmingham City PGA in the League Cup, she finally got her first goal and assist of the year.
In the next game against Watford, Lue started and was looking like she was to score once again; however, a rash tackle caused Lue to land on her shoulder.
This caused her collarbone to pop up 5cm after landing on her Acromioclavicular joint (ACJ), meaning she will be out for around three months.
“It’s hard for me, my feet and legs are fine, so it’s frustrating not playing.
“For me, it’s now a time where I can just regroup, recuperate, get some rest, and hopefully I can just hit it hard when I come back.”
Reflecting on the start of the season the team has had, Lue said, “It’s been perfect really, the start of this season. New team, new people getting in.
“Having this success early on has really given us plenty of momentum to go forward, and I think it’ll really set us in a good place for the rest of the season.”
Lue was one of the youngest players in last season’s squad, but now she has a few more 19-year-olds alongside her, including Clarabella Hall and Louise Guymira, who joined from Brighton and Aston Villa, respectively.
“I loved having them here,” Lue said. “With the new people coming in almost every year, it’s just like, whoa. It’s a bit of an adjustment, but it’s so nice meeting new and different people every year.
“The new guys have been great so far; they put in massive shifts every single game and are proving why they should be here. It’s a perfect challenge for me.”
The special thing about watching Una Lue play is the consistent support from her family.
Her Dad, Matt, is at every single game, home or away, and even comes to every training session to watch his daughter play.
Matt even made the long away days last season to Lewes FC (Brighton) and Ipswich, and Lue has put her whole career so far down to the support he and the rest of her family give her.
“Everyone in my family knows how invested they are in me. I genuinely wouldn’t be here without any of them.
“My dad is so committed to doing the right things for me, it’s such a privilege for me to be able to have him here and everyone else who comes to my games, all my family who come.
“I wouldn’t be here without them.”
The rise of the women’s game has been incredible in the last few years, which can even be seen in Tier Three and at Cheltenham Town Women’s games.
At Una’s first game in a matchday squad, only 100 people were at the game.
Now, Cheltenham Town are averaging attendances of 150 at every home game, with the Fourth Round FA Cup game against Wolves seeing 576 people through the gates.
As a Cheltenham resident, Lue admits she has been recognised before as a football player whilst out in her hometown, something which she didn’t think was possible.
“If you see it, you believe you can be it,” Lue said.
“It’s such a privilege for me to be able to be that person for someone else. I hear the mascots before the game saying how excited they are to be able to walk out with us and support us.
“Because I live in Cheltenham, I see people out sometimes, and they’re like ‘Oh my gosh, I saw you playing football and my kid is really inspired by you.’
“That is priceless, that is the whole purpose of football.”
Being 19, Lue still has plenty of her career ahead, but doesn’t have any specific sights set.
“My biggest aspiration is to keep enjoying it as long as I can and just keep putting everything into it, and as long as I can do that, I’m happy.”
