Brighton & Hove Albion W.F.C.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Full name	Brighton & Hove Albion Women Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Seagulls, The Albion
Founded	1967;58 years ago (1967) as Brighton GPO
Ground	Broadfield Stadium, Crawley
Capacity	6,135
Manager	Dario Vidošić
League	Women's Super League
2023–24	WSL, 9th of 12
Website	https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/women/
Home colours Away colours Third colours
Current season

Brighton & Hove Albion Women Football Club is an English women's football club affiliated with Brighton & Hove Albion. The club currently compete in the Women's Super League and the first team play at the Broadfield Stadium, home of Crawley Town F.C.

History

The club was originally founded in 1967 as Brighton GPO. This team was created by workers at the Post Office's telephone exchange. They were one of the founding six members of the Sussex Martlet Women's League in 1969 - which has now transitioned into the South East Counties Women's Football League, and in that same year, the Women's Football Association was founded. ^[1]

The club reached the semi-final of the FA Women's Cup in 1975–76. ^[2] In 1990 they linked up with the men's club and became founder members of the Premier League in 1991–92, in Division 1 South.

Before the club sold the ground, the club played three matches at the Goldstone Ground, the old home of Brighton's men's side, against Milton Keynes, Horsham and Whitehawk. ^[3]

Brighton & Hove Albion with the Sussex County Cup in March 2012

In 2015, the club set a five-year plan to reach the FA WSL 1 and UEFA Women's Champions League qualification. ^[4] That season they missed promotion to the FA WSL 2 though by finishing runners-up to Portsmouth. In 2015–16 they won the Southern Division and the following play-off against Northern Champions Sporting Club Albion. ^[5] Following the play-off victory, their promotion to the FA WSL 2 was confirmed. ^[6]

The team joined the FA WSL 1, the top tier of women's football in England, for the 2018–19 season having had their application to join the restructured league approved. During the day of the announcement of the promotion, the club also revealed they would relocate to Crawley Town's Broadfield Stadium for first team matches. ^[7]

Women's Super League (2018–present)

Albion's first season in the Women's Super League saw them finish ninth in what was then an 11 team league, finishing 19 points clear of relegated Yeovil Town. Hope Powell's team secured four wins from their 20 league matches, while Ellie Brazil finished as top scorer with four goals. Their first WSL win came in a 2–1 home win over Yeovil Town, with Jodie Brett and Victoria Williams getting on the scoresheet.

The 2019/20 season was curtailed with four games left to play due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, with Albion again finishing in ninth place in the WSL. Aileen Whelan finished as top scorer that campaign with five league goals, while Albion drew in their second league game of the season against Chelsea - just one of three sides who took a point off the eventual champions.

Powell would lead her side to their highest placed finish in the WSL in the 2020/21 season, finishing in sixth place. An opening day victory against Birmingham City marked one of just two victories Albion enjoyed in the league until February, before going on run that saw them win six of their last nine matches. That included a 2–1 victory over Chelsea, that ended their run of 33 matches unbeaten in league football. Summer signing Inessa Kaagman finished as top scorer with nine goals in all competitions, as they also recorded notable victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

Managerial history

Name	Nationality	From	To	Ref.
Tony Tregear	England	2012		[8]
Jay Lovett	England	2013		[9]
John Donoghue	England	Unknown	10 June 2014	[10] [11]
James Marrs	England	11 June 2014	22 April 2016	[12] [13]
George Parris (interim)	England	23 April 2016	18 July 2017	[13] [14]
Hope Powell	England	19 July 2017	31 October 2022	[15]
Amy Merricks (interim)	England	31 October 2022	28 December 2022
Jens Scheuer	Germany	28 December 2022	6 March 2023	[16]
Amy Merricks (interim)	England	6 March 2023	7 April 2023	[17]
Melissa Phillips	United States	7 April 2023	1 February 2024	[18] [19] [20]
Mikey Harris (interim)	England	1 February 2024	18 May 2024	[21]
Dario Vidošić	Australia	10 July 2024	Present	[22]

Former players

For details of current and former players with a Wikipedia article, see Category:Brighton & Hove Albion W.F.C. players.

Players and staff

Brighton & Hove Albion team in April 2018

Current squad

As of 18 January 2025 ^{[23] [24]}

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 2 DF   NOR Maria Thorisdottir 3 DF   ENG Poppy Pattinson 5 DF   NOR Guro Bergsvand 6 MF   ESP Vicky Losada (captain) 7 FW   TAN Aisha Masaka 8 FW   GER Pauline Bremer 9 FW   ENG Nikita Parris 10 MF   SRB Jelena Čanković 11 MF   JPN Kiko Seike 14 MF   ENG Fran Kirby 16 DF   COL Jorelyn Carabalí 17 MF   ENG Bex Rayner

No. Pos. Nation Player 18 MF   ENG Maisie Symonds 19 DF   NED Marisa Olislagers 20 FW   ESP Bruna Vilamala (on loan from Barcelona) 21 MF   USA Madison Haley 22 MF   SRB Dejana Stefanović 23 DF   NED Marit Auée 27 DF   SCO Rachel McLauchlan 28 GK   GER Melina Loeck 32 GK   ENG Sophie Baggaley 33 MF   AUS Charlize Rule 59 FW   ENG Michelle Agyemang (on loan from Arsenal)

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 12 MF   ENG Libby Bance (at Bristol City until 30 June 2025) 25 GK   ENG Hannah Poulter (at Portsmouth until 30 June 2025) 26 DF   CHN Li Mengwen (at West Ham United until 30 June 2025) 45 FW   ENG Lily Dent(at Portsmouth until 30 June 2025) — DF   ENG Grace McEwen (at Portsmouth until 30 June 2025)

Under-19s

The list includes players named in a senior matchday squad.^{[ citation needed ]}

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 46 FW   ENG Elliana Martin 47 MF   ENG Evie Milner 48 MF   ENG Tahirah Heron 60 MF   ENG Jess Pegram 61 MF   ENG Mia Balmer 63 MF   ENG Olivia Johnson

Coaching staff

Position	Name
Head coach	Dario Vidošić
Assistant coach	Chris Roberts
Goalkeeping coach	Nikita Runnacles
Managing director	Zoe Johnson
Recruitment manager	Edward Gallagher
Physiotherapist	Elise Vadiveloo
Lead analyst	Sophie Bone
Club doctor	Shane Worthington
Kit manager	Tim Capstick

See also

• Football in Sussex

References

1. "Brighton & Hove Albion Women Football Club". vavel.com. Archived from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
2. "Administrator: June Jaycocks". Women's Football Archive. Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
3. Club, Brighton & Hove Albion Women Football. "Brighton & Hove Albion Women Football Club | Biography & Wiki | VAVEL International". VAVEL. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
4. "Brighton & Hove Albion WFC's five-year Champions League plan". BBC Sport. 30 April 2015. Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
5. "NEWS Archives". Archived from the original on 8 July 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
6. "Brighton & Hove Albion Women promotion to Women's Super League approved". BBC News. 2 June 2016. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
7. "ALBION ACHIEVE TIER ONE STATUS". BBC News. 2 June 2016. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
8. "Women: Albion 4-0 Tottenham". Brighton & Hove ALbion F.C. 8 January 2012. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
9. "Women: Reading 4-2 Brighton". Brighton & Hove ALbion F.C. 4 February 2013. Archived from the original on 7 February 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
10. "WOMEN: DONOGHUE LEAVES ALBION". Brighton & Hove Albion - The Official Club of The Seagulls. 10 June 2014. Archived from the original on 9 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
11. "Women: Albion 5-0 Chesham". Brighton and Hove Albion - The Official Club website of The Seagulls. 25 November 2013. Archived from the original on 27 November 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
12. Dalton, Neville (11 June 2014). "Marrs leaves Gillingham for Brighton Super League challenge". Sent Her Forward. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
13. "Brighton dismiss women's manager James Marrs after disciplinary hearing". BBC Sport . BBC. 22 April 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
14. "George Parris to keep Brighton interim manager role for Spring Series". BBC Sport . BBC. 15 December 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
15. "Hope Powell: Brighton and Hove Albion Women appoint ex-England boss as new head coach". BBC Sport . BBC. 19 July 2017. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
16. "Jens Scheuer confirmed as new women's head coach". Brighton & Hove Albion FC. 28 December 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
17. "Club statement: Jens Scheuer". Brighton & Hove Albion FC. 6 March 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
18. "Albion Appoint Phillips". Brighton & Hove Albion FC. 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
19. "Brighton appoint Melissa Phillips as head coach of Women's Super League side". 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
20. "Phillips leaves head coach role". 1 February 2024. Archived from the original on 11 July 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
21. "Phillips leaves head coach role". 1 February 2024. Archived from the original on 11 July 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
22. "Dario Vidosic appointed women's first team head coach". 10 July 2024. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
23. "Women's First Team". Brighton & Hove Albion FC . Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
24. "There's somenew numbers to look out for in 2024/25👀✨️". Instagram . Brighton & Hove Albion Women. Retrieved 16 September 2024.

External links

• Official website