Saturday 9th March 2024
Quarter Final
Brighton and Hove Albion vs. Manchester United
Brilliant, just brilliant. Despite the odds of a home draw or a visit to any of the three other North West teams left in the last eight being high, Manchester United get drawn away to Brighton Hove Albion – the furthest I could have travelled for a quarter-final tie! But that’s alright – I’ve been to Brighton before, I quite enjoyed visiting, in fact. Except the women’s team play in Crawley – again, that’s alright as I’ve been here before too, during my ‘doing the 92’ groundhopping project, so at least I’m familiar with the route. Then my plans are thrown into utter chaos – the tie gets switched to a Saturday, which happens to be my birthday! But that’s alright too, as more trains running on a Saturday, so I could even get home on the same day and make last orders if they have an afternoon kick-off. So, imagine my despair then, when the match is confirmed for an early-evening 5.15pm kick-off, meaning I’ll have no chance of getting back home. Cheers. I’m never being ‘peacock smug’ about anything, ever again!
Things are looking up though, as I board the train down to
London when I birthday treat myself to a
gingerbread man with a football shirt
on – which sounds pathetic, I know. Just to make things better – when I
unwrap him, the gingerbread man is sporting a crooked smile, which I feel is
mocking me. So, I bite his head off. Due to issues of time and cost, I’m
getting an overnight coach back tonight, but the upside is that Crawley is
relatively easy to get to; just a change in London and you’re there. I’ve come
a long way (literally) since that
whimsical frolic with nature in Penwortham.
Today’s tie is a repeat of last year’s semi-final, which United won. Held in Leigh, a crowd of over 4,000 saw an extremely entertaining game in which both sides held the lead, before Rachel Williams popped up with an 89th-minute winner. Funnily enough, I watched this match – on a tiny television in a Blackpool bed and breakfast! Only in the job for two months at that point, Brighton’s American head coach, Melissa Phillips, got a great deal out of her side and almost pulled off a shock. Containing young forward talent, England’s Katie Robinson and Norway’s Elisabeth Terland, there’s certainly plenty to build on at Brighton – exciting, creative football to draw in the supporters. Fast-forward to today, however, and they’re struggling towards the bottom end of the WSL (10th of 12 teams) and just last month, removed Phillips and installed Mikey Harris as interim head coach. Brighton cited ‘results and performances not being at the level we had expected’, given the ‘heavy investment’ into the squad and infrastructure as the reason for the change. What a difference a year makes.
Founded in 1967 by workers at the Post Office’s telephone exchange, Brighton GPO played in charity matches for the first few years of their existence, before becoming founder members of the Sussex Marlet Women’s League in 1969. The Marlet, by the way, is a mythical bird that appears on the coat of arms of Sussex – I assumed it was an electrical shop or something, sponsoring the league! The Brighton and Hove Albion supporters club also formed a women’s team during this period, winning local league competitions and even went on to reach the semi-final of the FA Cup in 1976 – although they were beaten 8-1 by Southampton Women (the ‘other’ Southampton we covered last time out!), and disbanded not long later.
After the FA ban on women’s football was lifted in 1971, small amounts of money started to trickle its way into the game with one such example being the sponsorship of Brighton GPO by local sports shop, Clapshaw & Cleave. This deal – which was no doubt arranged by C&C employee and Brighton GPO player, Julie Hemsley – saw the club renamed to ‘C&C Sports’, going on to win the 1979-80 Sussex Marlet League and various cup competitions, before joining the Home Counties League, which was considered a stronger competition.
During this period, the club were primarily playing at Southwick FC, while East Preston FC also served as an occasional venue. In 1990, Brighton and Hove Albion FC founded their ‘Football in the Community’ scheme, with the development of women’s football being high on their priority list. As such, C&C Sports became affiliated with Brighton and Hove Albion, changing their name and playing home matches at Sussex University, before pitching up at the Withdean Stadium; the council-owned athletics stadium which would also become the home of the men’s team in 1997, up until 2011. Hemsley was doing some coaching with the Community scheme by this point and the incorporation of the women’s side led to her being appointed as the club’s first ‘Community and Development Officer’, specifically focusing on the development of women’s and girl’s football. Later, she would combine this role with the assistant manager’s job with the English national team – experiences which would see her given a seat on the FA Council, developing the women’s game on a national scale. It was while with the FA that she encountered Hope Powell; an England international who would later become manager of the England senior team, as well as Brighton and Hove Albion.
Brighton grew steadily throughout the 1990s; winning several local competitions in Sussex – they even went on to have a two-season spell in the top flight of women’s football at the turn of the 21st century. After various league restructurings saw them placed in the Southern Division of the Women’s Premier League, the 2000-01 season saw them pip Chelsea to the title by a single point to win promotion to the nationalised Premier League. Despite a relegation two years later, the club continued to develop coaching programmes throughout the area and by 2015 had announced an ambitious five-year plan to reach the Women’s Super League and qualify for the Champions League. It took three years for them to get to the WSL – although this was achieved due to another restructuring; their superior infrastructure was deemed ideal for the now-professionalised top flight and so were invited to join. Since then, the club have generally been stable in the WSL – operating in the lower half of the 12-team league – although they did finish in 11th last season, only five points away from relegated Reading.
It was during the announcement of their joining of WSL1 that they announced that home games were to be played at Crawley FC of the men’s Football League; their Broadfield ground being some 20 miles away from the centres of Brighton and Hove. Interestingly though, there have been recent rumblings that the club may get their own stadium in the same complex as the men’s stadium at Falmer. In what would represent the first purpose-built stadium for a women’s football club, the plan to build a 10,000-capacity ground was voted on by the council back in October and although there will be more hurdles to overcome before a spade hits the ground, it no doubt represents an exciting project for the club and women’s football as a whole. The idea seems to hit the right balance between giving the women’s side their own facility from which to develop and grow, forging their own identity as they go, whilst still being part of the Brighton and Hove Albion ‘family’, on account of being in the same location as the men’s club.
Broadfield was ‘only’ built in 1997 (if I remember the year, it can’t be that long ago) and is a decent enough ground – named after the area of Crawley that sits behind, the stadium is made up from a combination of terracing and seating. I’m sitting in the East Stand today, which is the newest at the ground after the original terracing was demolished in 2011 for an all-seated stand to make the stadium compliant with Football League regulations. Once I’m scanned in with my e-ticket and enter, I feel that the stand doesn’t seem like it’s only 12 years old – there are supporting pillars running in front which are largely a relic of grounds of the 20th century, or temporary stands that have been designed to be transported. There’s no concourse, instead the food van and toilets are located in a corner – I’m imagining a long queue of women and girls, running down the front of the stand during half-time, patiently waiting to use the facilities, while I mischievously stroll into the empty men’s. Maybe we’ll see the toilet gender balance redressed if/when Brighton Women do get their own stadium? An interesting factor to consider in stadium fitting plans, I’m sure!
The pre-match atmosphere is building nicely; the walk to my seat sees me go past a band with multiple drums being hammered and trumpets being blared – think of a military band playing Ska music. Madness. Leading the clapping is Brighton’s mascot, Sally Seagull – she’s the female equivalent of ‘Gully’, who usually appears alongside her at Brighton games, but I can’t see him here. Should I take my chance and ask Sally out for a birthday pint back at The Railway, later? A neat addition to the supporter experience here is the availability of the match programme – which has been advertised as a download via QR codes printed on posters attached around the ground. The supporters around me are very respectful – clapping both sides heartily as they emerge onto the pitch and kick-off. Lining up for United is Maya Le Tissier – who they signed from Brighton in the summer of 2022, going on to make her England debut.
Earpsforce One is here as well – just like in Eastleigh last month, every touch of the ball by England’s No1 Mary Earps has been met with screams of MARYYYYYYYYYY like she’s all of The Rolling Stones circa 1966. During this match, she would rush off her line to punch away a cross and it was met with cheers worthy of any goal – no joke; you can say she's quite popular everywhere she goes! What I find interesting though is the continuing trend of supporters being attracted to the game because of players, rather than the clubs’ themselves. How many people are here to see the teams or to see England stars like Earps and Ella Toone in the flesh?
I remember hearing as far back as the men’s 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea that people in that part of the world like to ‘follow players’ (such as David Beckham), which I found bizarre at the time. Yes, by all means, admire a player for their deeds on the pitch, that’s just good sportsmanship and a respectful nod to their talents, but the concept of following them and not having your own club per se was baffling. Unthinkable, even. Watching a football team was all about being part of a collective, being together – how can you do that with a player? They aren’t pop stars! It’s a team game, there’s plenty more where they came from! Twenty years later and with games in leagues around the world easily available to watch and social media pushing the personalities of players, it’s quite common now to see supporters changing one shirt for another when their favourite player moves on. They are popstars, people do feel ‘together’ in their fandom of said figure – Mary Earps is the Taylor Swift of the WSL. But will supporters follow Earps – or any of the top players in the women’s game – if they move on? How will that affect the growth of clubs’ going forward? How can women’s football take advantage of this ‘pop star’ quality it’s quickly growing? Will Sally Seagull text me back? All questions I’m pondering as the match kicks off.
United wasted no time in opening the scoring – they’ve spent the first eight minutes or so camped in the Brighton half; red shirts passing the ball along the floor with ease, as blue-and-white figures chase its shadow. A Katie Zelem corner isn’t cleared and after a game of head tennis in the penalty area, the ball finds its way back to Zelem on the right, she cuts inside on her left foot, swings the ball in and centre-back Millie Turner loses her marker to head in. Too easy for the away side as the goal is met with loud cheers – and not just from the ‘official’ supporters behind the goal, but from some of the ‘neutrals’ around me too. The songs about Wembley echo even louder not long later, as Toone and Melvine Malard combine to slip the ball to Nikita Parris, running into the Brighton penalty area – she takes a touch before firing past Sophie Baggerly in the home goal.
It feels like it’s game over already – most Brighton supporters around me are muted, but nevertheless, still smiling; enjoying the occasion and the atmosphere whipped up by the band. Sophie Baggerly probably isn’t enjoying the occasion though, as the beleaguered Brighton goalie is kept busy throughout the rest of the half (saying that, maybe she is enjoying showing off her skills? Must be a weird conundrum being a goalkeeper – you don’t want your team to give up loads of chances, but at the same time you want to be kept busy because it allows you to make saves and be all impressive?). Baggsy (as I’ll be calling her from now on), does manage to make a great save, as she palms a looping shot from just outside the area, over the bar. United have several other close chances that go wide and over – the most guilt-edged chance being when Brighton decide to play out from a goal-kick. After playing a one-two with one of her defenders, Baggsy hits the ball too hard at another defender, she loses it and somehow – from almost on the penalty spot – United’s Lisa Naalsund blasts her shot over, with the ball hitting the front of the stand and bouncing onto the outside of the net, in an almost-mocking manner.
Brighton are working hard, trying to close down United, but they’re simply quicker all across the pitch – and large gaps are now appearing as the half draws to a close. Chasing the game, the home side lose the ball on halfway and it’s played up to Malard. The Frenchwoman is in the penalty area after playing a one-two with Toone. Baggsy tries to close her down, but after slipping the ball under her, it looks like Malard will score. However, the ball hits the post and rolls agonisingly across the goal-line – but Lucia Garcia is on hand to tap in. Three-nil and categorically game over now. The band try and trumpet up some support, and their team at least respond with a couple of half chances – the best coming just before the whistle as a low shot is pushed away by Earps, earning yet more celebratory screams from her dedicated fan club. It’s been tough on Brighton; they’ve been given the runaround by their visitors, who look leagues better in every department.
The second half sees United attacking the end that I'm sat close to; I’m sat in-line with the penalty area, and after being starved for action in the first half, I’ve got a great view of the visitors’ fast-attacking, which naturally resumes when the half starts. Brighton are still chasing shadows as Malard in particular has a couple of good chances – Baggsy making two good saves from her; the second of which being a one-on-one that she did well to push wide. It wasn’t long until she’s beaten again, however – and in some style. A United corner is only half-cleared to the edge of the penalty area, Malard plays it to Naaslund on the left-side of the area, she cuts inside past a defender and absolutely wellies a shot across goal that flies past Baggsy and into the corner of the net. Brilliant goal – the shot was exactly what her earlier attempt wasn’t; powerful but with control.
Aside from Toone and Malard running the show for United up front, another forward who has impressed me has been Parris. She’s been a handful all game – really awkward for the defenders to deal with. She’s been constantly popping up in attacking space, running at – and beyond – defenders. I’ve only ever seen her play out wide (usually as an impact sub) for England, where she tends to drift in and out of games, with little space to play in. After watching her during this FA Cup run – and here today – she seems to be used more centrally by Marc Skinner; at different times she’s dropping deep, going wide or sprinting beyond defenders. Even I’m having trouble picking her up, so I can only imagine what the Brighton defence must feel like! Just to underline all this, she has a great chance late on; running towards the area with the ball before unleashing a strike that Baggsy does brilliantly to tip wide. Parris should have a couple of goals, Baggsy should be bagging player of the match for Brighton.
One aspect of the women’s game that has been praised in recent years, has been the lack of theatrics. There are some post-tackle afters when Garcia pushes Brighton defender, Jorelyn Carabali down on the ground – right in front of me too. But instead of rolling around or complaining to the ref, Carabali just got on with it. Fair play – maybe you can argue it was pointless to try anything while 4-0 down, but I’ve not seen any playacting at all during this FA Cup run, so I somehow doubt it would have happened even if the scores were closer. Now, I’m not saying it doesn’t happen in women’s football, just that it doesn’t happen anywhere near as much as in the men’s game. The reason for this can be put down to the one-hundred-and-fifty years of professionalism and big-money prestige that’s been attached to men’s competitions. Every game means something, so players will try anything to win and so this behaviour is engrained within professional men’s football – professional women’s football is still in its early developmental stage. Now, the question is, will theatrics start to appear more if/when the women’s game starts to bring in more money and prestige? Let’s see where we are in a decade or so…
The visitors see out the game comfortably, with Brighton unable to create much of note – United through to yet another semi-final. Can they make it two finals in a row? Their travelling supporters seem to think so – they’re singing about Wembley again as they receive applause from their team; scarves and signs being held aloft for them to see. I actually experienced all this first-hand, as I somehow got lost and ended up having to walk around the ground, in front of the away supporters and through a gate at the opposite end of the ground! No idea why I didn’t go back the way I came? I’m off back to London (via The Railway pub) to spend my life savings on a couple of pints before my overnight coach home. It is my birthday if I’ve not mentioned it. Got to make the most of it.
Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Manchester
United 4
(Turner, 8. Parris, 17.
Garcia, 45. Naalsund, 59)
Attendance: 3,701
Next round: Manchester United vs. Chelsea
