After narrowly surviving relegation at the conclusion of the 2022/23 Barclays Women’s Super League campaign by five points, having ultimately finished in 11th position with 16 points, Brighton & Hove Albion began their on-pitch activities hoping for a momentous change in fortunes as the new season begun.

Having spearheaded the Seagulls’ flight away from the drop zone after being in charge for only a couple of months, Melissa Phillips started to concoct her plans for the upcoming season. 

A plethora of signings subsequently came across the door in her first full season in charge – including Pauline Bremer (who netted 13 goals in 24 appearances for VfL Wolfsburg), Vicky Losada, Maria Thorisdóttir and Sophie Baggaley. Phillips also welcomed the Aussie duo in Charlize Rule and Mackenzie Hawkesby to Crawley.

The Turn of the Season

With practically a new squad at her disposal, aspirations were high that a repeat would not be on the cards on the South Coast. Indeed, proceedings began well, as a trip to Merseyside at the beginning of October concluded with a brace from Elisabeth Terland (within the first 14 minutes of the match) that secured all three points – despite Megan Finnigan pulling back a consolation for the hosts. 

However, celebrations lasted only for a week as their first match of the league campaign saw visiting West Ham United run out 2-0 victors. Amid a 3-0 triumph over Championship outfit Birmingham City in the first group-stage match of the 2023/24 Conti Cup, defeats then came thick and fast – Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal all left Brighton with no need to ignite celebrations in the dressing room. 

It was not all doom and gloom, as in mid-November, second-half substitute Lee Geum-min appeared from the dugout to net an 81st-minute winner in an eyebrow-raising 1-0 success over title-challengers Manchester City. 

Though two more losses then followed in the WSL, this time at the hands of Arsenal and Liverpool. The defeats were sandwiched in-between a morale-boosting 3-1 Conti Cup victory over West Ham United, to provide the Seagulls a much needed energy shift as the end of the year approached. With the lingering thought of relegation now creeping up on Phillips’ players approaching the concluding stages of the footballing year, another double from leading goalscorer for the season Elisabeth Terland salvaged a late share of the spoils at home to Leicester. 

After a four-match sequence without a win, finally, three points landed towards the end of January. A five-goal thriller with bottom-of-the-table Bristol City concluded in dramatic circumstances with Terland again finding the back of the net – this time with literally the last kick of the game, to the relief of everyone. The next day, German goalkeeper Melina Loeck signed on the dotted line from Swedish outfit Kristianstads DFF to compete with Baggaley for the Seagulls’ number one spot between the posts.

With ending on the losing side now sadly a common occurrence both home and away, Brighton ended January and began February with two more defeats to Chelsea and Manchester United. 

Change of Management

The latter, ultimately, ended Phillips’ nine-month reign, as the Amex’s upper echelons decided to hand down a P45 with relegation a very realistic possibility. With the search for a new manager externally underway, Boys’ Academy Head Coach Mikey Harris was handed temporary charge until the end of the season in his very first venture across Women’s football. 

Harris would register his first victory in charge in the middle of the month as Emma Kullberg sensationally netted a second-half hat-trick between the 88th and 96th minutes in their fifth-round Abode Women’s FA Cup success at Wolverhampton Wanderers. However, again, the unwanted taste of defeat was experienced on Seagull palates, with Ceri Holland scoring after eight minutes of the second half (before later getting sent off) for Liverpool, as Matt Beard’s side left the South Coast with not only an ice cream, but also three points. 

March began in chaotic circumstances, with Brighton putting seven past Championship-bound Bristol City in a ‘relegation six-pointer’/10-goal affair at Ashton Gate. Seeking a record-breaking seasonal head-to-head double over Man City a fortnight later, home supporters were left disappointed at the Broadfield Stadium as Gareth Taylor’s side put four past the hosts in response to their solitary effort. 

A Topsy-Turvy Campaign

However, Harris’ side did not remain on the losing side for long as Terland netted a game-winning goal in the 85th minute against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium as part of a 3-2 away day celebration. A goalless draw with West Ham was followed up with a 2-1 defeat at home to Everton. But creditably, an expedition to the capital resulted in Spurs needing a late Beth England equaliser to salvage a point – the result that confirmed Brighton’s participation in the 2024/25 Barclays WSL campaign following Bristol’s defeat to Manchester City. 

2023/24 concluded with back-to-back defeats to Aston Villa (0-1) and Arsenal (5-0) to put a bittersweet farewell on the season for the manager-less Seagulls. Ultimately, considering Phillips was relieved of her duties in mid-February, Harris has done a phenomenal job to keep the club in the top tier of English Women’s football. As well as accumulating three more points (19) and two higher places, 9th, compared to last season.

The question, however, on everyone’s lips is will Harris be rewarded the job on a permanent basis, but also will talismanic striker Terland – only Golden Boot winner Khadija Shaw scored more goals (21) in the WSL than the Norwegian’s 13 in 2023/24 – be playing for the club from October onwards?