Football Season Guide

Finished as the best from the rest last season. Outside the Big 4 [Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City and Man United] no other team matches Brighton’s 28 points. This was full 15 points behind fourth place but still being fifth gave the Seagulls confidence. This was a great progression from the ninth-place finish a year earlier. Secured 8 wins last season compared to only 5 the previous campaign. Of course, it can’t be overlooked the fact that 6 of those 8 wins came before the winter break. From January onward the form declined a lot. In his second year in charge the Aussie manager Vidosic will rely on entirely new back line. Brighton went for a bold 2-year plan this summer, which saw them part ways with 7 regular starters most of which of advanced age. Instead the goal is to develop many promising young players for the 2025/26 season. This decision was taken due to the fact that there won’t be relegation as per say this season. The WSL is expanding to 14 teams from next year and even the side in last place will likely stay up via a survival play-off. All this means Brighton can afford to take this risk, so they can be even stronger two years from now. The 3 experienced centre-backs that left the team were all replaced by a trio of much younger players. Mpome didn’t get much chance at Chelsea but for the Seagulls she should be a cornerstone player. Captain Losada, 34-years-old now, was also allowed to leave too. Brighton want to see how young Maisie Symonds will manage increased responsibilities. In attack, the same refreshing occurred. Reliable but ageing strikers Parris and Bremer are gone. Instead Spanish Camacho came from Real Madrid and Agyemang was loaned in from Chelsea. Of the 3 natural centre forwards on the roster Camacho is the oldest at age 20. Even before his arrival at Brighton in the summer of 2024 coach Vidosic built reputation as a master of developing young talent so the coming season will be all about that as far as Brighton are concerned.