# 2020–21 Brighton & Hove Albion W.F.C. season

The 2020–21 Brighton & Hove Albion W.F.C. season was the club's 30th season in existence and their third in the FA Women's Super League, the highest level of the football pyramid. Along with competing in the WSL, the club also contested two domestic cup competitions: the FA Cup and the League Cup.

## Summary

On 6 September, Brighton played Birmingham in their opening match of the season in what was their first league match in 6 months. The Seagulls won 2–0 at home with goals from Megan Connolly and Inessa Kaagman. On 27 September, Brighton played Birmingham again, this time coming in the quarter-final of the 2019–20 FA Cup in which they lost on penalties. The cup overlapped the new season due to the postponements as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brighton's first defeat of the campaign came on the 4 October in their third league game, a 3–0 away loss against Manchester United. In the 2–2 away draw at Everton on 18 October, Kayleigh Green was seen to be shown two yellow cards by referee Lucy Oliver but was not sent off, baffling Toffees manager Willie Kirk.
Brighton reached the semi-final of the 2020–21 FA Cup where they were defeated 3–0 away at Arsenal on 31 October 2021, after Coronavirus delayed the tournament into the next season.

## Squad

    As of 5 February 2021.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Megan Walsh |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Bethan Roe |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Felicity Gibbons |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Danielle Bowman (captain) |
| 5 | DF | NED | Danique Kerkdijk |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Maya Le Tissier |
| 7 | FW | ENG | Aileen Whelan |
| 8 | MF | IRL | Megan Connolly |
| 9 | FW | KOR | Lee Geum-min (on loan from Manchester City) |
| 10 | MF | NED | Inessa Kaagman |
| 11 | MF | FIN | Nora Heroum |
| 12 | DF | FIN | Emma Koivisto |
| 13 | DF | NZL | Rebekah Stott |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 15 | FW | WAL | Kayleigh Green |
| 16 | FW | ENG | Ellie Brazil |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Emily Simpkins |
| 20 | DF | ENG | Victoria Williams |
| 21 | MF | ENG | Jodie Brett |
| 22 | MF | ENG | Katie Robinson |
| 23 | FW | IRL | Rianna Jarrett |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Maisie Symonds |
| 25 | GK | NOR | Cecilie Fiskerstrand |
| 26 | MF | ENG | Hollie Olding |
| 29 | FW | ENG | Faith Nokuthula |
| 32 | MF | ENG | Libby Bance |

## FA Women's Super League
### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 9 May 2021. Source: FA WSL

### Results by matchday

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| Ground | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | A | H |
| Result | W | D | L | L | D | L | W | L | L | L | D | L | L | W | W | W | W | L | W | L | L | W |
| Position | 3 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 |

### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 4 | Manchester United | 22 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 44 | 20 | +24 | 47 |
| 5 | Everton | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 39 | 30 | +9 | 32 |
| 6 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 22 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 21 | 41 | −20 | 27 |
| 7 | Reading | 22 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 25 | 41 | −16 | 24 |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 22 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 18 | 41 | −23 | 20 |

## Women's FA Cup

As a member of the top two tiers, Brighton will enter the FA Cup in the fourth round proper. Originally scheduled to take place on 31 January 2021, it was delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Due to the delay, the competition only reached the fifth round before the end of the season. It resumed at the quarter-final stage the following season on 29 September 2021.

## FA Women's League Cup

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | WPEN | LPEN | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | WHU | REA | BHA | CHA |
| 1 | West Ham United | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | +7 | 8 | Advanced to knock-out stage | — | 3–0 | — | — |
| 2 | Reading | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 6 | Possible knock-out stage based on ranking | — | — | — | 4–0 |
| 3 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 1 | | 2–2 | 0–2 | — | — |
| 4 | Charlton Athletic | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | −8 | 0 | | 0–4 | — | C–C | — |
* ↑ Match originally postponed following positive COVID-19 test by Brighton staff. An independent tribunal determined the fixture would not be rescheduled as it would have no effect on qualifying.

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date | Position | Name | From |
| 6 July 2020 | GK | Katie Startup | Charlton Athletic |
| 13 July 2020 | MF | Katie Robinson | Bristol City |
| 15 July 2020 | MF | Nora Heroum | A.C. Milan |
| 17 July 2020 | MF | Inessa Kaagman | Everton |
| 2 September 2020 | DF | Rebekah Stott | Melbourne City |
| 5 February 2021 | DF | Emma Koivisto | Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC |

### Loans in

| Date | Position | Nationality | Name | From | Until | Ref. |
| 24 July 2020 | FW | | Lee Geum-min | Manchester City | End of season | |
| 9 September 2020 | FW | | Denise O'Sullivan | North Carolina Courage | 31 December 2020 | |

### Transfers out

| Date | Position | Name | To |
| 3 June 2020 | MF | Léa Le Garrec | FC Fleury 91 |
| 3 June 2020 | MF | Kate Natkiel | Crystal Palace |
| 3 June 2020 | MF | Amanda Nildén | Eskilstuna United |
| 3 June 2020 | GK | Sophie Harris | Watford |
| 3 June 2020 | DF | Fern Whelan | Retired |
| 3 June 2020 | FW | Ini Umotong | Växjö DFF |
| 1 July 2020 | DF | Matilde Lundorf | Juventus |

### Loans out

| Date | Position | Name | To | Until |
| 6 August 2020 | GK | Laura Hartley | Lewes | End of season |
| 7 August 2020 | DF | Ellie Hack | Lewes | End of season |
| 5 September 2020 | DF | Laura Rafferty | Bristol City | End of season |
| 6 September 2020 | GK | Katie Startup | Charlton Athletic | |
| 13 September 2020 | DF | Bethan Roe | Charlton Athletic | 16 January 2021 |
| 8 January 2021 | MF | Kirsty Barton | Crystal Palace | End of season |

## Squad statistics
### Appearances

    As of 31 October 2021
Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances after the + symbol where applicable.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | FA WSL | FA WSL | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | ENG | Megan Walsh | 17 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | GK | NOR | Cecilie Fiskerstrand | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 40 | GK | ENG | Katie Startup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||||
| 2 | DF | ENG | Bethan Roe | 5 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Felicity Gibbons | 19 | 2 | 12+1 | 0 | 3+1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Danielle Bowman | 15 | 0 | 12+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | NED | Danique Kerkdijk | 25 | 2 | 16+3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Maya Le Tissier | 27 | 1 | 22 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | FIN | Emma Koivisto | 13 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | DF | NZL | Rebekah Stott | 7 | 0 | 5+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | ENG | Victoria Williams | 20 | 0 | 15+2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||||
| 8 | MF | IRL | Megan Connolly | 19 | 3 | 14+1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | MF | NED | Inessa Kaagman | 27 | 9 | 22 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0+2 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | FIN | Nora Heroum | 15 | 1 | 5+6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Emily Simpkins | 18 | 0 | 7+7 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | ENG | Jodie Brett | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | ENG | Katie Robinson | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Maisie Symonds | 3 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | ENG | Hollie Olding | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | ENG | Libby Bance | 13 | 0 | 1+9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||||
| 7 | FW | ENG | Aileen Whelan | 26 | 4 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | KOR | Lee Geum-min | 20 | 3 | 12+5 | 3 | 0+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | WAL | Kayleigh Green | 21 | 0 | 13+3 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | ENG | Ellie Brazil | 18 | 0 | 13+2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | FW | IRL | Rianna Jarrett | 20 | 4 | 8+8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0+2 | 1 |
| 29 | FW | ENG | Faith Nokuthula | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joined during 2021–22 season but competed in the postponed 2020–21 FA Cup: ||||||||||||
| 11 | FW | ENG | Rinsola Babajide | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | FW | ENG | Daniele Carter | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | ENG | Juliet Adebowale | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | BEL | Lea Cordier | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players away from the club on loan: ||||||||||||
| 18 | MF | ENG | Kirsty Barton | 5 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Players who appeared for the club but left during the season: ||||||||||||
| 12 | FW | IRL | Denise O'Sullivan | 11 | 0 | 8+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |