Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton are up for the cup

Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Chichester City

The final of the Sussex Women’s Challenge Cup is due to take place on Thursday 18 April 2019 between Brighton & Hove Albion and Chichester City.

Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Chichester City
Sussex Women’s Challenge Cup Final
Date: Thursday 18 April 2019
Kick-off: 7.15pm
Venue: Sussex County FA, Culver Road, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 9AX

Brighton & Hove Albion’s brightest young female footballers are relishing playing in the Sussex Women’s Challenge Cup - but they are not going there just for the experience.

Lead coach Jack Fagan insists his players are fully focused on winning as they prepare to take on Chichester City in front of what is expected to be a large crowd at Culver Road.

Rather like their male counterparts, Brighton field their Development Squad in the County Cup. The squad is primarily for 17 to 21 year-olds, providing an elite environment to play in and an important part of the pathway from regional talent centres to the first team.

They play in the FA WSL Development League (Southern Division) and the National Development Cup, but the Sussex Cup is also an excellent opportunity to showcase their talents to first team manager Hope Powell, the former England boss.

Fagan said: “In terms of this year’s progression so far we have done really well. We have some girls who are representing their country and some who have made first team appearances, showing they are capable of improving to that level, so it is going really well.

“In the last couple of years the strides forward this club have made have been massive. You are getting more people watching women’s football, more people appreciating it, more people are talking about it and it is getting the media coverage it deserves. It is a really good standard of football. Hope has been happy to give some of our girls the opportunity to go and play first team football and it shows the Development Squad is working with players getting that opportunity to progress.

“The Sussex Cup is an important part of their learning curve. You are coming up against senior sides that have been playing the game for many years. It is an opportunity to learn, an opportunity to experience a cup match which has that different feel to it, and an opportunity to enjoy that really important game that the final will be. Hopefully there will be a good crowd there and they can experience that side of it too.”

Brighton are now playing in the highest level of domestic women’s football, the Women’s Super League, competing against the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool on a weekly basis. ‘Development’, ‘progression’ and ‘opportunity’ are strategic goals for Fagan and his fellow coaches as they look to produce top young talent capable of playing in that environment, but instilling winning habits is another important aim and that will be very much on the mind as Brighton prepare to face Chichester.

Fagan said: “We know a few of the people at Chichester and it will be tough, but we will focus on us. Our aim is the Development League but this is an opportunity for the girls and they are all here because they want to win. It is all about the final, we want to put on a good performance but we want to win the game. Hopefully we can do that!”

Entry prices for the final are as follows:
£5.00 Adult (17+)
£3.00 Concession (65+ and students with valid student ID card)
FREE Child (16 and under)

For further details about the Sussex Women’s Challenge Cup please contact Competitions:

Competitions
T: 01903 753547
E: Competitions@SussexFA.com

Related News

View All