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
Pre-season
FA Women's Super League
Results summary
Results by matchday
Results
League table
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
Transfers
Transfers in DatePositionNationalityNameFromRef.6 July 2020GKKatie Startup Charlton Athletic13 July 2020MFKatie Robinson Bristol City15 July 2020MFNora Heroum A.C. Milan17 July 2020MFInessa Kaagman Everton2 September 2020DFRebekah Stott Melbourne City5 February 2021DFEmma Koivisto Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC
Loans in DatePositionNationalityNameFromUntilRef.24 July 2020FWLee Geum-min Manchester CityEnd of season9 September 2020FWDenise O'Sullivan North Carolina Courage31 December 2020
Transfers out DatePositionNationalityNameToRef.3 June 2020MFLéa Le Garrec FC Fleury 91MFKate Natkiel Crystal PalaceMFAmanda Nildén Eskilstuna UnitedGKSophie Harris WatfordDFFern WhelanRetiredFWIni Umotong Växjö DFF1 July 2020DFMatilde Lundorf Juventus
Loans out DatePositionNationalityNameToUntilRef.6 August 2020GKLaura Hartley LewesEnd of season7 August 2020DFEllie Hack LewesEnd of season5 September 2020DFLaura Rafferty Bristol CityEnd of season6 September 2020GKKatie Startup Charlton Athletic13 September 2020DFBethan Roe Charlton Athletic16 January 20218 January 2021MFKirsty Barton Crystal PalaceEnd of season
Squad statistics Appearances
Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances after the + symbol where applicable.
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Defenders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Midfielders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center|Forwards
|colspan="14"|Joined during 2021–22 season but competed in the postponed 2020–21 FA Cup:
|colspan="14"|Players away from the club on loan:
|colspan="14"|Players who appeared for the club but left during the season:
References