Boss Mitchell reflects on another year of progress for Brighouse Town Women

At the end of 2020 Brighouse Women had seen their previous two seasons cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, last playing a full season in 2018-19 where the side finished second in FAWNL Division 1 North, the fourth tier of women’s football in England.

Now, at the end of 2021, Rob Mitchell is thrilled his side are finally back playing competitive football again.

‘’I think the highlight of 2021 was returning to football, being in and around that group knowing that we’ve secured promotion through the upward movement,” he said.

Town’s return to the field in 2021 has turned out to be one of the most memorable years in the club’s short history as they secured promotion to the FAWNL Northern Premier Division, the third tier of women’s football in England, after submitting an application to the FA in the summer.

‘’The application we put together was really strong and we always felt that we had a chance based on our performances on the pitch, thankfully the people who make the decisions saw what we saw, and we made the step up,” said Mitchell.

With the promotion, Mitchell believes his team are a much more professional outfit going forward.

‘’I think the professionalism of the club has gone up tenfold, the amount of training sessions we’re having at the moment and what were actually doing in training, the ability to have our GPS vests as well so we’re able to help the players analytically and through data to improve,” he said. “I just think on the whole we’ve come on so far from last season, I think we’ve had too with the step up.’’

Brighouse sit seventh in the league after playing nine games, with games in hand on the teams around them.

Mitchell wants to see his side remain competitive for the rest of the season and beyond.

He said: “In 2022, if we can continue the way we are, looking forward we’re hoping we can achieve success and what success looks like to us this season is, maintaining our league status, so continuing to play in tier three next season, trying to do well in the cups, if we can lift the county cup, have a really good run in the league cup and the league that will mean success.”

The next game for Brighouse Women is set to be against Derby County, who currently sit top of the Northern Premier Division, on January 9, 2022 in the FAWNL Cup.