Brighton and Hove Albion Women are preparing to embark on a season full of hope for the Seagulls as they look to close the gap between the 'big four' and the rest of the Women's Super League.
It will be the club's second season under the management of Dario Vidosic, who will be hoping that his second season goes as successfully as his first one.
Brighton finished fifth last season with a club-record 28 points in what was an impressive season for the club, which certainly looked on the right track. The Seagulls also showed that they have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with some of the best, with the 2-2 draw with Chelsea and a magnificent victory over Arsenal being top examples of this.
The question now being pondered over is whether this was a one-off or if Dario Vidosic can continue to develop his team into a real dark horse for silverware. The answer to that is one that will be eagerly anticipated - the first clues will come in their opening game of the season against Aston Villa.
2024/25 Recap - A season of great success
As mentioned already, the Seagulls achieved both their highest WSL points total and highest WSL finish in the club's history in a season that left manager Dario Vidosic "Excited for the future".
Brighton achieved some great results throughout the season, especially in their home matches at Crawley's Broadfield Stadium. They only lost twice at home all season, winning 19 of their 28 points in a stadium that was turned into a fortress by the team.
The team hit the ground running in the WSL with nine out of twelve points from their opening four matches. Their opening match of the season, a 4-0 win against Everton, really helped to set the tone early on in the season.
They experienced a dip midway through the winter period, partially due to key players leaving the squad thinner than Vidosic would have liked. A good run-in ensured they finished in 5th, three points above Aston Villa.
The Seagulls knocked Durham out in the round of 32 stage of the Women's FA Cup. However, they would not progress past the round of 16, as despite a brace from Nikita Parris, Brighton were knocked out by Aston Villa.
They also topped their group in the Women's League Cup, but were knocked out in the quarter-finals via a comfortable defeat by Arsenal.
Speaking after the season, Dario Vidosic was very happy with how his first season in the WSL had unfolded.
"We started well and those early results were a credit to the girls, because they had to learn a lot quickly about the way we wanted to play. As a team and individuals, we have been through a lot.
"We had a tough winter period when we had quite a few injuries which stretched the squad, but we suffered together. All in all, it’s been a good season which gives us positivity going into next season. I’m excited about the future."
Transfer Activity - A busy summer
There has been a whole host of changes to the Brighton squad throughout this summer. Vidosic has had to replace some really key players who have left the club, bringing in some fantastic new faces to fill these voids.
Club captain Vicky Losada made the move to Bristol City in the WSL 2, presumably on the hunt for more game time after her minutes decreased last season. Pauline Bremer, for the same reason, departed for Germany, where she will represent FC Köln.
In terms of outgoings, there were some considerable shocks, no more than striker Nikita Parris, who played a crucial role in Brighton's attack throughout the 24/25 season, making the move to newly-promoted London City Lionesses. It is a big loss for the club, who have also had to contend with some important names in the backline leaving, such as Maria Thorisdóttir and Guro Bergsvand.
But with outgoings, usually come signings, and that has been the case for Brighton this transfer window.
Arguably, their biggest success is securing a season-long loan for Michelle Agyemang, who has endured a fine summer with England, twice finding the back of the net for her country. She will be joined by her Arsenal teammate Rosa Kafaji, who will be looking for some game time.
Vidosic has also reinforced his defence with the signings of Maelys Mpomé from Chelsea, Moeka Minami from AS Roma, and Manuela Vanegas from Real Sociedad. The signing of goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie from Paris FC is also a coup for the Seagulls, whereas the acquisition of young Spanish prospect Carla Camacho also strengthens the frontline.
Despite the loss of some significant players, it looks like Brighton has recruited well, bringing in some really high-quality players.
They say to never fall in love with a loan player, but it feels like it will be very hard for Brighton fans not to do just that. After the summer that Agyemang has had, being able to get her back in the team for another season is a victory in itself for the club.
Scoring late on to rescue her nation on two different occasions, on the biggest stage, proves that Agyemang is ready to lead the line for Brighton, and with Parris now with the London City Lionesses, it is likely she will do just this.
The striker scored three goals for the club last season in the WSL, but only three of her seventeen league appearances came in the form of starts. With the young striker set to get more minutes, these numbers are bound to rise.
If Michelle Agyemang's summer is anything to go by, she will play a vital role in Brighton's season, should they want to challenge the very best.
Strongest XI
(4-3-3):
Chiamaka Nnadozie; Marit Auee, Moeka Minami, Caitlin Hayes, Manuela Vanegas; Maisie Symonds, Jelena Cankovic, Marisa Olislagers; Kiko Seike, Fran Kirby, Michelle Agyemang.
The Manager - Dario Vidosic
Vidosic's first season in the WSL was simply superb as the Australian laid the foundations for what he hopes will be a season with even more success on the horizon.
He has favoured a 4-3-3 formation throughout his time at the club, which has served him very well so far.
Vidosic spoke on his first season after the conclusion of the 24/25 campaign in England, stating that he had already learned a lot from his time in the division.
"It [the season] has absolutely flown by, and there has been a lot to get used to over the past few months, but I have thoroughly enjoyed it. There has been so much I haven’t experienced before – little things like frozen pitches and five-hour coach trips to away games turning into seven hours!
"I have learned so much to put into practice in future, but as a coach I think I have improved and learned so much, about our opponents and our own players, that will help me going forward."
Expectations for the 25/26 campaign
The expectations for Brighton's upcoming campaign will be to bridge that gap between the top four and the rest of the division. The Seagulls were the 'best of the rest' last year, but were still quite away from the points totals of the top four. They finished 15 points off fourth-placed Manchester City - this is a gap they will want to close this year.
In terms of cup competitions, who knows what to expect from Brighton? They proved on multiple occasions last season that they can compete and defeat the best teams in England.
They are certainly not favourites to win anything this season, but it would be fair to consider the club as dark horses who certainly have the potential to cause an upset.