By WILL GRIFFEE
Published: 11:57 EST, 6 November 2025 | Updated: 12:10 EST, 6 November 2025
Lionesses star and Chelsea captain Millie Bright has been called 'spineless' and 'pathetic' by fans after dismissing Mary Earps' criticism of team-mate Hannah Hampton as 'gossip'.
Bright and ex-England forward Rachel Daly spoke on The Rest Is Football: Daly Brightness podcast about how they were refusing to comment or give their opinion on the story.
Bright, as Hampton's club skipper at Chelsea, was singled out for particular criticism by angry supporters for refusing to support her younger team-mate.
Ex-England goalkeeper Earps recently published a book in which she revealed telling boss Sarina Wiegman she was 'rewarding bad behaviour' by recalling rival Hampton into the squad.
Earps dramatically stepped away from the England set-up just five weeks before this summer's European Championships and accused Hampton of 'frequently risking derailing training sessions and team resources’ in her book.
Daly retired from international football last year but shared a dressing room with both women and the same can be said of Bright, who refused to follow Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor by condemning Earps' remarks.
Millie Bright (above) dismissed the Mary Earps takedown of Hannah Hampton as 'gossip' on her podcast
Bright, pictured hugging Earps in 2023, was accused by fans of being 'spineless' for not sticking up for younger Chelsea team-mate Hampton
'Everyone I'm sure is probably going to want us to touch on the Hannah and Mary saga,' Daly said on their latest episode.
Bright added: 'We've seen your tweets, we know you want us to have a gossip, we've seen them all.'
Before Daly went on: 'We're not here to have a gossip, our podcast isn't about that, everyone is going to have their own opinion, freedom of speech, people are going to say this, people are going to say that and I think for us our podcast is more about spreading positivity and joy. Think what you want but we're not commenting on it.'
Plenty of fans thought their stance was a cop out and believed Bright, in particular, should have offered public support of Hampton rather than dismissing Earps' criticism as 'gossip'.
One wrote: 'Millie Bright is Chelsea captain, her teammate's getting slaughtered & she decides to stay out of it because "gossip". Come on, Millie.'
Another added: 'This is such a bad take from them, especially with MB being captain. There was a clear way to say that they don't want to add more voices, opinions and fuel to an all ready emotional situation, without undermining it as a gossip or like it has nowt to do with them.'
And there were dozens more echoing those sentiments. 'The manager publicly defended her player, but the captain couldn't do so because she didn't want to,' argued another fan on X. 'She's the captain of the club Hannah plays for. She's the perfect person to talk about it, just as Sonia did.'
Bright's refusal to comment was also branded 'pathetic', 'spineless', 'disappointing' and 'cowardly' by other irate fans online.
It was in stark contrast to Chelsea manager Bompastor, who had said: 'With what I read in terms of the comments coming from Mary Earps, it's not acceptable to not show respect to your team-mates or managers.
Bright (right) and Hampton (centre) are club and international team-mates
In April 2025, Wiegman made Hampton her first-choice goalkeeper over Earps (above in 2023)
'We are talking about Hannah, but also I want to raise my voice for Sarina (Wiegman). When you use some words about someone who won the Euros three times in a row, you should probably think about it before you speak.
'If you look at what Hannah said in her previous comments about Mary Earps, then what Mary is saying about her now - one of them is class, and Hannah is the class one.'
Twice named the best goalkeeper in the world, Earps was England's established No 1 goalkeeper during Euro 2022 and the 2023 World Cup, while Hampton acted as the Lionesses' back-up.
However, in October 2022, months after the Euros, Hampton made headlines after it was claimed she had been dropped by Wiegman amid concerns over her attitude and conduct.
Hampton was presented the Yachine Trophy by Earps (right) in an awkward moment on stage
Referencing the incident in her book, Earps said: ‘It affected us all in a domino effect to an extent that was extremely unusual in a successful elite team environment.’
Hampton, 24, later reflected on the fallout and told Elle magazine in June: ‘It was harder to find that fight in me to prove people wrong, but somehow I managed it.
‘I had all my friends and my family around me at the time to guide me in the right direction and keep me going. It’s worked out for the best – I’ve got a lot to thank them for.’
Earps, who does not specify what Hampton’s behaviour entailed, claims in the autobiography that Wiegman consulted her when Hampton was recalled to the national squad in 2023 - and told her that ‘everyone deserves a second chance’.
In April 2025, Wiegman named Hampton her first-choice goalkeeper over Earps, a decision which prompted the former Manchester United star to announce her international retirement just weeks later.
According to Earps, she was told that Hampton was 'a little bit ahead of her' and that there was 'nothing she had done wrong'.
England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton has been named in FIFPRO's World XI over Mary Earps
The goalkeeper went on in her book to detail how she was left 'extremely disappointed' by the decision - and how she told Wiegman that she 'could have been more direct and honest' in her assessment of the situation. She says her disagreements with Hampton boiled down to 'a misalignment of values.
Hampton went on to play a key role in the Lionesses winning the Euros, beating Spain in the final on penalties.
Just hours after her former team-mate's explosive claims in her book earlier this week, Hampton took to Instagram to thank singer Rachel Chinouri, describing her as a 'true lioness' accompanied with a winking emoji.
And former Lioness Ellen White admitted feeling ‘uneasy’ aboutMary Earps’ new autobiography.
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor launched a staunch defence of her goalkeeper Hampton, criticising Earps' 'lack of respect' for her former England teammate
Speaking on BBC 5 Live, the 36-year-old said: ‘Honestly, it’s made me quite uneasy. I feel very nervous because I feel like I – and all the Lionesses – almost have this unwritten oath: when you’re in a team, what happens in that dressing room, in and amongst training, in your bubble, stays within that team and that environment.'
Elsewhere, Ian Wright, Roy Keane and Gary Neville have also weighed in on the controversy. Wright expressed concern for the wellbeing of both Earps and Hampton amid the furore surrounding the book’s release, warning: ‘Normally you’d get this kind of story 15 or 20 years later. Neither of them is used to this level of attention, and that’s a worry.’
Keane took a different view, suggesting Earps ‘is not naive’ and would have known her comments would spark a reaction, while Neville questioned the timing of the publication, saying: ‘I'm not sure she'll be delighted and I don't think that she had to bring the book out (right after England won the Euros).
'I just remembered towards the end of my career, I brought an autobiography out and I decided that I would never bring it out while I was still playing. I had written my book but I got given another contract so I just employed a writer, didn't go to a publisher and the moment I retire, I'll bring it out.'