Hope Powell BrightonGetty
Mitchell Wilks

Former England manager Powell steps down as Brighton women's head coach following 8-0 defeat to Tottenham

Brighton & Hove Albion WomenWSLTottenham Hotspur WomenWomen's football

Hope Powell has stepped down from her role as manager at Brighton with immediate effect following the 8-0 loss to Spurs in the WSL on Sunday.

  • Powell steps down as Brighton boss
  • Lost 4/5 WSL games this season
  • Beaten 8-0 on Sunday

WHAT HAPPENED? Powell has resigned with immediate effect after five years in charge, after her side were thrashed 8-0 by Spurs in the Women's Super League, leaving them 11th in the table and ahead of only Leicester, who are yet to take any points.

WHAT THEY SAID: In a statement released through the club, Powell said: “We’ve had a very challenging start to the new season with many changes to our squad and results not going as we had all hoped. Sunday’s heavy loss at home to Tottenham was particularly disappointing.

“As a club, we’ve made a lot of progress in the past five years, but I feel now is the right time to step aside and allow a new coach to take the team forward with plenty of Super League football still to play this season.”

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Chair of Brighton & Hove Albion’s women’s and girls’ football club board Michelle Walder added: “Hope’s contribution to the development of women’s and girls’ football at our club, and for the women's game in this country, cannot be underestimated.

“Hope has established Brighton & Hove Albion in the Women's Super League, has overseen the opening of a new state-of-the-art women’s and girls’ teams training facility at our club, and has undoubtedly inspired further generations of young girls to play football. We wish her well for the future.”

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THE BIGGER PICTURE: An 8-0 drubbing at the expense of Spurs at the weekend was the latest in a poor string of results following a slow start to the 2022-23 season. The Seagulls have won just once, scoring just twice and have already shipped 19 goals. Powel - an instrumental figure in the framework of women's football - led Brighton to a sixth place finish in the 2020-21 WSL season.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

Emma Kullberg Hope Powell Brighton 2022-23GettyHope Powell Brighton 2022-23Getty

WHAT NEXT FOR BRIGHTON? Amy Merricks will take interim charge of the side for their trip to West Ham this weekend, while the club searches for Powell's replacement.

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