Brighton and Hove Albion have confirmed that women’s first team head coach, Mel Phillips, has left the club with immediate effect, just hours after the transfer window slammed shut in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
The Seagulls are set to face Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday, and the club have confirmed that Mikey Harris will take charge of the team for the foreseeable future – supported by Owen Fisher and pre-existing women’s team technical staff.
Harris is a UEFA Pro Licence coach who has previously worked in the club’s men’s academy, working alongside the U21 and U18 teams. Owen has previously worked with the women’s first team before as a goalkeeping coach in an interim capacity.
Embed from Getty ImagesBrighton’s technical director David Weird said that the decision surrounding Phillips’ future ‘is not a decision which has been taken lightly, but we feel it is vital for the progress we want to see in the Women’s Super League.’
‘We have invested heavily in the women’s squad and infrastructure going into this season, and results and performances have not been at the level we had expected, given that investment.’
‘We would like to thank Melissa for her efforts and, on behalf of everyone at the club, we wish her well for the future.’
