Maisie Symonds Signs Long-Term Contract with Brighton
Brighton have tied down their captain and heartbeat. Maisie Symonds, the 23-year-old midfielder who has grown with the club and now leads it, has signed what Albion describe as a long-term contract, a statement of intent as much as a piece of paperwork.
She is already their constant. Signed from Chelsea in 2021, Symonds has become Brighton’s longest-serving player and has passed the 100-game mark, with 103 appearances in all competitions. In a squad that has evolved quickly, she is the thread running through the project.
Head Coach's Comments
Head coach Dario Vidosic did not try to hide how central she has become.
“Maisie is a massive influence both on and off the pitch and since becoming captain last season she has developed both as a player and as a person,” he said. “We are thrilled that she is committing her long-term future and will be part of our vision to establish Brighton as one of the top four WSL clubs.”
That is the scale of Brighton’s ambition now: top four in the WSL, a place among the established elite. Symonds is not just along for the ride; she is being asked to drive it.
Recent Achievements
The last two seasons have already given a glimpse of what that might look like. In May, Symonds walked the team out at Wembley for the Women’s FA Cup final, Brighton’s first appearance there. They faced Manchester City, a club used to such stages, but for Albion it was a landmark afternoon, a visual marker of how far the women’s side has travelled.
Symonds has grown in parallel with that rise. She has represented England up to under-21 level and, in March 2025, earned her first senior call-up. The national recognition arrived just as her influence at club level peaked with the captain’s armband.
Little wonder she sounded utterly aligned with Brighton’s direction when the new deal was announced.
“I’m very happy. I feel so at home here,” she said. “It’s the only club I’ve ever played for professionally and I feel I’ve grown so much over the last six years along with the club and the women’s team.
“It really felt like we are setting high standards for ourselves with what we’ve been building in the last two years. We are starting to reach our potential, and we only want to get better and better.”
Those standards are not just about the pitch. Earlier this year, Brighton revealed plans for Europe’s first purpose-built women’s football stadium, a £75-80m project that underlines just how seriously they are treating the women’s game.
A captain committing long term. A club targeting the WSL’s top four. A dedicated stadium on the horizon. Brighton have drawn their line in the sand; now they have their leader in place to see how far they can push it.
