Rhian Cleverly has been appointed captain of Brentford Women FC for the 2026-27 season, the club confirmed, marking a swift rise to leadership for the centre-back who only joined the Bees in July 2026 from third-tier side Rugby Borough. Maddie Phillips will serve as vice-captain, with Lucy Potter and Makeba Black also forming part of the leadership group.

A Surprise Appointment That Felt Right

Cleverly, 31, admitted the captaincy came as an unexpected honour. 'It’s just a massive privilege, to be honest. I wasn’t expecting it; obviously I’m pretty new in the building, but from minute one, I knew this club was special,' she said. The defender described communication as a core strength, both on and off the pitch, while also emphasising her commitment to listening and learning in her new environment.

Notably, the appointment underlines head coach Caryl Williams' willingness to back new arrivals with immediate responsibility — a signal of the club's intent to build a high-performance culture from within.

What Cleverly Brings to the Role

Williams praised the appointment, highlighting the defender’s broad experience across the domestic and international women’s game. 'Rhian brings with her a wealth of experience throughout the women’s game both domestically and internationally,' the head coach said. 'She has made a positive start to her journey as a Bee on and off the pitch, bringing with her leadership skills, high-level communication skills and a strong desire to learn and develop as a player.'

Cleverly herself has been vocal about drawing on the knowledge of longer-serving squad members. 'Being new in the building, I know I still have a lot to learn, learning from the people that were already in the building and have been part of this project for a long time,' she said, adding that she aims to set high standards rooted in her experience at higher levels of the game.

The Phillips Partnership

Cleverly singled out vice-captain Maddie Phillips as a key figure in her early settling-in period. 'Maddie from day one made me feel so welcome. I know my way around the building because of Maddie, so I feel like we’ve got a good partnership both on and off the pitch, and we can really drive that culture together,' she said. The captain also pointed to the diversity of ages and experiences within the leadership group as a source of collective strength.

Ambitions at Tier Five and Beyond

Brentford Women FC currently compete in the London and South East Premier, the fifth tier of English women’s football. Despite that standing, Cleverly expressed genuine surprise at the infrastructure and standards she encountered. 'From minute one I’ve been blown away; I would never have thought this was a tier five side… the support we’ve got in place, the girls, the standards are great. I think it’s just adding that extra one per cent and the consistency,' she explained.

With a new captain installed and a structured leadership group in place, Brentford Women will look to use the 2026-27 campaign as a platform for upward momentum in the English women’s football pyramid.