By Olivia Henry

Nub News spoke to Brentford Womens Vice Captain, Regan Graver, on her ambitions for the upcoming season after narrowly missing promotion to Tier 5 last year. 

Reflecting on their pre-season, Graver says "It was good" despite being "a lot in a short space of time."  

The womens side played five pre-season games, culminating in a 5-3 win against London Seaward FC. 

She admitted that she and her teammates "needed a bit of a break" after the heartache of last season in which the Bees finished in second place, only one point short of title winners Sport London E Benfica.

Graver described their narrow miss from promotion to the next tier as "hard," admitting that "we all want to push for that promotion [this season]" as "we don't want to feel that disappointment again." 

The Bees are looking to boost their chances of promotion with new additions to the squad who Graver believes "bring a different mentality" and a "different standard of playing" to the team. 

Amongst the new signings are defenders Lucy Potter and Carolin Engelhard along with forward Ashley Cheatley, who signed from Tier 4 side Ashford Town.  

Graver praised the ambition of the club as a key factor in attracting new players, saying that "Getting girls from higher leagues shows our reach." 

Brentford Womens are off to a great start to the 2024/25 season with two wins from two against Leatherhead and Actonians Reserves (credit: Brentford FC).

Although the increased length of the summer period meant a shorter pre-season, it also allowed for more time off, during which Graver found out her sister is pregnant with a baby girl.

She admitted that although it was "nice to step away from football" she "definitely missed it" and felt "glad to be back" with her teammates. 

Looking ahead to the 2024/25 season, which Brentford kicked off with a 5-1 victory against Leatherhead FC on Sunday 18 August, Graver is more determined than ever to win the title with her team. 

"No one wants to feel that disappointment again so we're all trying to do our best this season and work our hardest to get that promotion" says the 23-year-old centre back. 

When asked about her individual attributes and how she will contribute to the team, Graver replies "I think I'm quite a calm person...I will do my best to keep the team calm and keep everyone focused on what we have to achieve." 

She emphasises the importance of fan support and encourages people to attend their upcoming games. "I think they should come down if they want to be able to say they've watched the tier six league winners." she says lightheartedly. 

"It is always great to support your local team. We appreciate [the support] and we notice every single person that comes down." 

Graver and Brentford Womens host Richmond & Kew next at Bedfont Sports Club on Sunday, 8 September, 3pm. Find out more here.