Brentford Women's Karleigh Osborne, Mollie Holmes and Ashely Cheatley faced the media yesterday (27 September) ahead of their league game against Clapton Community at the Gtech Stadium tomorrow (29 September) at 3pm.  

Osborne's side go into this London & South East Regional Division One North League tie having won the previous six and demolishing Tilehurst Panthers, 12-1, in the FA Cup second round last week. 

This will be the third time the women's side play at the Gtech, a feeling which is 'exciting' for Holmes who will be making her second appearance at the men's ground.  

She said: "It is really exciting that it's got to the point where we're playing at the Gtech, the men's stadium, hopefully we get a lot of fans down.  

"I am fortunate enough that I've played last year in it and I think the second time I'm hoping to enjoy it even more because I know what to expect now, but the main thing is three points." 

New signing Cheatley is eager for the opportunity to play in front of the Brentford faithful at the Gtech, having only experienced it from the sidelines in her full-time role with Brentford's Ticketing Operations department. 

"I've not played at the Gtech yet but having been involved with the women's set up and contributing to putting the games on at the Gtech, it's going to be quite nice and surreal for me," she explained. 

For Osborne this will be his third time leading a Brentford Women side out onto the 17,250-seater stadium where he never got the chance to play in despite making over 160 appearances for The Bees as a player.  

Reflecting on his eighth season in charge, Osborne told Nub News: "I'd probably say I'm a little bit of a rarity because I'm an ex-player who's sort of in the women's game and at a lower level.  

"But what I know about the time I've been here that the players have taught me so much and they've been fantastic to work with."  

He joked: "I've been fortunate enough to work with Mollie the whole time, I mean, she might not feel that she's fortunate to work with me." 

Now in her 10th season with Brentford and eighth with Osborne, Holmes credits the former defender for playing a key role in her development and making her the player she is today.  

(Left to right) Mollie Holmes, Karleigh Osborne and Ashley Cheatley talking to the press at the Robert Rowan Performance Centre on 27 September (credit: Cesar Medina).

Holmes said: "Genuinely I don't think I would have become the person, player that I have become without Karleigh, to be honest.  

"I think the key point is we have a really open, honest conversation.  

"Even if I he doesn't know what I'm saying and I don't know what he's saying, we have that honest communication, so we know where we stand."  

The midfielder continued: "Playing at the Gtech is always special...it's my 10th season now so where we were back then, and the facilities and the opportunities that we've got (now) is so different.  

"I'm also in that great opportunity that I get to appreciate a little bit more because I saw where we were at the very beginning." 

As Holmes mentioned, the most important thing tomorrow is getting the three points and maintaining a 12-point lead in the league as last season Brentford missed out on promotion by just one point to Sport London E Benfica. 

Osborne admitted that he still feels "hurt" after how last season ended but that the process was needed for his players and staff. 

"Last season hurt, I struggle losing anyways, Osborne told reporters. "It's never an easy thing for me but it hurt everyone involved, it hurt the players, it hurt all the staff, but it was important that we didn't dwell on that.

"It was important that we understood the process in terms of what we were feeling and making sure that we don't feel that again and I think we're doing our very best at this moment in time to do that."  

Osborne continued: "We understand it's a long journey and yes, we've started brilliantly but ultimately if we're going to achieve anything, we have to continue that throughout the whole season, and I know we have the capability of doing that without a doubt." 

Having played for the likes of Enfield Town and Millwall Lionesses, and winning silverware while scoring over 200 goals in 100 career appearances before joining The Bees, Cheatley knows what it takes to win. 

"I'd like to think that I bring, not just from a football side of things but the sort of energy, that I bring a winner's mentality.  

"I think we've got a very good core group anyway; everyone wants to win and we know what we want to do," Cheatley told Nub News. 

The striker added: "Chloe Logie played upfront on her own most of the season (2023/24), so I think building a partnership we can become more ruthless and add more goals." 

Brentford Women are unbeaten at the Gtech previously winning 4-2 against Watford Development Ladies in 2022 and 6-1 against Ashmount Leigh in March 2024. 

To buy tickets for Brentford Women's game vs Clapton Community, click here.