Oct 2026
Horsham Eagles FC announces the formation of a new Youth Section, bringing two established girls’ squads under its wing - putting the next generation at the heart of a club that has always put women first.
Horsham Eagles FC is proud to announce that two girls’ teams in the U13 and U15 categories will join the club as its official Youth Section for the 2026/27 season. The move marks a significant moment not just for the club, but for girls’ football across the Horsham community.
Between them, the two squads bring 32 committed players, five qualified coaches, and a ready-made community of engaged parents. They will operate as a semi-autonomous Youth Section under the Horsham Eagles name, badge, and values, utilising planned facilities at the Breezehurst Community Pavilion from 2027, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the club.
For Horsham Eagles - founded in 2017 specifically as a women’s club - the arrival of the youth teams is not simply about growth. It is about building something that has rarely existed in grassroots football: a clear, unbroken pathway for girls and women, through every stage of their playing lives, in a club that was created for them.
Too often in grassroots football, girls and women are accommodated rather than being the central focus.They inherit training slots, kits, and cultures that were shaped around men’s teams, then adapted at the margins. Although Eagles was built from the ground up for women it did need the help of an established men’s club to get started - this proved challenging in terms of wearing men’s kits and a diminishing role in the club’s priorities as the men’s side grew in popularity and demand.
All of this matters profoundly for young girls entering sport. Research consistently shows that girls are more likely to stay active, build confidence, and sustain their participation when they feel fully seen - not as an afterthought, but as the point. A club that places women at its centre sends a message that cannot be faked: you belong here, and this was made for you.
“This is more than just two teams joining a club. It’s about creating a real home for girls’ football in Horsham - somewhere they can start out, develop, and one day play alongside the women who came before them. At Eagles, that journey means something because this club has always been about women, not just for them.”
The formation of the Youth Section creates, for the first time, a genuine development pathway at Horsham Eagles. Girls who begin with the U13 or U15 squads can now look ahead to the recreational and walking football teams as their next step - a continuum of women’s football, in a single club, across a lifetime of involvement.
The benefits extend well beyond the pitch. Eagles has long understood that women’s sport, done well, supports mental health, builds friendships, and creates the kind of community that lasts long after the final whistle. With fewer than one in four women in the UK meeting recommended weekly exercise targets, spaces that genuinely welcome and support girls from a young age are not a luxury - they are essential.
“From day one, Horsham Eagles was built around women — our culture, our values, our ambitions are entirely our own. Welcoming these girls’ teams feels like the most natural thing in the world. They get to grow up in a club that was made for them, and one day they’ll be the ones showing the next generation what’s possible. That continuity is something to be really proud of.”
Horsham Eagles’ commitment to building a genuine pathway for women’s football is backed by its sponsorship partner Breathe HR, the Horsham-based HR software company which came on board as kit sponsor for the 2025/26 season. The partnership has already helped fund the club’s first full women’s fitted kit and supported its move to new all-weather training facilities at Christ’s Hospital - underpinned by a shared belief in putting people first, a value recognised in Breathe HR’s Investors in People Silver Accreditation.
That same people-first ethos now extends to the club’s new Youth Section, with Breathe HR’s continued backing helping give girls at U13 and U15 level access to the same standard of support and facilities as their senior counterparts, right from day one.
“When we partnered with Horsham Eagles, we did so because they put people first, just as we do. Extending that support to the club’s new Youth Section feels like a natural next step - investing in girls at the very start of their footballing journey means investing in their confidence and wellbeing for life. We’re proud that our partnership can now help the next generation feel just as valued as the women who came before them.”
For more details about Horsham Eagles Youth Teams, training times and how to get involved visit Horsham Eagles FC Walking Football or email philholton@hotmail.co.uk