Welsh international Joe Naughalty has returned to Brighton & Hove Hockey Club as player/coach to lead the club into its eighth season at national league level, with a tricky away match at Reading on Sunday (September 26) to start the MHL Division One South programme.

Joe, who has made more than 100 appearances for his country, is back after two years with premier division East Grinstead, following the retirement of Brighton head coach Jon Royce.

In his first spell with Brighton Joe was voted MHL Conference East player of the season for 2018 after scoring 25 league goals and followed up with another 16 in the next campaign, after which he moved to East Grinstead to further his international ambitions.

The BHHC squad has been further strengthened by the arrival of Will Heywood, from Bath Buccaneers, and the seasoned Joe Sterlini, from Southgate. Josh Brown has moved across from Chichester as Brighton have looked to balance the squad in defence and midfield.

Joe, pictured in the red of Wales, is looking forward to the challenge. "We are in a league with a number of proven premier division clubs so it's going to be a really good test for us," he said. "It's a really strong league and we couldn't start with any tougher test than Reading."

He has been pleased with the response of the players and admits there will be selection issues. "I don't know of a Brighton team with 20 plus players who can play national league hockey. We have added strength and depth all round. It's a good problem to have. We're ahead of where I'd thought we would be and it's an exciting future."

A number of promising younger players were blooded in the summer in tournament play and Jon Williams, the team manager, expects to see Brighton play with more flair, tempo and belief this season.

"The summer league served us well," said Jon. "Lots of players could accrue big minutes at national league level without the pressure of a result." He sees Reading, relegated from the premier division in 2020, and Teddington, who have brought in a number of Scottish internationals, as likely to figure strongly in Division One South again this season. Last season was cut short by the pandemic after only six matches, with Teddington top and Reading second.

Brighton & Hove have enjoyed an unbeaten pre-season, winning 5-3 against Eastbourne and 1-0 against Chichester. On Saturday they drew 2-2 at Fareham, with Rob Cornell and Ben Cooke scoring from open play.

Brighton & Hove's MHL fixtures 2021-22

September 26 - Reading (a)
October 3 - Havant (a); 9 - Sevenoaks (a); 17 - Canterbury (h); 24 - Teddington (h); 31- Bath Buccaneers (a)
November 7 - Oxford Hawks (h); 14 - Southgate (h); 20 - Old Cranleighans (a)
February 6 - Reading (h); 13 - Havant (h); 20 - Sevenoaks (h); 27 - Canterbury (a)
March 6 - Teddington (a); 13 - Bath Buccaneers (h); 20 - Oxford Hawks (a); 27 - Southgate (a)
April 3 - Old Cranleighans (h)

Brighton & Hove's women start life in the South East Women's League premier division after a restructure by the game's governing body with a home fixture against local rivals Lewes at Blatchington Mill School on Saturday September 25 (10.30am). The squad will feature a number of promising young players and will be captained again by Bara Kavanova, the Czech Republic international.

The women also have a change of coach this season, with Sean-Michael Campleman coming in to oversee a squad that Kavanova thinks is "more balanced and even across the whole pitch". Katie Furber has joined from Burgess Hill to help provide goals - "she is exactly what we need up front," said Bara - while Toni Catlow returns to action and goalkeeper Sophie Benton rejoins from Surbiton after several years away.

Prospects for the league campaign are hard to predict, said Bara. "There are a couple of teams I don't know what to expect." Brighton came back to draw 4-4 with Eastbourne 1s - who are in the division - in a pre-season friendly and the league also includes Aldershot & Farnham 1s, East Grinstead 2s, Epsom 1s, Guildford 1s, Holcombe 2s, Maidstone 1s, Old Georgians 1s, Sevenoaks 2s and Woking 1s.