When working under Hayes was all she had ever known at Chelsea, the transition to a new coach could’ve been a tough process. Yet Bright has approached Sonia Bompastor's reign with her usual positive mindset and has helped to deliver a domestic Treble along the way.

We sat down with the captain towards the end of the 2024/25 campaign to find out how she played her part in ensuring this season was not viewed as merely a transition year and how she forged a strong bond with the new coach.

‘For me, it was about being open-minded and ensuring that the girls felt supported and encouraging them to be open to change, which meant thriving in it rather than fearing it,’ she said. ‘We did that well and I think everyone has connected brilliantly. It’s like the guys have been here forever, which is a great feeling.

‘It shows the culture and environment that we have here. We have taken it to another level; the season was proof of that.

‘Sonia is easy to get along with, and she's close with all the players. She has an open-door policy, which we're used to here. She’s just slotted right in, and we have a little bit of banter, but we understand when it’s time we can relax and have a laugh, and when it’s time to get our heads in the game and work hard. I certainly know I can go to her if I need anything at all, both on and off the pitch.

‘The transition was smooth, allowing us to focus on football. If anything, I've been there for the players a little bit more in terms of making sure they're settled because it's always hard when you come to a new country, a new club, a new place. If there are things that we can take care of as players, we’ll do it.

‘I love being Mother Hen! I love taking care of my team-mates and my friends and I want to ensure that my team are in a good place so that when we go on the pitch, it's all about the football.’

This season Bright has featured in all but one of the 22 fixtures in the Women’s Super League, but in the previous campaign issues with injury saw her appear on just 10 occasions.

That has added up to an increase of almost 1,000 minutes in the league alone, and the defender explained what has made the difference this time around.

‘Last year was extremely hard for me and a tough place to be in,’ Bright explained. ‘I was accessible to the team regardless of my injuries, though. I hope the girls felt as supported as they could have been through that time. My one aim during my recovery was to be 100% available for every single game.

‘I'm proud that I've been up for selection in every game this season, and that’s probably one of my favourite things from this year. Nothing’s changed too much since that injury. I understand my body, zone in and say to myself, ‘OK, what do I need?’ This is what I do now moving forward.

‘I had a full pre-season, and it was nice to feel like myself again, probably the best I've ever felt. Being captain, I wanted to be reliable, leading the girls and being there both on and off the pitch.’

While Bright was delighted with her increased playing time in the Treble-winning campaign, the defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final means there is still one hurdle for this side to overcome.

Now, with time to process that loss, the skipper thinks the Blues have learned some vital lessons.

‘The way we lost in the Champions League was so disappointing,' continued Bright. ‘We didn't show ourselves, we didn't show Chelsea. Maybe there were glimpses, but we weren’t consistent enough and I think that was the difference.

‘There were learnings, but we're not talking about drastic changes, just small margins. By the time we’re hopefully in that position again next year, we'll be miles better for going through this experience as it was a first for some players. These experiences are massive, and they are valuable if you use them correctly.’

The Women’s League Cup final in March provided a chance for us to secure a trophy early in the season. For Bompastor, that meant lifting her first trophy with the club, and for Bright, putting right a record that had seen us lose the last three finals in the competition.

The win was the first of three trophies collected in a remarkable campaign that saw us go unbeaten domestically – an achievement the captain thinks has gone under the radar.

‘It did my head in that we hadn’t won the League Cup for the last three years!’ says Bright. ‘Missing out on opportunities to win trophies bugs me and sticks in my mind. Then you get that opportunity, and it all comes rushing back and that's your fuel and motivation. I was happy to wash that away, put it back in its box and now it's back where it belongs.

‘Going unbeaten is honestly one of my proudest things. It's something that I had my eye on, I set a target before the season to go undefeated. I knew we had the capabilities, but saying it is one thing and doing it is another, especially in such a competitive league and with going deep in all competitions.

‘That brought extra pressure and the whole squad stepped up with everyone playing a vital role. I think it's incredible - 19 wins and three draws. I'd love to see us do it again.

‘I think it's a little bit underrated, to be honest, and maybe not appreciated as much as it should be. I'll keep saying it and shouting it from the rooftops because I think it's incredible and something that we should be so proud of.

‘I'm super excited for next season. The motivation will be the same - to go and do it all again. Our eyes are on the quadruple next year.’