Interview with AFC Leyton captain Brogan Brooks

When Brogan Brooks was asked by the Council to coach Waltham Forest’s Under-13 girls in the London Youth Games this summer, she clarified: 'Do you want a team that takes part, or do you want a team that wins?' A team that wins, was the response.

Brogan had just three hours to train her team before the tournament. But win they did: all the way to a tense semi-final against Millwall. They finished third out of 25 teams.

A determined, disciplined spirit shines through in all Brogan’s work, including at AFC Leyton, where she captains the women’s first team and coaches the Under-13s. Founded in 2015 as east London’s only independent female-only football club, AFC Leyton now has hundreds of members.

Brogan joined in 2021, 'just to kick a ball around after lockdown,' quickly cemented herself into the team, and became captain in 2023. After spending a year building and recruiting, AFC Leyton found themselves in a promising position in the 24/25 season.

'I remember checking the table mid-season and thinking, hang on, we’ve been on top for a minute!'

It came down to the penultimate game of the season. 

The Under-12s I coach were watching and said, You have to win this. It’s a moment I could relive for the rest of my life! The way we played, the way we won, we did it as a team.

AFC Leyton were crowned league champions, which secured promotion to the top flight of London football in the 25/26 season and their first ever FA Cup entry.

Brogan also coaches at AFC Leyton. She started with a quiet group of Under-11s and slowly worked her magic. 'I wondered, how do I get these girls to talk? Now, two years later, they don’t shut up!'

'In training we’re not just ‘facilitating’. We’re delivering. We want to make them better players. When training starts, everyone already has their shinpads, bibs, water, ready to go. There’s no time-wasting!'

Lately, she sees the impact of the Lionesses everywhere. 'After the Euros, it’s not Ronaldo anymore, they’re all saying ‘I want to be Russo! I want to be Chloe Kelly!” They don’t see football as a hobby. They see it as a profession.'

Get involved!

There are lots of ways for women and girls of all abilities to play football in Waltham Forest!

• AFC Leyton have junior girls’ football sessions at recreational ­­­and league levels for a variety of ages. They also run beginner/intermediate sessions for adults. Find out more about AFC Leyton.
• ­­Leyton Orient Trust run free Youth Zone football sessions for 5 to 11-year-old girls, and multi-sports sessions for 11 to 18-year-old girls, every Wednesday evening. Find out more about Leyton Orient Trust.
• Salaam Peace run weekly football sessions for girls and women aged 13+. Find out more about Salaam Peace.