After six straight defeats, a long away trip to a side that had scored eight goals in their previous two games was hardly an exciting prospect.
Yet as London Bees made the trip to Durham in November, there was a sense that a turning point was near.
While results hadn’t gone the way the Bees and new manager Luke Swindlehurst wanted, performances had certainly warranted greater rewards.
And those rewards came in the form of a 0-0 draw with the high-flying Wildcats, and a first point on the board.
That was followed up by a win over Oxford and a point at Aston Villa as Swindlehurst’s hard-work started to pay dividends after he took over at the Hive in July.
That hard-work hasn’t just been seen on the pitch either, with the Bees continuing to progress and grow off the field as Swindlehurst flourishes in his first FA WSL managerial job.
And it was a job that was a long time coming.
Having coached and managed at AFC Fylde, Manchester City, Sheffield FC and Liverpool – where he won an FA WSL 1 title in 2013 – Swindlehurst was keen to take the next step.
So when Dave Edmondson’s departure created a vacancy at The Hive, it was a chance he couldn’t pass up, while also giving him the opportunity to seal a second WSL title in the second tier.
“I’ve been building towards this for a number of years and worked very hard for it,” Swindlehurst admitted.
“I’ve been in women’s football for a long time now and I know the WSL well from my time at Liverpool Ladies.
“Winning the WSL 1 back in 2013 means I’ve tasted success at the highest level and I feel that experience has definitely given me all the tools for success within WSL 2.
“I’d love to be the first coach to win WSL 1 and WSL 2, it’s a major ambition of mine.”
But why the Bees? Swindlehurst says he was impressed with the ambition of the side who ply their trade at the state-of-the-art facilities at the Hive, also the home of Barnet FC.
“There is a genuine desire to improve and develop the club, and the facilities at the Hive are some of the best in the women’s game” he said.
“Not many clubs even in WSL 1 can provide a pitch like ours so it’s obviously a big attraction.
“All the staff here are friendly and welcomed me right from the start.
“The opportunity to return to the WSL and manage quality players, gave me no doubt it was the right club to join.”
Following the new manager into the club were a number of new faces to add to the talented youngsters already on the books.
Using his extensive contacts in the game, Swindlehurst was able to lure a number of familiar WSL faces to the Hive by selling them the club’s ambition, with the new boss citing their experience as key to progression.
“We have welcomed a number of new players like Nicola Hobbs, Katie Wilkinson, Chelsea Weston and Danielle Lea all with proven WSL experience and that was a key factor for taking us to the next step,” Swindlehurst added.
“The Bees side was relatively young and we needed a blend of youth and experience to help guide the young talent.
“Nicola and Danielle, I’ve known for many years so it was a good opportunity for them to play for a manager who trusts their ability.
“Chelsea and Katie are both returning from long-term injury have undoubted quality and, again, we spoke about the ambitions of our club and they were very keen to be a part of the new direction.
“Destiney Toussaint is another player who I’ve brought in and she’s chipped in with some important goals.”
With a number of new faces joining the club it was inevitable that they would need time to gel but despite the previously mentioned disappointing results, performances were starting to improve.
Now unbeaten in three league outings – with some late goals to boot – the Bees’ true ability and character is starting to shine through.
And Swindlehurst believes the upturn in results is thanks to a greater balance on the field.
“Performances have been good and in particular we deserved something from games against Millwall being 2-0 up twice,” he said.
“We play a good brand of football and the team is developing all the time.
“I think the key now is that we are balanced in both areas of the game both in attack and defence. In the early games we had possession and attacked in waves but conceded far too easily. Now we have worked hard on that side of the game we had become harder to break down but still create chances.”
In what has been a whirlwind first six months in the job, there are plenty of positives for Swindlehurst to pick out, including some late goals and a change in captaincy.
He said: “There’s a few that stand out, the last minute winner from Destiney Toussaint against Oxford United was a great moment for us and we pushed very hard to win that game so it gave us massive confidence.”
“Handing the captaincy to Emma Beckett gave me a huge sense of pride as choosing a leader on the pitch is hugely important and I feel this person reflects how the manager wants players and staff to conduct themselves. She’s a natural leader and her passion for the game mirrors my own. “
A big part of the new manager’s early spell in charge of the club was helping to complete the Bees’ application for a place in the new-look women’s pyramid.
With all FA WSL clubs required to go through a rigorous application process, there was a great deal of uncertainty around the league.
But with Swindlehurst’s prior experience helping the Bees to produce a successful Tier 2 bid, the club and manager can now look forward with optimism.
“It was countless hours but I’m glad we got it through and over the line,” he admitted.
“The club was always keen to continue the WSL journey and I’m positive our plans will add to the quality of this league.
“I’ve written WSL applications before so I knew what to expect in terms of hard work but the club supported me through every stage so it’s pleasing we have made it happen and secured the long term future of London Bees.
“We will build a team that challenges to win WSL 2, I’ve no doubt about that.
“Every day the club takes forward steps and I’m driven to make sure we can achieve our goals.
“Off the pitch we also want to break our attendance records and so far this season we have had bigger crowds on average than last season so this shows forward steps in that area.
“We’ve added a girls education programme which will start in the summer, and we will also add in a youth academy from 10-16 years so the future of the clubs player development pathway is also strong enough to produce home grown players.”
In the shorter term, the Bees face a challenging FA Cup clash against FA WSL 1 side Chelsea.
But the Bees will no doubt be buoyed after beating the Blues on penalties in the Continental Cup just two years ago.
For Swindlehurst, it’s a good opportunity for his new-look side to test themselves against some of the best players in the country.
“It’s a massive game and probably the toughest draw of the competition,” he said.
“Chelsea have effectively built a squad for the WSL and Champions League so it’s a challenge we will definitely look forward to.
“Testing ourselves against the best will be a great opportunity to see what we are capable of.
“The Hive is a great venue for this kind of FA Cup tie and I’m sure we will give everything we have to try win the game.
” I’ve a lot of respect for Emma Hayes and her team, In particular Gemma Davidson is a player I really admire, in one-v-one situations she’s one of the best in the country.”
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