Albion head coach Hope Powell is hoping the FA will reverse their decision to close girls’ academies during the national lockdown.

Under government rules, boys’ academies can remain open but girls cannot as they are not classed as ‘elite’.

The Football Association says if an academy meets the government’s elite protocols then it can reopen.

Albion have asked to reopen after confirming to the FA their protocols meet the required standards.

The Seagulls are pushing to reverse the government decision and Powell is hoping that will happen.

She said: “Brighton have been brilliant. We have been diligent with the protocols and trying to put the correct things in place to protect the players and staff.

“We can fulfil the protocol that is needed to open.

“It’s very disappointing to know from my perspective that we are not considered as part of the elite programme.

“But the expectation is if you have players certainly to draw on that they would come from your academy.

“For example, on Sunday we had so many players out with injuries or suspension, we had to pull a couple of players from the academy.

“The expectation to do that, but yet saying they cannot train because they are not elite, is something I was a bit confused by.

“But the dialogue is open, I know the FA are speaking to the clubs and hopefully we will see it resolved and see the academy allowed to train.

So, I am hoping they will reverse that decision.”

Albion have used their academy to bring players such as Maya Le Tissier, Libby Bance and Josie Longhurst through recently.

On Sunday, with the injuries and suspensions, Powell named two academy players in Bance and Faith Nokuthula on the bench in their WSL game against Aston Villa.

The Seagulls boss spoke about how key the academy is to them as a club.

He said: “For Brighton as a club it is essential. I am very much into homegrown talent and developing young talent.

“So, for us that pathway is key.

“We regularly have academy players training with the first team and I am very much about that open-door policy.

“For them, it is something they can see ahead of and strive towards. To then say they are not elite and they are not training is a little bit disappointing.”

Polly Bancroft, who is the women’s and girls’ general manager at Albion, is confident the FA will let their academy reopen.

She said: “Our Dual Career Academy here at Brighton and Hove Albion has been operating under the same protocols as the boys’ academy, since returning from the initial lockdown.

“We have taken additional steps to put measures in place, which match the Premier League protocols for the boys’ academy, and these have already been deemed as ‘elite’ by the government. We are hopeful the FA will give us permission for the players to resume training and continue their development.”

It wasn’t just Powell who did not agree with the decision many other have had their say.

Albion’s Kirsty Barton, who came through an academy at Chelsea, does not understand why they is one rule for one and a different one for another.

She said: “It is a very sensitive subject.

“It is really not good enough and I don’t know why they think it is okay, I don’t know why they think the boys are in a better position in terms of levels than girls academies.

“Unfortunately it’s one of those things where everyone has their opinions on it and it is very upsetting for us women’s players who have come through those and know how it would have affected us back in the day.

“A lot of those girls love to play football and it is what they look forward to doing week in week out going training.

“I don’t agree with it in but it is one of those things that is completely out of our control.”