The Rest Is Football: Daly Brightness - Rach Collects Her MBE, 100 WSL Appearances & Bend It Like Beever-Jones

Episode Date: October 2, 2025

What did Rach chat about with Prince William when she collected her MBE? Which is Rach’s favourite ever moment from her 100 WSL appearances? Why were Millie and her Chelsea team-mates so stunned to see Aggie Beever-Jones whip her free kick in the top corner? Rach also tells Millie about how she’s obsessed with castles and why being at Windsor Castle was a particularly special moment! For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello and welcome to Daily Brightness. We are back. Rach has got two amazing bits of news to share with us today. But before we get into that, let's do our little checkings. Rach, how are you? Yeah, good. Busy a couple of weeks. But I think I'm on my third trip to London and back in a week.

Get them out of the way early on. Oh, yeah, nice and busy, but that's how we like it, isn't it? What about you? Yeah, all good. I've had a, you'll be happy. Louise will be happy as well. I've had a really big cleaning week. Nice.

She just got a new cleaner. She is amazing. I come home and the house was gleaming yesterday. But I had like a little, you know, like I do when I go through stuff and throw loads of stuff out and just have a little detox. Yeah, just get rid of it. I've just been doing that. To be honest, not really a lot. Just usual face times to home.

Kids keeping me busy. birthday is coming up sorting that out but other than that yeah not really not really too much just football football football

and then obviously Rugby World Cup the girls won smashed it did you watch we saw a bit of it on the bus on the way back

from the Arsenal game it's just amazing for women's sport in general isn't it it's a time that it's exciting to be a part of sport for women and yeah

getting them winning was a nice feeling and you know give them the recognition that they deserve and they absolutely smashed it. Yeah, 100%. I hope you all celebrated well.

It looks like you did. So thumbs up from us. Amazing job. Really proud of everyone. And yeah, another huge moment in women's sport, especially for England. Let's keep the momentum going. But yeah, smashed it girls.

Really proud of you. But moving on to our star of the show, Miss Daly. Firstly, 100 appearances in the WSL. Massive milestone. Congratulations. Thank you, yeah, obviously three different clubs but I don't, it's mad to think that Lincoln was on there like so many years.

That's when you used to be crazy on the pitch. And then obviously my loan spell of West Ham and most recently where most my appearances of Farmers Villa so yeah, a proud day again. It's nice to achieve a milestone like that, especially when I've been out of the league for 10 years. I think that's what's impressive is the fact that you were in America for so long

and then I've still reached like 100 appearances. Like that's a massive, massive milestone and three different clubs, which is pretty sick. But, yeah, what would you say your highlight is so far? I reckon probably like making my debut for Villa. It was obviously a big transition moving back here and starting a new club after being at the same one for seven years. We beat City on my debut at home at Villa Park and I scored two.

So definitely that was probably a standout game for me, I think just to keep fresh in the mind but yeah there's been a lot of good memories and a lot of goals a lot of goals

in that time let me just get my stats up of Rachel Daley All right stato net in 46 times across the century of outings the only English player to net more times

within their first 100 games in the competition is Frank Kirby 61 and Lesi Russo 48 in 93 and Ellen White 47 so you are officially an I

icon of the WSL. Round of applause. If you're not clapping at home, start clapping, thank you very much. To be fair, all my linking appearances were all at Leftback as well.

So it's not too bad. You've done well. And to be fair, you played, I swear he played a full back for West Ham at some point as well. Yeah, a couple of times,

a couple of time on the wing. To be fair, you played a lot of your career at Leftback, both club and country and still managed to be on the score sheet all the time. So I think, yeah, you're one of the most efficient forwards

as I ever know and I'd always back you 100% anyway. Thanks, Bestier I just need to get a few this year please, thank you. Keep going, I'll be backing you just not against us, thank you.

But yeah, another special day you collected your MBE. I did. That was, that was, it was like a bit of a surreal moment, I think, because I don't really get nervous for games and stuff like that and I've obviously achieved

quite a lot in my career that I'm obviously so grateful for and, yeah, memories that last a lifetime. But doing something where you step outside your comfort zone a little bit. It's quite daunting. Like, I had a bit like butterflies this morning. I woke, stayed over last night in Windsor

because it was like Windsor Castle and I woke up this morning. I was like, a bit nervous. I was like, I've got to Curtsey. Like, the only thing I know about Curtsey is Curtsey lunges in the gym. I'm like, I can't go that deep. Like, what am I going to do? Were you practising? Did you practice in the mirror? Did practice a couple of times? Yeah. And then like getting the timing's right, but it's really a lot less stressful

than I think you let yourself believe. But no, it was a really special day. And I think more so for my mum as well, like she absolutely adores the royal family and the history of the royal family and it's obviously very patriotic. Who did you meet today? Prince William.

So it's nice, a familiar face. Yeah, a fellow fan. Yeah, so obviously, one of the last times I saw you was when we played table football with you at SGP. Yeah, that was crazy. No, so it's nice to have a familiar face there. Yeah. A good little chat with him.

And yeah, it was a real honour. but like I don't know if you know this about me but I'm obsessed with castles have I ever told you that? No I don't know what it is I said to my mum on the way down yesterday I was like where's it come from

like what we can't work out where it's come from but I just love castles so I was walking through winter castle obviously it's like the best of the best and I was like I was taking in everything like I was like a little kid in a sweet shop so it's like that was a really cool moment as well but yeah I think for my mum

Like, it was probably, she said to me in the car on the way back, bless her. She was like, just when I think I can't be any more proud of you, like, you know, you win the golden boot, you win the Euros, you're now Captain Villa. Like, you've done so many amazing things. But she said, I said, I bet this, like, is the, she was like, yeah, I think this tops it for me, like, being recognised. Us as people don't really dream of, like, winning anything anyway, because I think we're so humble. And we obviously, like, yeah, we want to win, but we never expect to, like, get a golden boo or an individual thing. and certainly I don't think us of all people sit here

and was expecting to ever be on the honours list so I think it is one of those moments where it doesn't ever pop into your head like you always think oh I could potentially win like a trophy but at honours you don't ever think like it's so like out of this world and like the most

so so special it was crazy and I think like I really just tried to like soak it all up on the day and yeah I definitely soaked up the castle grounds. I was like, what was the, did you have like a little conversation when you collected it? Because obviously I just, so the viewers, the listeners and viewers have like a little bit of

an insight. Obviously, we all see the pictures of you getting it collected and stuff like that. But what is like, yeah, like what is the conversation? You go in and you get sort of briefed through like what's going to happen, what to expect. Obviously, with a lot of other people there who are collecting their awards and, yeah, it's quite a laid-back experience I'd say I think I've built myself up to think it was going to be really like nerve wrecking obviously wait your turn to get called and then you go off into a little separate area and yeah you do your curtsey I'm obviously met Prince William and had a little

conversation there like when you're getting that so they stood stood to the side in a bit where you walk through and then they'll tell you like when to curtsey when you arrive when to curtsy when you leave and you know you shake hands and yeah it was really nice because it's relaxed obviously I've met him been fortunate of to meet him a few times now with England and obviously being a villa fan so it was nice we literally just talked about football

and yeah it's just a nice nice little conversation we had and it's nice to just sort of like see him again and yeah it's always an honour you're still a pinch me moment you're like facing up to the future king of the country

it's surreal but it was really nice and then got some photos done and you know just walked around the castle grounds again a little bit more and then headed out it was yeah it was a really really nice special moment one that I will definitely remember forever. So sick, so proudy up.

Where is the damn medal? I actually have it here because I thought you'd ask me. Oh, let us see. This is the presentation box it comes in, Millie Bright Energy. Mm-hmm. Get at me? You can't escape me. There it is.

Oh my God. That is so sick. Where are you going to put it? I imagine Rachel's going to build some DIY shelf with like, a glass box or something. Yeah, and every time anyone comes into that house, you've got a cursey to it. Bow, that's not.

Stop, stop. No, it's so sick. Thank you for showing us that. But, yeah, honestly, amazing. I'm so glad you had a good day. Thanks, best it. I know your mom will have absolutely loved it. Oh, she was in her element.

She honestly, she absolutely loved it. Rachel, Rachel, walk, walk. No, she absolutely loved it. And obviously, like I said, she's so. loves the royals and knows so much about them and the history and the night before we'd gone for food and stuff and we were just talking about like the history and stuff it was a really nice really nice to give that moment back to my mum

do you know what I mean? Yeah. On to the footy side of things. I actually did you see a TikTok? I seen a TikTok and it was a Chelsea fan and she made this TikTok and she was like, I can't wait for the podcast, this is how it's going to run and it was like she did like a slide show of like me and you

and it was like thanks to doing a job again, Bestie and because obviously you always do a job against Arsenal. Whenever I finish a game or something, I always think about like against an Arsenal or something. I always think you'll be like, oh, cheers Bestie. Messy I always say I was like, cheers bestie. And as soon as I clicked the game, I was like, oh, need to me better be pulling her finger out for me.

Yeah, it was good. It was good. Obviously, you know, Arsenal are an unbelievable side and playing them at the Emirates is always like a great atmosphere. you know, great environment, great stadium to play. And the fans are amazing. So it's always nice. But the last time we were at the Emirates, we got absolutely drummed about 4-0, I think it was.

I watched the second half. It was good. It was like really intense. Obviously, you know, with Arsenal, like they're going to have a lot of the ball. And I said, like, in my pre-game talk, I was like, listen, like, to get through this one is going to be a lot of patience and belief.

Like, stay patient with it. If they have a lot of the ball, it's okay. Like, we know what we can do. Don't get frustrated. and obviously just believe that we can. We can, you know, we beat them last season. We know we can do it, so just believe that we can, you know, just stay patient with it, stick with it

and believe that we will go on and get something out of this game. You had a couple chances in the second half, to be fair. Yeah, the goal that they scored was obviously a little bit disappointing because it was, you know, from our own errors, which is always a bit more of a kick in the teeth. At first half was a bit of like, it was quite a lot of defending, I would say, but we still created a couple moments. Brilliant ball in, by the way,

that, is it, Wilms? Yeah, she's got a wicked delivery. Like, she hit a free kick right before that. Yeah, I've seen it. Like, one that you'd, like, she's never going to shoot this. She's never going to hit this. So good. But, yeah, she's got a great delivery.

So obviously I was sat on the bench and I was like, it's coming. Like, it's coming. Like, we're going to score. We're going to score. I can feel it. And it wasn't like we were like piling on all the pressure, but you know, and you just get that, like,

belief, you're just like, it's going to come. I know it's going to come. You were getting moments, though, and you know that you get off a chance. you've always got that possibility. And I was buzzing for Lucy Parker because, you know, she works so hard and so passionate.

And, yeah, I was really, really buzzing for her to get on the score sheet and make a name for herself there. Well, I was buzzing four years. I've always got my villa shirt on under my Chelsea one. You know that. No matter who you're playing. Especially against Arsenal, it for you. Yeah.

I have. I'm always, I'm like, come on, the villa. But yeah, it's a massive, massive point for you guys. But yeah, it was a six second. I'm really interesting. I clicked it straight on. Right, let's head off for a quick break because I'm absolutely sick to the back teeth

of talking about me, so we'll come back and talk about you. See you. See, all. Welcome back to Daily Brightness. We are back now to talk about Millie, 4-0 against West Ham. Easy day at the office for you then.

Another clean sheet? Not easy, I'm buzzing with the clean sheet, by the way. I'm sick of conceding. I hate conceding goals. I just said another clean sheet, but I feel like you've not had loads, have you really? We had 1-0 against Leicester, obviously West Ham, but we conceded two city and... Who's out of the game? Oh, Vila.

Oars, duh. But three goals in seven minutes, like, taught me through it. Obviously, I didn't get to see any of that game, but, yeah, I saw Aggie's free kick. Did not have me down. Oh, my. I did not have her down. That wasn't on my bingo card to have Aggie nail a free kick. best day I didn't that weren't on the game plan

and we all looked at each other and I was like I saw the bit I was like Jesus Christ I've never seen you take a free kick in training let alone on the beach I was like whatever you're doing keep doing it what happened with that did she just think oh I'm feeling myself like that she was she was on him like she was she was on free kicks

but it was just yeah do you know what she's in really really good form I think she's really confident at the minute and yeah she she just can't stop scoring so good that's what you need put her on it But, yeah, we had a really good start to the game, I think, off the back of the Leicester game, although we won, we weren't happy with the performance. Like, we thought we had a really, yeah, we just didn't feel like it was a good enough performance by our standards. So this game, we were like, right, front-footed, be aggressive, get out of them, like, take no prisoners.

And I think we did exactly that. Erin's goal, forced a turnover. She nails it in the back. And I think you know what it's like, you know, when you're like winning your tackles and defensively as a team, you're really strong and everyone's getting. stuck in and we wanted to be aggressive and win our jewels, you get more confidence in possession. So then players are like thriving and give it a ball

and taking shots and yeah, it was just, it was something that we definitely set out to do. So I was just really proud that we responded from the analysis of the other games and what we were lacking. We then presented in this game. But I think also it's still early on, I think that's where

you have to be really patient when the season comes is everyone wants us to be like, fit and firing immediately. and we are like we've got four out of four wins so we are firing it's also it's not a sprint is it like so long old year yeah like performance comes also i didn't know where some of the player sent off what she pulled her she pulled her oh not another hair full she pulled alissa's hair like what you're doing we was literally we cleared a ball like Alyssa was on the counter and she's obviously wraps like she's so fast and the chick just literally pulled her ponytail and like yanked it back and we were like oh I don't like that oh what you do it Alyssa stop and was like, ah, like, what are you doing? It's like, you're just invading someone's personal space that, like, get off my hair.

What are you doing? You can't just pull someone's hair. The worst bit is, best it, we weren't even in their half. We literally, we just cleared the ball. We just cleared the ball. We were still in our half. We were like 20 yards in our half. Like, it was no need for it?

Was it straight red? Straight red, yeah, straight red. He whacked it straight out. No hesitation. We have West Ham next, actually. So they'll be, obviously. player shorter. Yeah, and obviously they'd just played as well.

They obviously played a couple days before, but, and that's another thing we wanted to take advantage of. We'd had a whole week's preparation and super fresh. Oh, yeah, don't worry. We played Tottenham away on Wednesday night, trained Thursday. So we'd gone to London Wednesday, played Tottenham, come back Wednesday night, trained Thursday morning, travel to London at Friday, played Arsenal at 12 o'clock. That's mad.

travel back from London, I was like, geez, we did well, really well. That's why, you know, those moments are you like, oh, I'm a bit more proud, even more proud. But, yeah, it's a good week all round. It was, but yeah, like I said, we, although we're striving for more, we're four games in, performance comes later on.

Everyone knows that. And the ultimate thing is getting the job done and getting the three points on the board. So we just want to, yeah, stay tunnel vision really. And I'm just really happy that the girls are firing in front of goal. and yeah, the goals were just like, I was like,

ugh, Aggie's goal, Aaron's goal, just ridiculous. But yeah, it was, yeah, it was a good game, good game for us. Go Chelsea. Not a fan of the hair pulling.

Please stop it. Take that out of the game. Get that out of the game. Right, moving on to the other games, we've got Man City 4, London City 1. I watched a bit of that game actually. A weird one,

because it started off a bit like, a bit end-to-endier. but I don't know. We've said that before, though, with London City Lineesses. Like, it's, it's one being efficient in front of goal when you get your chances,

especially against top teams, but also it's that finding your rhythm a little bit and first time again in this league and playing against these oppositions. And I do think it was very similar to the other game. I feel like we're having deja vu, like we're saying the same things. That started really well and it was like a bit end-to-end.

But it's like them against Arsor, wasn't it? It's like, you know, you know they've got goal, you know their attacking threat. Yeah. Like, great.

They've always got goals in them but they just seem to be conceding a lot. I think it's like 14 goals or something. Yeah, you just got to tighten up and I think sometimes you've just got to...

But that's, again, it's one of those things, isn't it? Like, you don't really know what to expect with coming up into this league and not having so many new players but a good win for City.

Yeah. Liverpool lost 2-0 against Man United. I think Man United looked good this year. Well, they're the most informed team. the best defensive record. We've obviously got them this Friday.

I think that would be a really good game. Yeah, I think they're definitely the most informed team and yeah, like I said, I've seen something that said they've got the best defensive record. So they're definitely ones to watch and I think as any team

but especially then they'll be looking for trophies this year. Like, I think they've come so close and yeah, they'll be wanting to push for more but they look really, really strong. So definitely a team to be aware of but yeah, they had a solid game, I think Liverpool were lucky

that it weren't more than two, to be honest. I think they're in like a bit of a really tough patch at the minute. But yeah, again, really good goals and always happy for tuning when I see her on the score sheet. Yeah, I love it.

Then we've got Leicester one, Spurs two. Well, we played Spurs on midweek. I thought they looked good. They played nice football. Obviously, new manager, Martin, coming in. I think they played

some really, really nice football. I didn't see their game against Leicester. But another thing for Leicester is like their goals,

they're not conceding loads, are they? They're not like... No. I think they're strong... They're definitely stronger. And no, they played really well

against us as well that they were really hard like, although I don't think we had our best game, they were really hard to like break down and be...

We had them in preseason and I said the same thing. They're very like defensively disciplined and well drilled and well, Rick Passmore's the manager, isn't he?

Yeah. Good old Rick. So you know that that's going to be the tough, drilled into them. Exactly, absolutely. Never die mentality. But yeah, I think they're, I know it's obviously a loss for them, but I think in terms of where they were last year,

it's definitely progression, like they're not leaking as many goals and, yeah, something to build on. But like I said, it's early on in the season. You don't win the league in the first and nor do you get relegated in the first, like, five games. So it's just about patience. And we are case and point of that from last year. So take advice from Rachel.

Exactly. And then finally finishing up with Brighton 1, Everton, Nill. That was a game that I couldn't have predicted before it kicked off. No, but again, I think both in form. Both teams are like, I think very similar. Like I think Everton have had a really, really good start and then Brighton have as well.

So, yeah, I didn't know which way that was going to go, to be honest. I think both in similar positions. And then Ajumang scoring her first goal of the season and she hasn't scored since April in the WSL and that was against Everton as well so that's quite an

interesting fact for all you little checkers and statters out there yeah don't check us on our stats I let's get my list up actually that is not true

actually so yeah it's a big week of football and moving on to the next week let's see what happens scores on the doors maybe we should start doing predictions yeah we should who've you got

we've got West Ham okay I've got United you've got West Ham two wins are we saying Do you play Saturday again? Yeah. Oh, you're so jammy. Hey, last season, we had the shittest days to play.

You not always get a Friday game. Last year, all the teams were always getting like Saturday kickoffs, having a lovely weekend. We were always Sunday, Sunday, Sunday, Sunday. We're Sunday, 155. What? What? A random time.

Anyway, let's move this on and talk about what we're grateful for. So Millie, hit me with your one grateful thing today. what I'm grateful for is they are finally yeah that that I'm grateful for my cleaner but what I am grateful for they are finally put a range in Red Hill

oh I love the range that is something to be grateful for us I want to see my cleaning slippers I love the range are you ready I bet they look like a mop on the bottom yeah I knew it but I wear them all the time because I just think I'm just constantly cleaning the floor

then if I'm going around they're the best things I'm Shoot, then they're going to get dirty, and then you're just going to be really dirty into the floor. No. Because then I just wash it. Best of it. Do you want me to get you a pair?

Yeah. They are the best thing. I'm so, whoever decided to swap out home bays for the range, thank you so much, because I've already, I've already been and picked my baubles for what color scheme I'm having this year for Christmas

because they've got all Christmas decorations. I think that the Christmas decorations are out now. It is, but I am. excited. I can't help it. Yeah, me too. I did go and have a wonder. But I also like this time of year, autumn like, oh, I've got, like, I'm a pumpkin candles and stuff. She smells amazing in the house.

But that is something good to be grateful for, because I do love the rain. Yeah, so good. So I'm grateful for that. Thank you so much whoever did it. What about you? I feel like I say this countless times, but I am so grateful for Dave, my neighbour, because he's

literally a rock star. He's working on my house at the minute. So he's He's back and forth. Get him on the pod. He's got to come on the pod. Honestly, I should, I should, I should. But he was amazing for me yesterday with the dogs. He looked after the dogs.

And, you know, just like... Hey, how's Louis? He's good, he's really good. But, you know, and it's just like a last minute thing. And I was like, oh, my God, I've not sorted it where they're going to go. And he came to the rescue him and his family. So, yeah, without them, it would have been a really, really stressful time. So I am very grateful for all of their help.

Get him on the pod. He's got to make an appearance. DIY Dave, come on. DIY, get on the pod. We'll get him on there. He's currently working on my house at the minute, so he's here. He might as well move in.

Right, guys. Well, that is it for Daily Brightness. Thank you so much, as always, for listening and subscribing. We hope you're enjoying the episode so far. As always, get in touch on socials, daily brightness. But we'll be back later in the week with our Q&A episode, our favourite one. So getting your questions as well.

Make sure you are following. and if you haven't subscribed, do it. Now, what you're waiting for. But we'll see you soon, guys. Goodbye from me. And goodbye from me. Love you all. Hello, this is Adam Horry,

host of the Football Clices podcast, a show about the unique and wonderful language of football and all of the tiny things we take for granted about. the game. Is he actually still box office? Because that's the one thing Marino is still clicking it on to. Is he still box office, Dave? I don't think he is. Define box office. What makes you box office? No, I don't have to. If enough people say it, then that's all it is now. It's just lots of people unthinkingly saying it and not being challenged because it's just like forever, it's just bit, well, whether you like him or not, what you can't deny is that he's

box office. And if you keep saying that, I guess people can't deny it. You can't deny it. He's box office. We're talking about him. Well, yeah, annoyingly that is true. Twice a week, we dive deep into the things that players, managers, commentators and fans say and do almost without thinking, plus lots of other things as well, in the most unique football podcast there has ever been. Just search for football cliches wherever you get your pods.