Coming into this new season in the Women’s Super League, I’ve tried to contain my excitement around Spurs Women. I’m a lifelong Spurs fan, after all. I know all too well what happens when a great transfer window raises your hopes, and I know the shape of the bruise when you crash back down to planet reality.
But, but, but.
We’re not talking about Spurs men, are we? No, I’m talking about Spurs women, who I first saw play back in 2019, and then started following in earnest in 2022. A whole lot has changed in four years. This time, I’m peeking through my fingers and allowing myself to hope.
Let’s flash back to 2022 when I fully joined the party. Rehanne Skinner was in charge. Jess Naz was a promising starlet. The team had gained promotion to the WSL three years earlier, but it’s fair to say they were still blinded by the glare of the stadium lights. This was Daniel Levy’s Happy Shopper Spurs, after all. The women’s team were doing enough to stay up, but not much to excite. You could dare to dream, but only to a point.
So we trod water. We did enough. Until we flirted with relegation, Bethany England saved us, and another manager was brought in. He worked for a while, until he didn’t. Fast forward to 2025 and enter Martin Ho. Goodbye Daniel Levy. Hello to a whole new way of doing things at Spurs.
Of course, we’ve seen false dawns before. Spurs have a habit of doing well one season, and abysmally the next. It happened with Rehanne Skinner. With Robert Villahamn. Will it happen with Martin Ho? I don’t think so.
Mainly because the quality of players Spurs have brought in means I genuinely think we’ve changed our direction of travel: we’re breathing different air.
Yes, I know there will be bumps, but this team feels and looks different. They’re already gelling on the pitch and off. When I see them doing dance routines on socials, eating pizza and having coffee dates together, my spirits soar. A bonded team off the pitch is a far better one on it. Plus now – whisper it – we might just have all the puzzle pieces we need to make the team click, then eventually purr.
In Olivia Holdt, Signe Gaupset, Ella Morris and Toko Koga, we already had players who bigger clubs might flirt with. That alone is new and exciting. This summer, we brought in a raft of new signings, including Kirsty Hanson who can cross, shimmy and score. I don’t recall us ever having that type of player before. Watching her bag two goals on debut and whip in balls that begged for conversion almost made me weep. We used to dream of such days. Now, those days are here.
We’ve got the wingers, the defenders, the midfield. Now, if our two strikers – Tandberg and Martinez – could start firing, who knows where Spurs Women might end up.
Should I temper this optimism? Is it still early days? Yes, of course. We’ve still only been a WSL side for less than a decade. We’ve only started to take the women’s team seriously for the past couple of seasons. It’s only one game.
But, but, but.
We’ve now got the manager in place, we’ve got a great group of hungry players, and we’ve got Lise Kop in goal who is a walking stick of sunshine. Plus, the manner of this first victory felt inevitable. Ruthless. We were tough in the duels, fast on the ball, lethal on the counter, and now have special players who can change the game.
Spurs used to be mid-table mediocrity. Now, we’re quietly ramping up for a second season of progress. We’re not going to finish near the bottom this season. Hope is turning to confidence. How far can we go? I’m not sure yet. Some are touting us for top four, which gives me anxiety. But… could we? Fourth would be big. However, if everyone stays fit, and our strikers start firing, why not?
This season, let’s embrace the club motto fully.
To dare is to do.
If you love football, you might love my three sapphic soccer romance novels: Hotshot, The Princess Match and Girlfriend Goals. Check them out on my web shop now!