Bethany England scored the first WSL goal I ever saw live – an absolute screamer at Stamford Bridge. She was playing for Chelsea. It was against Spurs.
When I interviewed the now Spurs skipper for the Daily Star earlier this year, I was barely a few words into telling her this when she jumped in. England instantly remembered the goal and even apologised for it! That is an indication of how much the striker has fallen in love with Tottenham in just three-and-a-half years.
The fans have well and truly fallen in love with her, too, not least becayse her 12 goals in the second part of the 2022/2023 WSL season saved the club from relegation. Without them, we might never have made it back to the top tier.
Bethany England is now leaving, and I don’t think it’s the right decision. She might be the wrong side of 30, but the former Lioness brings things on and off the field that almost nobody else at the club has.
What do the Numbers Say About Bethany England?
Obviously, my reaction to Bethany England’s departure is emotional. But let’s look at the numbers. Data from Twelve Football’s Earpiece tool make it clear that she can still very much contribute in terms of both finishing and hold-up, even if this is increasingly in a supporting role.
She is (no longer) a Bunny Shaw or Sam Kerr, but the Spurs striker s still the one that can, and does, score the crucial goal. She currently has seven goals and one assist to her name in 19 appearances.
The forward remains a strong finisher in the big moments. We saw that with the fluffed chances against Man Utd at the weekend. Had she not been out with an apparent injury, Spurs might well have won that game.
My understanding is that Tottenham Hotspur hope to have a big summer. However, at the moment, the obvious comparison point is Cathinka Tandberg. The Norwegian has six goals and two assists to her name in 17 Spurs appearances and is clearly a very exciting prospect. She performs similarly to her captain in some aspects, outperforms her some, and is behind her in others, notably aerial threat.
Bethany England Beyond the Numbers
There are some things that numbers can’t demonstrate. Drew Spence and the out of favour Molly Bartrip clearly contribute, but Bethany England is the undisputed leader of this Tottenham Hotspur women’s side. For that alone, another year of her at the club would have been valuable.
Teams need renewal. Martin Ho is clearly leading that with some success. But the timing of these transitions is crucial. Now is not the time to let Bethany England go.