Tottenham Hotspur - A Season of Regression and Disappointment

Photo: Charlotte Neal for Constancy Sport

Cast your mind back to pretty much this time last year, Tottenham Hotspur had just reached their first ever major final, a sixth placed finish, a squad high on confidence and morale under the guise of a loveable Swede, Robert Vilahamn.

The star turn, Grace Clinton was the talk of the town, Martha Thomas had scored two of the clubs biggest goals in their history and as ever, Bethany England once again led from the front as captain, with pride and by example.

Everybody thought that the club would be the one to kick off, with the glass ceiling set to be smashed, people, including myself, a Spurs fan from childhood could not have been more wrong. 

Robert Vilaham sought to strengthen his team last summer, with the key losses of Grace Clinton and Celin Bizet, the latter choosing to follow the former back up the M1, and head to the team that beat Spurs in the FA Cup final just three months before the season started. 

Last summer, Hayley Raso, Ella Morris, Maite Oroz, Clare Hunt and Anna Csiki were all signed permanently, with Amanda Nilden’s loan deal becoming permanent, all things pointed toward another season where the N17 residents could kick on. 

A 4-0 win over Crystal Palace on the opening day, followed by a battling 2-2 draw away to Aston Villa in matchweek two saw Spurs take four points from six and add further fuel to the optimism fire. However, a run of one win in their next six league matches followed, which was quick to quash any hope, conceding nineteen goals in that period which included crushing defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal. 

Form then soon picked up just before the winter break, with the team picking up a crucial ten points from twelve and going four unbeaten, including a late winner from Olivia Holdt against Crystal Palace who had only signed for Spurs, just weeks before during the January window. 

From then on though, Spurs in no uncertain terms, crumbled, with seven defeats and three draws in their final ten league games leading to an 11th placed finish and a horribly disappointing term for all associated with Tottenham Hotspur. 

In a season of very few shining lights, Ella Morris was certainly one of them, the young fullback, battled back so impressively from injury to effectively become a regular fixture in the final 12 games of Spurs’ season, with her stirring performance in the 2-0 defeat to West Ham, one that made a lot of people sit up and take notice, despite being on the losing side. 

There were echos from two seasons ago, too, with Bethany England’s goals proving key as to why Spurs didn’t end up being relegated, with the striker netting eight goals across the season, with her next closest competitor on three in all competitions, a damning indictment of Spurs’ struggles in front of goal.  

It remains to be seen the avenue that Tottenham Hotspur go down, but one thing is for certain, they cannot afford to rest on their laurels, especially with London City Lionesses entering the WSL next season, it’s bound to give Spurs the rocket they need to kick back on and release the dark cloud that looms over N17.