View: Beth England ready to lead by example for Tottenham Women after being appointed captain
Tottenham Women have announced that the club’s star striker Bethany England has been named club captain, with Molly Bartrip and summer signing Olga Athinen becoming her vice-captains.
England’s brand-new role as skipper was confirmed by the club via Twitter (15 September), with the WSL campaign set to get underway in just a few short weeks, when Spurs head to their new captain’s former side, Chelsea, on 1 October.
Spurs signed England from the Blues in January in a deal worth £250,000, a domestic record fee for a British player in the women’s game (4 January 2023, Sky Sports News).
Upon her arrival at the club, England quickly became the star player in North London, scoring 13 goals throughout her first 14 games, and as a result, was named both the club’s Adult and Junior Supporters’ Player of the Season.
The 29-year-old has a wealth of experience in football, previously being named the WSL player of the season during the 2019/20 season and most recently becoming a World Cup finalist with the Lionesses Down Under.
Reflecting on her new promotion in the squad, England wrote via Twitter (15 September), “Honoured and proud to be the captain of Spurs Women. I will give my everything to lead and help my team achieve what I know we can.”
It was a poor season last year for the club, as they narrowly avoided relegation and failed to build on their highest-ever WSL finish from the season before when they came fifth. Therefore, new head coach Robert Vilahamn will be looking to make a quick impression and help his squad bounce back from last season’s disappointment.
And it appears he has already got his first call right, with the decision to name England his captain a smart one. Her quality and experience within the game make her an ideal candidate for the role and, having led by example on the pitch last season, it makes sense for her to be a figure that others in the squad look toward.
Unfortunately, England’s reign as captain will start from the sidelines. This is due to her recent hip surgery, as announced by the player herself via Twitter (6 September), which will keep her out of action for a while.
Throughout her absence, vice-captains Bartrip and Athinen will be required to step up to ensure Tottenham get their season off to the best start possible.
In other Tottenham news, the men’s captain recently proved his credentials while on international duty.