Tottenham Hotspur

Midfielder Rania Oukriss converted from the penalty spot to put us ahead in the first half, but the Tractor Girls were much improved after the break, turning the contest in their favour with two goals in the space of four minutes – Ava Munnings and Katie O’Shea on target to make it 2-1 with 65 minutes played.

We pushed for a leveller in the closing stages but that created space for the visitors to exploit at the other end and, in the fourth minute of stoppage, Isabella Kent grabbed a third for the visitors to bring an end to our youngsters’ unbeaten run of five games in all competitions.

In terms of team news, forward Grace Bellwood, who has been appointed captain for the 2026/27 campaign, made her first appearance of the season since her injury in April, completing 30 minutes on her return to action.

Playing our fourth game in the last 13 days, there was no surprise to slow nature of the contest at Hotspur Way but it quickly burst into life on 15 minutes when Oukriss, following a strong run into the box, was tripped up inside the box as she looked to switch the ball onto her right and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. The midfielder stepped up to take the spot-kick and calmly converted into the bottom corner to hand us the lead.

We struck the woodwork five minutes later, albeit with some fortunate when Ellie Johnson’s attempted pass into the middle misjudged by the goalkeeper and bounced against the inside of the post and into her hands, before Ruby Mace saw a low shot from distance go wide. O’Shea spotted Rose Mylam off her line and tried her luck with a lofted effort but couldn’t direct her attempt on target while Dulcie King dragged a shot wide as the visitors searched for a leveller in the closing stages of the first period, but we held on to maintain our one-goal advantage at the break.

Johnson had two opportunities in the opening quarter-of-an-hour of the second half to double our lead but was unable to keep her effort’s down from range before Ipswich responded just after the hour mark with two goals in four minutes. The equaliser was a bit of fortune as Mylam made a original good save to deny a shot from just outside the six-yard box but the ball fell kindly to feet of Munnings to tap home at the back post. Then, following a quick counterattack from one of our corners, O’Shea curled into the top corner at the near post from the right of the box to give her side a 2-1 lead.

After the away side’s turnaround, we needed a response in the last quarter of the fixture as Oukriss and Mace tried to test the keeper from distance while captain Bellwood, who was introduced on 62 minutes for her first appearance of the season, saw two efforts blocked followed by a snapshot from the edge of the box which was saved low by the keeper. However, it was the away side who extended their lead in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Kent finding some extra space inside our area before sending a low half-volley into the far bottom corner to condemn our young side to their first defeat in the Professional Game Academy League.

'We focus on our response and how we go into the next run of games to how we prepare and reflect in training'

Speaking after the game, coach Matt Sharman said: “First and foremost, the players have done really well in the sense that they've gone five games unbeaten in all competition, but now we've lost a game, I think it's important that, as this is the first time that we've felt it this season, we focus on our response and how we go into the next run of games and also how we prepare and reflect in training. The defeat comes from us not being at our best and that may be a little bit of a hangover from Sunday's match as well. In the last two games, we haven't been at the level that we've wanted and we can always look at having five games in the span of two weeks, which is obviously a lot, but also I think if we want to make that step up to senior level, they've got to be able to deal with those situations. It's our job as staff to go back and look at ways to continue to improve them and prepare them for those types of fixtures in such a short span.

On Grace Bellwood's return to action, he added: “We've been feeling Grace's presence in training, which has obviously been really good. She got 30 minutes on the pitch, which was nice to see from a recovery standpoint, but we want her to get back to her best and integrate her at the right pace. We all know what Grace’s got to offer from her qualities last season and, hopefully, we can help her get back to her very best."

Line-ups

Spurs: Mylam, Abeka (Neill 62), Elmes, Prosser, McClean, Mace, Deria (Bird 78), Oukriss, Northwood, Withey (Denis 46), Johnson (Bellwood 62). Substitutes (not used): Shields.

Match Data

Goals: Spurs – Oukriss 16; Ipswich – Munnings 61, O’Shea 65, Kent 90+4.

Yellow cards: Spurs – Deria 71; Ipswich – Georgia Banyard 28, Phoebe Duffin 85.

Referee: Ali Matour.

Venue: Hotspur Way.

Conditions: Overcast with a breeze, 20 degrees.

SPURSPLAY

SPURSPLAY

SPURSPLAY

Sheffield United at the Lane, seven minutes on the clock, Aaron Lennon zipped down the right, Berbatov’s subtle movement lost three defenders within a few yards of him, and he just tapped into an empty net from three yards. Off the mark - lovely.

In fact, it was quite an un-Berba-like goal as the classy striker loved nothing more than to conjure up a masterpiece – think volleys against Club Brugge, Braga, Boro or PSV, the solo goals against Besiktas and Charlton, the free-kick at West Ham or the delicate lob in the FA Cup at Fulham. Even better, the ice-cold penalty to level it up in the League Cup Final against Chelsea in 2008.

Berba and Keano, a striking match made in footballing heaven – two seasons together, 90 goals in all competitions. Add in the 5-1 against Arsenal, 4-3 at West Ham, the European nights, the attacking era under Martin Jol plus the League Cup, including 5-1 against Arsenal in the semi-final – great days – as Berba agreed on reflection in a recent visit with Edgar Davids to meet Roberto De Zerbi and watch the team train at Hotspur Way.

Q1 | Berba, it’s 20 years since you joined us – what do you remember about arriving here in that summer of 2006?

Berba: “Well, my first memory is walking into White Hart Lane, going to meet the gaffer, Martin Jol, and when I saw him, I got that impression that I'll be alright. He said to me, ‘Berba, how are you?’ and I was even more relaxed because he was talking like straight out of the Godfather movie! I remember the old training ground (Spurs Lodge, Chigwell) – although this (Hotspur Way) is light years from there, I mean, come on! It was all about playing, scoring goals, impressive and getting our hands on a trophy – which we did.”

Q2 | We had lots of leaders in the squad – and you were a leader, in your own way, if you know what I mean by that!

Berba: “Well, I stayed true to myself. That's the most important for me. Throughout my career, I stayed true to myself. I tried to evolve and adapt my game, obviously, but in my own way, coming from Germany to England, I needed to know how to think fast, to be more smart, because the defenders here were like bodybuilders, you know, so strong. I needed to be smarter. I just stayed true to my style of play, which was to stay calm. When everybody was running around, going crazy, stay calm. In the eye of the storm, stay calm. You're going to find your way, your solution - this is what I did.”

Q3 | Well, that calmness was never better illustrated than your penalty against Petr Cech to make it 1-1 in the League Cup Final against Chelsea in 2008. That was you in a nutshell. Was that your favourite moment?

Berba: “Yes, I have to say this one, honestly, not only because we won the trophy, but in that moment, the pressure of me scoring was unbelievable. Petr Cech is in front of me and behind him, our fans, if you remember. So, everybody was holding their breath for a goal. For me, seeing all this, I know what they were expecting me to score that goal - and that's pressure.”

And it's Petr Cech...

Berba: “Yes, and it's Petr Cech, one of the best goalkeepers in the world! Again, because I stayed true to myself, I was able to score that penalty.”

Q4 | Winning a trophy, your partnership with Robbie Keane, all the goals and the moments – how do you sum up those two years?

Berba: “Well, that's why my love and respect for the club will be forever here. Because, obviously, it brought me forever, because you gave me the opportunity to show what I can do in the English Premier League. I had a great time with Martin Jol, with Keano, with all my teammate. We won a trophy. We entertained on the pitch. We scored goals all the time. Even when we were losing the game, we were still scoring goals and entertaining. I'm pretty sure the fans were also entertained. So, it’s always with a smile when I think about these days at Spurs. Always with a smile.”

Q5 | Final question – what are you up to now?

Berba: “I have a lot of things going on. First, obviously, I try to be a cool dad. I have two kids, it's not easy, but I need to stay calm again! Then, I have my foundation for talented kids back home in Bulgaria. For 20 years now, we've supported the young talent. I have my business interests as well. As you can see, I'm going to my old clubs, getting to know how the teams are preparing. Also, I have something in the back of my head. Someday, if some of my clubs are looking for a striker coach, I'll be open to something like this. I think the individual work with strikers, defenders and midfielders is very important in modern football. How you control the ball, how you turn, weak foot, strong foot, the right moment, the right space. These are the basics. Sometimes, it's going to be boring. Sometimes, the repetition will be too much, but with the repetition, comes the improvement. The small details make a whole lot of a difference.”

This Saturday, the Toffees travel to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and we will be looking to build on a solid point earned last time out against Nottingham Forest.

We go into the game with quite the record against the Blues in the Premier League, having lost just one of our last 17 matches against them at home, winning each of the last five, which includes last May's vital final day win.

Watch - Last time out against Everton

As preparations continue for the 5.30pm kick-off (UK), check out the latest photographs from Hotspur Way in the galleries below...

Who would you start against Everton? Predict the line-up

Watched by millions of our fans on club channels and on the big screens at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at our first home games against Charlton and Newcastle, the film turns the traditional new-season narrative on its head. Rather than centring on players or match highlights, ‘Tottenham ’Til I Die’ puts lifelong supporters and local community figures at the heart of the story.

The film is narrated by Spurs fan and The Odyssey star Himesh Patel and directed and photographed by Tottenham-born goalkeeper turned Cannes award-winning director Alfie Whiteman.

After 15 years at the Club, Alfie stepped away from professional football to build a career as one of the most exciting emerging names in photography and film, bringing that same eye to a story rooted in the community that shaped him. The photos on these pages are Alfie’s own work and were used within the film.

To ground the film even further in community, the film is scored by Alfie’s own father Les and features Spurs fans, actress Taylor Russell, musician Dev Hynes aka Blood Orange, Grammy-award winning composer Daniel Blumberg and a childhood shot of Alfie himself as the opener.

'Tottenham ’Til I Die' is built around the stewards, the walking football groups and the three-generation families who’ve stayed loyal throughout. At the centre of the film are also the everyday people who make Spurs what it is. The film features Tottenham Hotsteppers, a walking football group based at Tottenham Community Centre; Alan Baldwin, our oldest season ticket holder at 93; and Jaden Liang, a matchday steward born and raised in Tottenham.

The story also stretches beyond north London, with scenes filmed in New York and Tokyo, reflecting the global community that carries its connection to Spurs across generations and continents.

'Tottenham ’Til I Die' focusses on fans and places the people and spirit of Tottenham firmly at its heart.

For Alfie, born and bred in Tottenham and someone who came through our Academy to play for the first team, the project was very much close to his heart. We caught up with our former goalkeeper to find out more about his involvement in it and what 'Tottenham ’Til I Die' means to him…

Alfie, how did your involvement in the 'Tottenham ’Til I Die' project come about?

Alfie: "The agency Blind Faith had a meeting with the club about ideas for a season opener, they pitched me in for this particular project, which was to document Spurs fans and try to capture the sense of club and community. We had a meeting, sat down and I said I’ve always wanted to try to highlight the people of the community and the club that don’t really get seen. I was really keen to get involved and try to use it as an opportunity to collaborate with the incredibly talented creatives at Blind Faith and make something special."

How enjoyable was it to be out there among the fans, taking their photos, hearing their stories? Did it make you appreciate the passion of football fans even more?

Alfie: "It was really enjoyable. We had a tight turnaround so it was a challenge to fully capture the fans and community in the time we had. I think we managed to capture the right emotions, it was just a very small sliver of the subject matter. I put a call out on my Instagram and essentially cast it that way. Our wonderful casting director Najia Saad, put the replies in a spreadsheet with names and addresses and from that, we mapped out a schedule for a week of shooting. My producer Milo and I then drove around to different houses and places and we spent time with each person, documenting them, taking photos, getting to know them and a sense of who they are and then it was on to the next one! I was shooting around 2,500 pictures a day more or less. In total, we took around 14,000 pics in a short space of time, about 60 people in that week. Obviously I already knew how passionate fans are, but this was great and it really made me appreciate it even more, to discover just how much the club and the area means to them."

From a former player’s perspective, how important is the connection between a club and its fans?

Alfie: "As an ex-player, the connection between the club and its supporters is really important. The whole reason the game can exist as it does is only because of how devoted the fans are and what they give to a club."

As a fully-fledged Tottenham lad, how important is the club within the Tottenham area?

Alfie: "I grew up in Tottenham, went to school here and still live here now, so I know how important it is. I feel the club really does need to focus on the community. Spurs are a global club but at the same time, nothing is more important than those right on the doorstep. The local businesses outside the stadium on the High Road that help provide for the fans, the local people who help when there are matches and events on…it’s incredibly important that the club and the area have that synergy."

Have you always had an interest in photography?

Alfie: "I’ve been into it since I was about 17. When I was a scholar, football is such a bubble and your career in the game is short too, so I started working on these outside passions and interests from a young age. I pretty much educated myself in readiness for the day when football came to an end for me."

What are your aspirations in film/photography?

Alfie: "At the moment, I’m doing a lot of directing as well as photography, working on scripts and different sorts of jobs in that sense. My aspirations are to get into long-form narrative works and continuing to do long-form photo series. I really like documentary photography and it’s kind of linked to my job in moving image and film as well."

Again, as someone Tottenham born and bred, how proud are you to have played for the club and to now be a part of such an important project after your playing career?

Alfie: "I was really keen to make the project happen and make sure that we highlighted the people in the community. That’s why I was going up and down the High Road – my High Road – visiting all these important places like Star Restaurant, Collins Carpets, Spurs Local, the Community Centre – all of these pillars of the community. I feel really proud that we were able to get these people in the film and shine a light on them."

Finally, how special was it to work on a project alongside the likes of Himesh Patel and, of course, your dad?

Alfie: "With Himesh, I texted him and asked if he wanted to be in it and do the voice-over and he was really honoured to be asked. When I was taking his photos and then going through it all with him, it was a really special moment. He’s such a talented, incredible person with a great story, a great guy. As for my dad, I worked with him before, he has scored a few things of mine, but he came in pretty late to the project and did an incredible job. We managed to pull it all together, it’s something we’re all really proud of and I’m so grateful for the opportunity from the club and the guys at Blind Faith."

With five of our summer arrivals in the matchday squad for our London derby at Brisbane Road, four of them featured at Brisbane Road on Sunday afternoon as Kirsty Hanson and Caitlin Dijkstra both started the game while Shekiera Martinez and Victoria Pelova entered the fray in the second half.

Making their first appearances in Lilywhite in a competitive fixture, they all had a significant impact in helping us earn three points in our season opener – particularly Caitlin who put in a huge shift at right-back and centre-back while, at the other end, Kirsty netted a sensational brace to set us on our way to victory.

Our Head Coach was pleased to give our new signings their first competitive minutes, but believes we can expect even more from them once they integrate even further with the squad.

“There were four debutants in there [for the game against West Ham],” Martin told us, speaking after the game with SPURSPLAY. “For them, it’s about understanding one another. In pre-season, there’s not as much pressure in the games, but then you step into the actual league campaign where the results start to matter.

“Those players are settling in, getting a feel for it, playing with new team-mates, knowing what we expect and seeing what the fans expect. It was really nice for those players to come on and get their debuts.

“I thought Caitlin was outstanding in an unfamiliar position that we put her in for tactical reasons, and then to go into centre-back when Toko [Koga] came off. I thought her performance was top class.”

Kirsty understandably stole the headlines with her stunning brace on her debut and while he was full of praise for her impact on the game, Martin insisted this is just the beginning of what we could see from her in a Spurs shirt.

“Wonderful,” he added, when asked about Kirsty’s double in the contest. “The movement for her first one, the pass from Signe [Gaupset] and then a really good finish to try to get it up, over and around the goalkeeper was excellent. It takes a bit of a deflection, but the movement against that opposition was outstanding.

“Then, for the second one, she cut inside and gives herself half a yard to finish, and it’s a wonderful strike. When she’s in those positions, with that quality and control, I think she’s really hard to play against.

“There’s a lot more to come from Kirsty. She wants more, but all I expect from her is to keep working hard and, if she does that, anything else is a bonus.”

Highlight | Spurs 3-1 West Ham

Amie, who has stepped up to our Under-19s this campaign after a positive two years with the Under-16s, including captaining our young side to the PGA Plate last term, was included in Kerri Walsh’s squad on Monday morning.

A young full-back, who has also trained with the first team in recent weeks, she has featured regularly for England at youth level and captained her nation at Under-16s level on a number of occasions.

The Young Lionesses will first face the 2027 UEFA Women’s Under-17 European Championship hosts, Finland, on Thursday 10 September (4.30pm UK) before meeting once again on Sunday 13 September (12noon UK).

The two friendlies this month serves as part of preparation for round one of qualification for next summer’s finals, where they will face Belarus, Hungary and Denmark in December.

Good luck, Amie!

Famously a one-club man, Ledley graduated from our Academy to captain the team to League Cup success in 2008 and then qualifying for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 2010.

Ledley made his debut at Anfield in 1999 and went on to make 323 appearances in all competitions before enduring injury issues finally forced his retirement in 2012.

One of the best central defenders of the modern era, it's widely accepted that Ledley would have added to his 16 England caps without having to manage a chronic knee injury over a number of years.

Thierry Henry described him as one of his toughest opponents - the pair fought out a great duel, England vs France, at Euro 2004 - and six years later, Ledley's form as we finished fourth in the Premier League earned a call into England 2010 World Cup squad.

After retirement, Ledley was named Club Ambassador in 2012, a role he's proudly held for 14 years, working alongside Spurs in the Community and engaging with Spurs fans all over the world.

Popular as ever, Ledley was the subject of the first Legend street mural to appear in N17, designed by MurWalls, at Tottenham Community Centre in 2022 and, over 14 years since he last pulled on the Lilywhite shirt, fans still sing his 'Oh Ledley Ledley...' song on 26 minutes of every game.

Congratulations, Ledley, on this huge and much-deserved honour.