Bethany scored the goals to secure our WSL place after arriving midway through the 2022/23 campaign. Named skipper for the following season, she spearheaded our history-making journey to the Women’s FA Cup Final with crucial goals against Sheffield United and Manchester City.
The England international departs as our record WSL goalscorer – 32 – and with admiration of players, staff and fans, a true leader.
Bethany was moved to tears as she sat down with SPURSPLAY presenter and Spurs fan Ben Haines for a farewell interview.
Here’s what she had to say…
Ben: Bethany, can you tell me why we’re sat here today?
Bethany: “We’re sat here today because I will be leaving Tottenham Hotspur Football Club after three and a half amazing years.”
How difficult is it to say that out loud?
“Very difficult, as you can tell. I've spent most part of the day crying. Yeah, it's very tough, very, very tough. Yeah, a lot harder than, not that I expected, but yeah, it's very difficult.”
Shall we go back to the very beginning? You had such a significant change in your life coming here. I'm sure it felt like a massive move at the time. Can you try and sum up what you felt and thought when you were arriving to Spurs on that first day?
“Yeah, I think the biggest thing, I was just scared. I've always been someone that's quite set in my ways and I've always struggled with change, albeit the first six months to the outside seemed amazing. I was flying and I was scoring. There was a lot of inside thoughts that was struggling with a lot of change. Obviously, we changed managers midway through. There was so much that went on, but if anything, I would say the biggest thing I would say is I was proud that I took the leap of faith and that the club, as I said, trusted me and put their belief in me and helped me find my love again for football.”
So where were you psychologically when you did join?
“I'll never forget my signing day. I almost didn't want to be here, but the minute I walked into that auditorium and the amount of love that surrounded me made it hard to not want to be there. I probably looked like a really miserable person on the day, but I think it was just trying to adjust to the change, and I am someone that wears my heart on my sleeve. So, to anyone in the room that day, I apologise if I didn't look very happy, but I would say it was one of the best things I've ever done.”
So, when do you start to feel like you might have found your new family?
“I would say what solidified it for me was Leicester at home, our 1-0 win, and that was enough to keep us up and the amount of, as I said in my letter, the love, the warmth, the hope that it gave everyone let me feel like I was finally home again. I always say pressure is a privilege and I think I was scared when I first came that I wouldn't be the striker that you needed or I wasn't going to be able to score the goals that was expected. Thankfully, I did that and yeah, I think, as I said, it wasn't just knowing that you guys needed me but I definitely needed this place and the people around me and the club and I'm very, very grateful and appreciative that I got the opportunity to play for this football club.”
You said you were a little bit afraid of change, was there a point when you started to realise that this was your new normal, this wasn't change anymore, this was the place where you wanted to be?
“I would say it was when I came back for my first full season going into pre-season. Obviously, off the back of the World Cup, I had many conversations, new manager, then there was the captaincy talk and there was a lot going on but I think all of that made me realise how much trust was put in me and how much love was there and the club really believed in me and wanted me to be a part of this team going forward.
What did it mean to be made captain?
“I don't know how many people know this, but I actually said no to it twice before I got given it, because I never saw myself as a leader. I was always the little fish in a big pond elsewhere and that's how I just have kind of gone through life a bit and I would say, had it not been for the people around me having so much trust and belief in me that I clearly struggled to have within myself, I probably never would have taken it. I'm glad I did, because I've learnt so much about myself, not just as a leader but as a person. I think I've learnt that I'm not scared to stand up to people anymore. I think I'm very much an outspoken person but I'm more than happy to be the voice for everyone. Fairness is one of my biggest values and I'd like to say that I very much instilled that in the way that I led.”
None of us have any idea what's going on in other people's heads, but I just would never ever have thought that you wouldn't have thought of yourself as someone that would lead a group. To me, it would just seem like the most natural thing in the world for someone like you…
“I'm actually a massive over-thinker. I really get in my head. I used to care too much about what people thought of me, but I think I've kind of grown out of that now. I think there's always that self-doubt somewhere and as I say, I think had it not been for the support around me, I wouldn't have realised what I would have been able to achieve and it's brought me out of my shell in a way. I couldn't have done it without the girls that I had. Obviously, there's been quite a turnover of players and staff since I've been here, but they've all been amazing in their own way. They've all been a part of this journey with me. Kit Graham, for one. Haz James. I'll never forget. I think it was the Leicester game, ironically, Leicester, half-time, I'm sat there and I'm almost in a panic mode to her thinking,’ I don't feel like I can do it’. I didn't feel myself. I felt like I was struggling in the game and she literally turned to me and she was like, ‘you're Bethany England - you can do whatever you want’. Literally, I went and scored the goal that won us the game. Even little things like that is how much my team-mates believed in me. Like I say, Kit and Amy Turner, they would go around saying ‘in Beth we trust’ and it became like a running theme in the relegation battle. I've never felt so much support in my life.”
Tell me about your leadership group because it wasn't just you within that…
“No, I had the wonderful honour of having Molly Bartrip, Olga Ahtinen as my vice-captains when I got announced as captain and they were my left and right arm girl, people I could lean on, bounce ideas, thoughts off, I guess social secs as well, helping me plan team events and I know obviously it's been amazing this year to see Drew and Eveliina step up in those roles as well when none of us have been on the pitch, but I just want to give my sincere thanks to them because without them as well I wouldn't have been able to do the job I've done and they have definitely helped put this football club in a much better position as well.”
If you look at this journey that you've been on with the club, how much has changed for Spurs? How much has changed for you? It's almost unrecognisable from the club that you joined in that time…
“It's changed a lot. As I say, there's been quite a shift in terms of personnel, which I get happens. I think just the standards in terms of how much better we are on the pitch, off the pitch. I feel like I've grown with it. When I first came here, it felt like a club that didn't know that they could compete to a club that's now constantly talking about, we can be in these conversations now. We're talked about as a top five club. These are not conversations that were happening when I first came. I think that's credit to everyone who's been involved, whether it was a small part or a big part to play, that they've put this club further forward than it's ever been. I'm very proud to have been able to help lead a lot of that but help push people and push myself along the way.”
That must be a little bit of where what you talk about with fairness and standards comes into things, because I don't ever remember you ever talking about us like we're a small club, or ever talking about us like we're a club that couldn't be that...
“No, never. I think it was more just, again, the belief. You're sitting here saying you wouldn't expect me to feel like that, and that's someone who has probably more of a presence in the dressing rooms in terms of my loudness and stuff but imagine what some of the other girls are thinking. Everyone's probably thinking similar things. You say you don't know what's going on in people's heads and how they think and feel, but I do believe that there's so much trust and belief in this club that we are bigger than what we have been. I think there's still a long way to go, but we're definitely moving in the right direction. As I say, I've been proud to see the progress. There's been a lot go on, but I'm extremely, extremely proud to see where the club has been left in good hands.”
Can we talk about the road to the FA Cup final? That was honestly the most fun, seeing you guys go on that journey. What was it like to be on that journey?
“It was madness, absolutely madness. There's nothing more I love than an underdog story. You look at the Man City quarter-final, I think it was our fourth time playing them that year. We'd drawn them in both cups at the same stage. They probably thought it was going to be a walk in the park. We sure as hell took the game to them. The heroics of Becky Spencer. I know I scored the goal, but again, Amy Turner's flick on. So many people played their part in stepping up to take their penalties, to make sure that they put the ball in the back of the net. Going into Leicester, again, it's one of those where you think, okay, we've beaten Man City. Leicester, you don't want to go in, again, being naive because I've been in these situations so many times. That was a game where you just wasn't sure which way it was going to flip. Momentum was with them, then it was with us. Obviously, they scored first. It was just a crazy, crazy game. Martha's goal, just limbs. I felt like it was just limbs everywhere. I was like, ‘oh, please, I don't want to go to another penalty shoot-out’. I was super, super proud of her when she got that. Obviously, I think I spoke to you at the end of the FA Cup Final and how upset I was. I mean, to put Tottenham women on the map that early on, being my first season, I guess, full season, and to go to a sell-out crowd at Wembley for Tottenham, albeit obviously Man United fans, but Tottenham fans, and being proud to walk out, I think that is up there with one of the highlights of my life, without a doubt.”
I don't know if you remember this, but the joy that Spurs fans wanted to share with you guys after the game. What was that like to know that there was this level of complete investment in you guys, that even though you'd lost the game, people were just so proud that you'd taken the club to that place?
“Yes, there was so much love. I think, again, we were the underdogs going into the game, and I think I was probably so upset after it because I wanted to give the fans even more. It's not just great to say that we got there. I wanted us to really compete and show ourselves. I'd say for the first 40 minutes, we did that, but unfortunately, obviously, Man United did what they did. But the love afterwards, I remember we were in Box Park and the amount of fans that were just thanking us for giving them that day. It makes you realise that football is bigger than just a 90-minute game. There's so much joy and happiness that it brought people. Obviously, we were sad at the time, but you still have to appreciate that against all odds, we got there. I would love nothing more than to see the club back competing for trophies in finals like that, especially at a sell-out Wembley. The fans were just phenomenal, and I can't thank them enough for everything that they've done.”
It feels like since you arrived at the club, you've gone over and above always to make sure that you help people that people can't see, that you make an effort to go the extra mile with almost any cause that you could think of that would help other people feel seen or help other people feel supported. Why has that been so important for you and how have you maintained that throughout your time here?
“Firstly, I want to thank my mum and dad for just instilling good values in me and my sisters. I've always been a caring person. I've always just wanted to help people and I think even with the captaincy, it was never like a dictatorship to me. It was a democracy where everyone had a fair vote, like my voice isn't better than your voice or more important, everyone is the same. I would treat the kitchen staff, the ground staff, everyone, the cleaners the same level of respect that I would treat the manager. I think we forget when we're in these industries that there's actual people behind the profile and I think for me, we're fortunate that yes, we've worked hard, yes, we've got the talent, yes, we get all these things but I'm like, end of the day, we're still humans and if we're in a position where we can help other, why would we not? I have loved every single second and minute of working with the foundation. I asked them a while ago about going into care homes, they got it done. We're doing the cancer charities, got it done. They brought in All Dogs Matter, the dog home, that charity has my heart more than I think words can say and I just, yeah, I just think that if you're in a position to help, why not and fortunately, I have been in a position and I just always wanted to keep giving and giving.”
Why is that important to you? Why did you sort of, it looks to me like it's something you're really natural with but just hearing you now, it sounds like a really conscious decision to make sure that you do turn up for other people…
“I just feel like if we're in a fortunate position, it doesn't take two seconds to wish someone good morning, have a good day, just be mindful of what's going on in other people's lives and even to the fans, the way they'll wait for you, they're giving up their time, their effort, their money. If I can't give you 30 seconds of my time, then I don't deserve to be in this job and like I say, you don't want it to become an expectation and not everyone's the same, but I just think if I can, I always will and that's probably as black and white as I can be with that.”
There is one Spurs support group that will be sitting here or sitting at home watching this video absolutely distraught and that'll be the Proud Lilywhites. I wondered if maybe you had a message for them given that they absolutely have very much taken you to their hearts as well…
“My message would be just keep being proud about being who you are. Don't let anyone's opinions change how you feel about yourself. I say all the time, you speak to yourself more than you speak to anyone else, so you wouldn't speak to someone else cruelly, so be kind to yourself because we are the way we are, we're proud to be where we are and every time I say I've walked out on that pitch, not only have I been proud to wear the shirt and the armband but the LGBTQ plus armband, because I think visibility is key. There's a reason we have to fight for rights. It’s just having that awareness that we are here, we're still human and we're allowed to be exactly who we want to be.”
Tell me about your teammates…
Bethany: “Oh, I love them.”
Like you said, you've had an amazing group from when you first started, lots of people have come and gone but how much of a part have they played in helping to shape who you are?
“Huge, huge, part. I think the biggest one for me was Drew Spence. Obviously coming in, I’d played with her a long time at Chelsea. She really helped me settle here, any questions I had or any help, she was amazing. I just think it's so funny how people you wouldn't think you would gravitate towards, you do, and how when you get to know a person, how much your perception of them can change. The girls are such a phenomenal group. They are just such good people and I think it can be very difficult in a high-end sport to find people that just generally want the best for each other and I've undoubtedly found friends for life, I guess speak to them quite a lot even like Ella Morris, she's like, I'm like nearly 10 years her senior, and she's like my work wife, like she's just the most amazing human I could think of. I could literally sit here and name all of them and how they've all got phenomenal traits and how good of a human they are other than I just want to say thank you to them, because the ones that have been before come and gone, the ones that I'll sadly be leaving behind, I just think you've made me into, I'd say a better person but I'd say, I don't know, it's hard to say like a great friend but they've just made me feel a lot of love and I will forever be thankful for that.”
What place will Spurs occupy in your mind, and I guess in your identity moving forward now as you look to the future?
“I'll always be a fan of the club. I'll always be looking out for the club. I want to see my friends do well, I don't know where I'll be, what I'll be doing, but they will have my full support, I'll be checking in on them and I just can't say enough thank you to everyone, the fans, the staff, the players, all of you guys, there's so much work that goes into day-to-day things that I'm going to miss a lot of. I might not miss the M25 drive every day, but I'll miss so much about this place. I knew the last few weeks were going to be hard and I feel like I don't want to spend every day crying, but I probably will, but, unfortunately, stories come to an end and I'm proud of the way this one has gone.”
We have had the most enormous amount of fun working with you, you have been an unbelievable colleague and an incredible leader and captain for us so thank you for everything you've done for this football club and being so wonderful.
Bethany: “Thank you very much, thank you.”
