As we now draw a thrilling Barclays Women’s Super League season to a close, few could’ve imagined the season Tottenham Hotspur might have had before all kicked off on October 1st.

Spurs survived relegation to the Barclays Women’s Championship by seven points in the end of the 2022/23 campaign, largely thanks to Bethany England’s goalscoring exploits in since signing with the side over the January window.

In what was an appointment of relatively unknown quantity, came in the form of the introduction of Robert Vilahamn from BK Häcken- a signing that was met greeted with great intrigue.

The success Vilahamn had at Hacken wasn’t unnoticed, having unearthed stars such as Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Marika Bergman-Lundin, who now also ply their trade at Chelsea and West Ham United, respectively. A certain Swedish striker, by the name of Stina Blackstenius, also plied her trade under Vilahamn, albeit for a shorter period.

Back in July, Robert told Spurs’ official website, “It’s an honour to join this world renowned football club”. Though unbeknownst to himself or any Spurs fan, the magnitude of the journey he was about to take them on was looking on the horizon.

The unearthing of Bobby Ball:

Like his Men’s Team counterpart, Ange Postecoglou, Vilahamn arrived with a reputation for free flowing and attacking football.

Setting his team up with attacking full backs, a midfield three and forward line that rotate in and out of possession, Tottenham Hotspur have been a joy to watch.

Epitomised by one goal in particular, his philosiphy led to him lauding Martha Thomas’ goal against Arsenal in the North London Derby, “the most beautiful goal” he had ever seen.

Barbora Votikova found Molly Bartrip, Grace Clinton dropped in to pick the ball up and feed Martha Thomas who knocked it off to Celin Bizet, as the winger got on her bike with pace. The Norweigian international ran at a depleted and stretched Arsenal back line, Jess Naz made a decoy run to fool Lotte Wubben Moy, all before Bizet laid the ball back to Thomas inside of the area. The Scot stroke home eloquently as Tottenham Hotspur Stadium erupted. Six passes from Votikova hands, to pure unbridled Tottenham joy.

The aforementioned goal, was just Robert Vilahamn’s philosophy in a nutshell. If anything more was certain, it certainly made fans sit up and take notice of what was being built at Hotspur Way.

The emergence of the ‘Superstar’, Grace Clinton.

When Grace Clinton left the North West for North London on a season long loan last summer, the elements of intrigue surrounding the loanee’s season grew further and further.

Speaking to The Halfway Line, Clinton herself said: “To be honest, when I first came here I knew I’d be fighting for a position on the pitch. Even Robert giving me a chance when maybe older players could have done a better job at the time, but he really trusts the young players.

That’s one part of his philosophy that he’s clear on, he gives youth a chance, and with me, he really gave me a chance. If he maybe hadn’t of done that, I don’t think I’d have the fitness, I’d have the confidence, to really go and express myself. That all comes from his trust in me, it’s amazing to come from a top coach like him.”

Following their Adobe Women’s FA Cup Quarter Final penalty shootout win over Manchester City, Clinton’s performance led to Vilahamn bursting with pride when he said one thing- “You have your superstar now“

That particular evening, Clinton acquitted herself superbly against Yui Hasegawa, Jess Park and Filippa Angeldahl over the course of a gruelling 120 minutes.

Her finest performance of the season however, was the topsy turvey seven goal thriller at Chigwell Construction Stadium as Spurs edged out West Ham United 4-3 in what was a bonkers contest.

Within five minutes on that windy East London evening, she showcased her class, receiving the ball and swivelling brilliantly past Shannon Cooke before guiding her effort past Mackenzie Arnold to give Spurs the perfect start. Later finding another moment of brilliance on the edge of the area, Clinton struck the sweetest of strikers into the bottom corner to garner herself her first top-flight brace.

Having been given the freedom and trust of her manager, Clinton continued to flourish under the tenure of Robert Vilahamn. The 21 year-old earned herself her first (and now four consecutive) call-ups for the senior England side, before scoring on debut in a friendly meeting with Italy.

It didn’t stop there for Grace Clinton, having made one final sweep with Spurs as she was awarded all three Player of the Season accolades at Saturday’s post-match ceremony.

For a player who was steering her way between loan spells and the search of senior minutes, Grace Clinton has now solidified herself as one of England’s brightest stars- all thanks to Tottenham Hotspur.

History Makers in the Cup

When Rosella Ayanne’s delicate chip dropped into the net over despairing Sheffield United Goalkeeper, Fran Stenson, Spurs had just completed a stunning comeback, having trailed 2-0 on the hour.

The joyous scenes inside Brisbane Road were something we would see again two rounds later, as Spurs beat heavily fancied Manchester City on penalties, thanks to Becky Spencer’s heroics and Amy James-Turner’s winner. It had then sunk in, Spurs were in a domestic cup semi final, for the first time in their history.

The stage was set, an Adobe Women’s FA Cup Semi Final in the warmth of the sun surrounding by 18,000 people in attendance at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Leicester City, backed for a stretch thanks to Jutta Rantala’s brilliant strike from distance. The visitors would lead on the road for all of eighty minutes at The Lane.

Though not before Jess Naz raced through one on one to place her finish coolly past Lize Kop in the Foxes goal to send the tie to extra time.

Once again the history maker was Martha Thomas, as time stood still in N17 as her looping header sailed over the despairing Kop and nestled into the far corner- sending the satnds of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium into rapture.

The incredible scenes inside the stadium post-match were just desserts for Spurs and Vilahamn, who thoroughly deserved the historic Wembley trip.

Though it ended in heartbreak for Spurs and their adoring faithful, losing terribly to Manchester United under the sun at Wembley Stadium. Despite the saddening performance on the day, the journey from amateur beginnings and difficult starting points as Broxbourne Ladies, to coming second out of all the teams to enter the Adobe Women’s FA Cup, seems a rather fitting way to sum up the Swede’s first season in charge.

A Big Summer Ahead

Attention must now be payed to the transfer window ahead, as Tottenham Hotspur look to enter the market with aggression to strengthen their ever-growing armoury over the coming months.

A pillar in Tottenham’s journey was Amy James-Turner, as the experienced defender lead from the back with heroism throughout the campaign. Her contract expires this coming summer, as does the likes of Becky Spencer and Ramona Petzelberger. Drew Spence and Ellie Brazil both see their contracts run their time, though each have an option for a one-year extension. It will be interesting to see which of those aforementioned will extend their stay at Hotspur Way, as Spurs are sure to be keen to retain their experienced playmakers.

Though the talk of the town is sure to be following Grace Clinton, as Tottenham fans sit with their fingers crossed at any hopes that the young star might make her stay in North London permanent. Though as it grows increasingly likely that her return to Manchester is imminent, Spurs must start scouring the grounds to find a replacement for their Player of the Season to ensure they are not left with the hole that became glaring during the FA Cup Final.

Not all plain sailing:

In his final pre match press conference of the season, Robert Vilahamn said, “I don’t think we ever had that one whole where we show [our style] fully. Moments of games, phases of the game, half of the game, but I can’t come up with any game where we nailed it from the first minute to the last.” 

Vilahamn was right, particularly the two games against Manchester City and Manchester United just before Christmas immediately spring to mind:

A 7-0 defeat, leading to a public apology from all the players on their social media channels, followed by a 4-0 home humbling by Manchester United hit Vilahamn’s side hard.

Following their 4-3 win over West Ham at the end of January. Spurs went on a four game winless run, picking up only 1 point in a 1-1 draw at the impressive Liverpool.

Like every manager’s first season at a club, there has been peaks and troughs, with Robert Vilahamn fully embracing that in his first season in England during his pre-final day press conference.

“We’re learning from everything. We’re learning when we are good and bad, but it’s a journey you need to go through before you can reach the next level. I think hopefully next year, we can have more games where we are quite happy with the whole game.”

With a season that went better than many could’ve imagined, Spurs fans look to the summer with optimism and hope with Robert Vilahamn at the helm, confident that the Swede can take them up to bigger and better heights in 2024/2025.