Salute to a Chelsea Women legend: Bethany England’s record transfer

On every level of this exchange, each party wins in some way or another. England gets to go someplace she will be the main threat, Tottenham demonstrating its intentions in the women’s game going forward, and the Blues receive a record fee in exchange for a player that is not even in their first-choice starting XI. Women’s football as a whole also wins, and in a little over a year, the previous British transfer record has now been broken. The game each season becomes more and more valuable, and it is clear that Spurs is tired of their club team being closer to the relegation zone than the top three. This has to be one of the many moves for Tottenham in order to get back on track, but at least this is a great place to begin.

Drew Spence has arguably been Tottenham’s best player since her arrival from west London, and with now two proven players in both the midfield and attack, Spurs believe they could rebound from a disappointing beginning to the season. CFC fans were calling for England to receive more playing time in the midst of Sam Kerr’s struggles, but after making just two starts for Hayes’ side, England was clearly not happy with the role she had been given from the get-go of the campaign. No Blues fan should blame her for wanting a move elsewhere. What she has done to bring this club to the level it is currently at should not go unnoticed.

70 goals in 148 contests in blue for the English international. Whether it was her goal against Spurs at the Bridge in 2019 or her first hat trick for the club in 2018, there will always be moments on which to look back fondly. After there were many doubts about her success in west London, England’s loan campaign with Liverpool revived her career, and just a few years later she departs Chelsea with the second-most goals in the club’s history.

From every Chelsea fan out there, we thank England for her time and passion for the game during her tenure with the Blues. Who knows where CFC would be right now without the inclusion of England into the side back in 2016? Three club legends have left the club since the beginning of the summer, but none of them, especially England will be forgotten for their contributions on and off the pitch to the progression of this club.