Neville on historic promotion six years ago: “It’s an amazing memory”
Thu 01 May 2025, 12:00|
Tottenham Hotspur
On this day, six years ago, we secured our promotion to the Barclays Women’s Super League for the first time in our history.
With just a single point needed in our FA Women’s Championship clash with Aston Villa in May, 2019, one of our own, Jess Naz, got us off to a perfect start with an early goal in Sutton Coldfield.
However, Amy West got the hosts back on level terms and we endured a tense end to the contest as the Villans threw everything at us, but we held on to claim the all-important point and clinch a historic promotion to the WSL.
Defender Ashleigh Neville, who joined us in July, 2017, started in that encounter in the West Midlands and the 32-year-old remembers that fixture very well.
Talking exclusively in this weekend’s Official Matchday programme, ‘Ash’ reflected on that moment promotion was secured: “It was such a nervy game. We knew we only needed a point to secure promotion, that just puts so much pressure on you, even though you knew you still had another chance in the following game if it didn’t go right.
“It comes up on my timeline every year and there’s a video of me clearing the ball off the line in the last minute, then the scenes of players and fans who were there, going crazy when that final whistle went, it was just amazing and a great night. An amazing memory for whoever was there that night.”
Fast forward eight years later, and our number 29 is set to walk out at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for our 15th Women’s fixture held in N17.
From beginning her Spurs career playing at Cheshunt, Sunday’s clash with Chelsea in the WSL, our final home game of the campaign, highlights another example of the Club’s progression.
“It’s a great stadium, we love playing there,” she added. “Obviously with all the fans that come down to support us, making the atmosphere really nice, so we’re really looking forward to finishing our last home game of the season there.
“When I first started eight years ago, we were getting 50 people to come down and watch us at Cheshunt, to now playing at this stadium, which for me is the best stadium in the world, in front of thousands of fans who are there to cheer you on, it just shows how far the Club has come.”
Our number 29 is the cover star and subject of our exclusive main feature interview in Sunday’s programme. Available at the usual £3, copies can be purchased around the stadium on Sunday or online here for delivery direct to your door.
