Once a Spur | Wendy Martin

Appearing first and exclusively in each matchday programe, we speak to a former Spurs player to look back at their career and get their thoughts on the current side ahead of our seventh season in the WSL.

First up, it was iconic forward Wendy Martin who made 168 appearances and scored 89 times in Lilywhite…

What were your first memories when you joined the Club in 2011?

“Being a Spurs fan myself, I remember the first time I wore the famous Lilywhite shirt. Having featured in a few pre-season games beforehand, my competitive debut came against QPR in the Southern Division in 2011, where I also managed to score. It was a proud moment for me and a dream come true. The girls were really friendly and, having spoken to the manager at the time, there was clearly a lot of ambition for the Club from day one.”

Talk us through your journey with the Club, from grassroots to the Championship?

“When I first started, we were wearing oversized men’s kit, the pitches we played on rarely had grass, and the craters were filled with sand. The squad would usually enjoy post-game socials, such as a trip to bingo, which was great for team building but also not so great for our post-match recovery.

“After narrowly missing out on relegation on the final day of season in 2013, the mindset of the squad shifted, we learned a lot of lessons that season and it was the start of our leap to the WSL. The support from the Club and the opportunity to train at Hotspur Way boosted the squad even further and the progress we made in just a few years was huge. 

“We went from a rusty minibus to a luxury coach, changing in a cold dusty changing room to the prestigious White Hart Lane dressing rooms. Five-minute team talks became a comprehensive, statistic driven gameplan and a few stretches before training became bespoke strength, conditioning and recovery programmes. It was an amazing journey for Women’s football and for the Club, and personally I retired having played 168 games and being the Club’s all-time top scorer to date.”

How do you look back at the historic 2018/19 season when we secured promotion to WSL?

“That day was so special. It was everything we had been working towards for the last eight years. We took each game at a time and as we got closer to the end of the season, there was a real belief that we could actually gain promotion. 

“For me, personally, it was mixed emotions as I knew promotion would mean big changes for the team moving forward, going from semi-pro to professional, and I would need to make a choice between my career and football.”

Favourite memory while wearing the Lilywhite shirt?

“I have so many that it’s really hard to choose just one. I scored from the halfway line in the Championship play-off, which we went on to win, so that was a real highlight. But if I had to pick a specific one, it would be scoring at White Hart Lane and going on to beat West Ham United 4-0 on a special night under the lights that saw us crowned FA Women's Premier League South.”

Have you been following the Club since your retirement? How did it feel seeing the Club you helped into England’s top flight make it to FA Cup Final in 2024?

“There are still a few girls at the Club that I played with and it’s always good to see them doing well. The standard of Women’s football just keeps getting better and the games are great to watch.

“It has been amazing to see how far the Club has grown in the last 10 years, from fighting relegation in a regional league to playing at Wembley Stadium. The Club has so much ambition, the determination and the unity of players has always been a real strength, so I always believed the Club would make it to Wembley one day. Let’s hope they can repeat that feat this season!”

Away from football, you have represented Team GB in beach soccer. How did that come about?

“When I retired from Spurs, it left a huge hole, and I struggled for a while. Then, the Team GB manager called me, and they invited me to trial for their squad over a number of weeks.

“Having retired from grass football, I thought my dream of representing my country had passed, so when I got the call telling me I’d made the beach soccer Team GB squad, and I would be going to the World Beach Games in Doha…. I was elated!

“I have represented England 32 times to this day, and I have won numerous trophies, including a silver medal at the World Beach Games and the European Cup. It’s a reminder that you should never give up on your dreams.”

What are you currently doing?

“I’m currently taking a year away from beach soccer as I have another little one due in November, but I hope to be back on the sand next year.”