Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

The Tottenham striker looking to fill the shoes of a Lioness

talksport.com, 15 October 2023, 08:00
Tottenham striker Martha Thomas has a tough act to follow.

After Spurs captain and Lioness Bethany England was ruled out of the first part of the WSL season following a hip operation, Thomas is expected to step up and become the club's new source of goals.

Former Chelsea striker England scored 12 goals in as many games in her first spell for Spurs - no small feat for Thomas to live up to.

But the 27-year-old has started the season well, proving herself more than up to the task.

Scottish international Thomas made the move from Manchester United over summer having helped the club to their highest ever WSL finish last season.

She currently has three goals in her first three appearances in all competitions for Spurs - so far, she and England are on par.

Read More in WSL

ACL injuries in women's game explained: 'Female stars treated like second class citizens'

Arsenal and Aston Villa show Premier League and WSL tables are growing close

What a wonderful selection dilemma that will be for manager Robert Vilahamn when England returns to fitness.

Speaking to Tottenham before the WSL began, Thomas expressed her high hopes for revolutionising the club.

She said: "I want to help the team to achieve, to win more games than they've ever won (in the WSL) before, to finish as high as we ever have. I'm also really excited to meet all the fans."

And Thomas knows exactly what she can bring to a side where she will have the opportunity - at least for the foreseeable future - to start most games.

Most read in Football

Gillingham interim boss sent off for tripping over Walsall player in heavy defeat

Sheikh Jassim pulls out of Man United takeover race with Sir Jim Ratcliffe hopeful of deal

Ryan Reynolds reacts as Wrexham extend ridiculous goal record with high-scoring thriller

Emmanuel Adebayor sends message to Arsenal fans over iconic goal celebration

She said: "I would say I'm exciting as a player, I like to get on the end of things and I never give up, if we've lost the ball, I like to win it back straight away and create opportunities for myself or for other players.

"I'm hoping to play a big part, get on the pitch a lot, have a lot of minutes, make an impact positively in attacking ways, scoring goals, getting assists, winning games... that's ultimately what we all want."

Thomas was born in England, but made the move to Florida when she was just six years old.

The Scot has always had football in her blood - her great uncle Jim Kirkland played for Aberdeen in what was the Scottish top league at the time.

Thomas grew up playing for local American club Weston FC, before playing in college for North Carolina University's Charlotte 49ers where she was named as the side's MVP in all four of her seasons.

It was in France that she began her professional career, signing for Le Havre AC in 2018.

But she quickly made the move back to England and to the WSL when she signed for West Ham - and scored on her debut.

After two years with the Hammers she joined a Manchester United side who were on the rebuild in 2021, and made 38 appearances for the club before her departure last summer.

Since 2020, Thomas has also been an integral part of the Scottish Women's national side.

Despite being eligible for both the England and Scottish national teams - and having represented the USA at youth level - Thomas now has 11 goals in 27 appearances for Scotland.

Read More on talkSPORT

Chisora says Fury vs Ngannou will be a 'walkover' after seeing 'The Predator' training

Tim Ream praised for going 'above and beyond' during Chris Basham's horror leg break

She was a key part of the team who almost dismantled England's Lionesses in their opening Women's Nations League fixture in September - and will hope to do so again in the return leg in Scotland.

Scotland host England at Hampden Park in Glasgow on Tuesday 5 December in what will be the final Women's Nations League group match.

Top News

25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The Boxing Day feast of Premier League football concludes at around 10pm at Anfield, where league leaders Liverpool will hope to be celebrating a 13th top-flight win of the season against Leicester City. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool will almost certainly win their Premier League match against Leicester City at Anfield on Boxing Day, according to Reds expert David Lynch. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ruben Amorim's Manchester United will look to return to winning ways when they travel to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Boxing Day. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal fans should not expect Ethan Nwaneri to start Premier League matches week in week out in the wake of Bukayo Saka's injury, Gunners expert Charles Watts has warned. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea and Fulham and meet at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day in a second West London derby to be played at the stadium in the space of three weeks. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Looking to strengthen their unlikely push for a Champions League spot, Bournemouth will host Crystal Palace at the Vitality Stadium in the Premier League on Boxing Day. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Three years after being given the boot by Tottenham Hotspur, Nuno Espirito Santo reunites with his former employers again on Boxing Day, as Spurs head to the City Ground to meet Nottingham Forest. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Closing out the first round of post-Christmas Premier League fixtures, Arsenal and Ipswich Town engage in an Emirates battle on Friday evening. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two iconic north-west clubs meet in the Premier League on Boxing Day, looking to move further up the standings from where they currently are, when Manchester City welcome Everton to the Etihad. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aston Villa midfielder Emiliano Buendia may reportedly make the switch to Leeds United during the January transfer window. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk West Bromwich Albion have confirmed that Carlos Corberan has left the club to become the new manager of Valencia. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah could hit yet another new Premier League goalscoring milestone when the Reds host Leicester City in their Boxing Day battle at Anfield. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has lost captain Sam Morsy to suspension ahead of Friday's Premier League clash with Arsenal at the Emirates. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal temporarily begin life without Bukayo Saka when Ipswich Town arrive at the Emirates for Friday's Premier League showdown. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The curtain closes on the festive round of Premier League fixtures at the Emirates Stadium, where title outsiders Arsenal and relegation candidates Ipswich Town lock horns on Friday evening. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Is there a more satisfying sight in football than a sweetly-struck volley ripping into the back of the net? 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City must beat Everton on Boxing Day and end their dire form considering they face a relatively unthreatening opponent, Steven McInerney of Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City must beat Everton on Boxing Day and end their dire form considering they face a relatively unthreatening opponent, Steven McInerney of Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The January transfer window is almost here and clubs around the UK and Europe are lining up moves as they look to take advantage of the opportunity to strengthen. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler is close to welcoming back many first-team players ahead of the visit of Brentford to the Amex on Friday. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brighton & Hove Albion welcome Brentford to the Amex in one of two games being played after Boxing Day in the Premier League. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fulham will attempt a 45-year winless run when they face West London neighbours Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Erling Haaland is preparing to leave Manchester City in the summer, with the Norwegian expressing dissatisfaction behind the scenes, according to reports. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The final match on a jam-packed Boxing Day in the Scottish Premiership will come from the SMISA Stadium in Paisley, where St Mirren will be playing host to Rangers. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming for a fourth consecutive League One victory at the New York Stadium, Rotherham United welcome Wigan Athletic on Boxing Day, keen to secure maximum points in gameweek 22. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid forward Rodrygo reportedly down a lucrative offer from Manchester City in the summer to stay in Spain. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Boxing Day brings us a bottom-half clash in the Scottish Premiership with Dundee set to take on a struggling Ross County at The Scot Foam Stadium at Dens Park. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk In a promotion 'six-pointer', Huddersfield Town are set to host Stockport County at John Smith's Stadium on Boxing Day in League One. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are supposedly likely to have the chance to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani on loan in January after Bukayo Saka's injury. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two places separate Edinburgh rivals Hearts and Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership table heading into gameweek 19's Boxing Day derby at Tynecastle Park.