Spence 'very proud' to break WSL appearance record

Published6 hours ago

Tottenham midfielder Drew Spence says it is a "very proud moment" to become the Women's Super League's all-time appearance record holder.

Spence, 34, started in Tottenham's WSL game against Birmingham City on Sunday, making her 217th appearance in the competition.

She overtook ex-Chelsea captain Millie Bright and could become the only outfield player at Tottenham to play 90 minutes in all of their WSL games this season.

"I've been around for a while! I'm incredibly proud to be able to do that and it's not just a proud moment for me, but also for my family," Spence told BBC Sport.

"It's [about] all the hard work that I put in throughout the years. When you're younger, you don't really think about these types of accolades.

"It was all about winning trophies. Now it's happened, it's such a massive part of my career and something that I can be proud of to look back on.

"I know the sacrifices - looking after yourself and making sure that you're available all the time. I know how hard it is to keep that motivation for so many seasons."

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'I'm in the best shape I've ever been'

Spence has played her entire career in London, spending 14 years at Chelsea before making the move to Tottenham in 2022.

She progressed from Arsenal and Fulham's academies and swapped nationalities from England to Jamaica in 2021.

During her time at Chelsea she won five league titles and four FA Cup trophies as part of one of England's most successful squads.

"She was a great team-mate, such a sweet soul off the pitch, but when she got on it, she was an absolute warrior," Chelsea midfielder Erin Cuthbert said.

"Technically, she's got the brains and the skillset. She looked after me from the very beginning [although] she welcomed me to the club with a two-footed challenge!

"She certainly deserves all the plaudits. To have that longevity is something I look up to. Now, she's a leader at Spurs."

Spence was named Tottenham captain in the summer and has gone on to become a key figure under manager Martin Ho.

In her first season at the club she played 22 games, more than in any campaign at Chelsea, and she has played every minute so far in 2026-27.

"I feel like I'm probably in the best shape that I've ever been. I'm recovering quicker, I understand my body a lot more and the nutrition side of things has helped me," said Spence.

"It's understanding what is right for me to recover and just little things. We have all those luxuries now which is amazing for the younger players."

Despite her achievements, Spence admits there are "regrets" from earlier in her career, when she wished she had understood how to prepare her body better.

She believes that could have given her more consistency while at Chelsea but acknowledges it is a lesson that has helped her flourish at Tottenham.

"I think people around me know that I've always just tried to do the best I can," added Spence.

"I have a lot of regrets in my career, but I'm at a stage now where I'm trying to be as consistent with my performance as I can and to lead the team.

"If I was more structured or understood my body better, I could have done that earlier in my career and given myself a better chance in certain points.

"But that's all part of the journey, that's all part of growing, that's all learning experiences. It's regrets within myself. But when I look back, I'll still be proud."

Tottenham manager Ho says Spence has earned "huge respect" at the club for the way she has applied herself since joining.

"Her performances and her ability to adapt and change - physically, technically, tactically - she's taken huge steps," he said.

"She's given herself longevity and she needs a lot of praise for that. I have massive respect for Drew as a professional, and as a person for what she's done for the game."

'She can play for as long as she wants'

Spence was part of the Jamaica squad in 2023 that wrote an open letter calling for "immediate and systematic change" within the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).

She has pushed for improved conditions in women's football and Ho says the "adversity" she has overcome has shaped the player Spence is today.

"She's used all those experiences to put herself in the position she is and she's grown from them," added Ho.

"I think Drew can play for as long as she wants. She's sharp, she's fit, very intelligent, a wonderful player for us and a really key part of what we're trying to do."

Spence still believes there is more to come too and has no plans to retire any time soon.

"There's parts of my game that I feel like I still need to improve on and I want to give it everything that I've got until I can't go any longer," she said.

"It was always my biggest dream [to play football] so I want to do it for as long as I can and enjoy it whilst I still can."

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