When in July 2021 Martha Thomas joined Manchester United from West Ham, it’s fair to say that her new club’s fan base was underwhelmed by the signing. They did not have a problem with Thomas, but she was part of a cohort that were not considered the world-class talent needed to boost their bid for Champions League football, unlike the exiting Tobin Heath and Christen Press.
It was somewhat inevitable that the now Tottenham striker would underwhelm in Manchester – not because it was expected, how she would fit in was unknown, but because she was not really given a chance to flourish. The Scotland forward made 38 league appearances and scored six goals in her two seasons under Marc Skinner but started just nine games in her first season and once in her second. Unable to build any consistency, she struggled.
