The upward curve in crowds has flattened slightly but the overall trajectory is looking healthy for the women’s game

There was apprehension among home supporters at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday. A fear of defeat, a regret that this fixture, the north London derby, was not being played a month earlier when Arsenal were limping towards the exit of Jonas Eidevall as manager. The mood was up too; 28,852 fans were in attendance and in good spirits, regardless of the result they may have expected.

That’s only 46% of the stadium’s capacity but it felt comfortably full, the lower tier packed and a spray of fans extending into the upper. The large pocket of Arsenal followers in the corner were in full voice, scarves spinning, a block of red and white set against the deep blue and white around them. It was a normal matchday, the rivalry there, but as with most women’s football matches there was a family-friendly feel. It’s not manufactured – it doesn’t need to be. It is just a natural consequence of cheaper tickets that would likely extend to men’s matches if people could afford to take their families.