“I’m not going to be perfect every day”

Tottenham Hotspur’s Molly Bartrip opens up on her journey after joining Common Goal’s mental health initiative Create the Space

It’s ok not to be ok. 

A message that Molly Bartrip wants to get across regularly. To anyone reading this going through their own struggle. To herself now. To her younger self. 

The Tottenham Hotspur defender has taken the step of joining Common Goal’s Create the Space initiative, a player-led movement dedicated to supporting mental health awareness in football. 

A decision made by her that stems from her own personal journey with mental health and a determination to make a difference for players facing similar challenges, as well as those who watch her from the stands. 

Throughout her career, Molly has been open about her struggles with anxiety, depression and battles with anorexia which she revealed publicly in an interview with The Player’s Tribune in 2022. 

Her bravery in opening up on the subject has resonated with a number of fans, as Molly reflected: 

“I’ve reached a lot of people through (talking about) my mental health, and I’m proud of that as a person.  

“It is super important for people to know that it’s ok not to be ok. 

“Even to this day I get DMs about how I’ve helped somebody or helped a friend. 

“It’s crazy, even my brother gets messages sometimes talking about how much his sister has helped someone. 

“These things mean a lot and also make me realise why I’ve done what I’ve done.” 

The 28-year-old had apprehensions about what the reaction would be to her Players’ Tribune article, which made it all the more important to get the message out. 

“I was worried that maybe people would say because it wasn’t common for people to talk about it,” she says. 

“I think if it was a daily conversation in sport, it would’ve been very easy for me but because no one had really said anything about illness or mental health, it could’ve gone one way or the other. 

“I was lucky that it reached good people.” 

The journey has allowed Molly to find strength in vulnerability and she now uses her voice to help others feel less alone. 

She is joining Common Goal in support of Create the Space UK, which has fellow WSL players Vivianne Miedema, Beth Mead and Niamh Charles also representing the project. 

Create the Space unites players, community organisations, brands and other partners behind the vision of creating an environment within football where everyone is able to express themselves. 

Joining forces with the aim of equipping football at all levels with the knowledge, skills and resources to understand, prevent and deal with mental health issues. 

“Football is not just a game,” Molly emphasises. 

“There’s so much more to it, and the communities that it can help.  

“What Common Goal is wanting to achieve made total sense to me to be part of it. I think as players, we can do a lot to create better environments and push for more. 

“It’s important that with our names, we can contribute not just on the pitch but off the pitch too. 

“I still struggle every day, but I’m super supported at Tottenham and they know what I’m like. 

“The most important thing for me is to have that safe network around me that knows me so well. 

“They know I’m not going to be perfect every day.” 

By sharing her story and pushing for change, Molly is helping to break the silence around mental health in football, ensuring that no player faces their struggles alone. 

Find out more about Create the Space at https://www.common-goal.org/Stories/Create-the-Space-Launches2023-11-02