Tottenham full-back Djed Spence has ‘mental note’ of doubters as he takes aim at two former coaches ahead of potential England debut
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Published 04/09/2025 at 19:49 GMT+1
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Djed Spence is a self-proclaimed "fighter" and has been made to work to establish himself in Tottenham Hotspur's side. Four loan moves threatened to characterise the full-back's career, but having earned a call-up to Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the first time, Spence said it feels "good to prove them wrong", referencing former managers who did not have faith in him.
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Video credit: SNTV
Djed Spence has taken a circuitous route to arrive at his first senior England call-up.
The Tottenham Hotspur full-back reached the bright lights of the Premier League via a loan at Nottingham Forest and three more followed after signing for Antonio Conte's side back in 2022.
But having established himself in Ange Postecoglou's UEFA Europa League-winning team last season, Spence is ready to step onto the international stage, leaving a clutch of critics in his wake.
And while there is no concrete catalogue of names and grievances, the 25-year-old said it feels "good to prove them wrong".
"I wouldn’t say I particularly have a list but I do have a mental note of people who doubted me, for sure, and it does feel good to prove them wrong," said Spence.
"I’ve always had that from a young age, from grassroots football to academy – if you’re going to stay on or get released or get your scholar [contract] – to being a professional. I’ve always had to fight for my position and deal with disappointment."
One such doubter was former Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock, who sent the then-youngster out on loan to Forest in the 2021/22 season.
After Spence secured promotion at his adopted club, and just weeks out from his move to Tottenham, the defender posted a subtle jibe at Warnock, who replied to his social media post with cautious congratulations.
"Well done Djed," posted Warnock on X, formerly Twitter. "I did say you were Premier League or non-league [level]. Glad you listened and took my advice on board. Now go and enjoy your success."
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But even when the Kensington-born full-back had secured his big move to Spurs, he still had a battle to convince Conte that he was ready for Premier League football.
"Spence is an investment of the club," Conte said in August 2022. "The club wanted to do it. I said: ‘OK. This player is young but he showed he can become a good, important player for us.’ The club decided to buy him."
Seven minutes in the English top flight and an underwhelming loan move to Rennes immediately followed, before Spence was back in the Championship with Leeds United and then off to Serie A side Genoa for the second half of the 2023/24 season.
"The biggest hurdle is when I signed for Tottenham and I didn’t necessarily feel the love straight away," said Spence.
"I was on such a high going into the club. I’d done really well, got promoted with Nottingham Forest. I am buzzing, I am going to sign for Tottenham. So to hear comments like that [from Conte] wasn’t nice.
"It does shatter your confidence a bit. I almost came crashing down because of comments from the manager and not playing. I was in a difficult space.
"I went out on loan, was playing a bit and then stopped playing. Then I had the Euros that year [2023] with England U21s but got injured right before. I couldn’t make it to the Euros, which was obviously another disappointment because I would have loved to have gone and the boys ended up winning as well.
"Sometimes, in football when things go bad, they go really bad. That was a point in my career where it was really tough. But I am a fighter. Fast-forward, I am here now, so I am happy."
Should Spence make his England bow against either Andorra or Serbia, he will become the first Muslim player to appear for the men's senior side.
"It’s a blessing, it’s amazing," said Spence on potentially making history. "I was surprised, really, first ever. If I can do it, you can do it.
"It’s [important] not just for Muslim kids but for any child of any faith. Put your mind to something and you can do it, man."
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