Story byBeth Mead still has huge value to Arsenal, despite questions over her futureMichael CoxSun, January 25, 2026 at 5:16 AM UTC·4 min readOne of Arsenal’s coaching staff once said something interesting about the value of Beth Mead to the club, at a time when they were focusing on growing their attendance figures: she is the only player who celebrates goals with the supporters, rather than with her team-mates. Most other Arsenal — and Women’s Super League in general — players have a habit of instantly turning back inwards and hugging team-mates. Her team-mate Stina Blackstenius always looks almost embarrassed to be the centre of attention, and wants to bury her head in a huddle amongst other players. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBut Mead — who made her WSL debut over a decade ago, when the average crowd in the division was only 1,000, and so perhaps appreciates a 30,000 crowd more than most — always looks first and foremost to the fans. That makes them feel part of the action, not merely an observer of it. That sprung to mind when Mead slammed home the opener here at Stamford Bridge, then raced raced away to celebrate in front of the away supporters, banging her the Arsenal crest on her shirt. This felt like a big moment.
