Former Arsenal and England international Alex Scott has supported Emma Mitchell's decision to move on loan from the Gunners to north London rivals Spurs.

The 27-year-old, who has been at Arsenal since 2013, has been criticised by some fans for not showing loyalty to the current Women's Super League champions.

However, Scott believes you cannot put Mitchell in the same bracket as male footballers such as Sol Campbell who have done the same in the past because the money is totally different in the women's game.

Writing in her column in The Sun, she said: "I know Mitch from my years with the Gunners and nobody can judge her for crossing that line between two ferocious rivals.

"You cannot even compare transfers in the WSL to the men’s game — because female players simply don’t earn the same money.

"It’s not like the men who rake in all that cash and can up sticks and move their family and relocate easily whenever they like. Female players have to think about how they are going to put food on the table."

Scott spent five years with Mitchell at Arsenal and therefore knows her on a personal level.

As a result, she has a deeper insight into why the defender may have chosen to make the move, a decision which comes down to more than the rivalries between clubs.

"Mitch has a partner and a house in North London," she added. "So for her to give everything up and move somewhere just because she doesn’t want to go to Spurs would be ridiculous to ask.

"You cannot look at it in such black and white terms of a rivalry. You have to consider a female player’s life, her income and getting game time — which is exactly what Mitch needs."