Thought for The Day - Call yourself a Supporter

Let me relate to you an experience I had with a fellow Spurs fan on Wednesday at Wembley, as we watched anxiously (what else would you expect), as we toiled in the closing minutes of the game against Monaco. Harry Kane had a chance in front of goal and fluffed his lines, hitting his shot straight at the keeper. Everybody around reacted, some more than others, with the fan behind me uttering that very naughty C word. The man in front of me, who had sat static and inanimate all game, suddenly turned around and said to me “call yourself a supporter”. I did make the point of telling him that it was not me who uttered the abuse, but he took not notice.

I wasn’t offended, given that he was a boring old fart like me and had sat motionless and silent for all the 80 or so minutes that had already passed. However having questioned my moral behaviour and whether I was a supporter has got me thinking in the days since, searching for what a Spurs supporter really is.

Here we are and another Premier League weekend beckons. I’m already buoyed at seeing Chelski klopped by the Pool last night. I’ve checked the league, seen the paper for its view of the footballing PL programme. I’m into it already. But I’m unsettled at having been questioned, so I’ve been thinking about what makes me a football fan, and more specifically a Spurs supporter. To do this I had to look back to soon after I started being a “supporter”. I’m reminded of my schoolboy days when I used to travel to the game from home with my pals. We used to make a day of it, not like today. We’d get the train, change at Lower Edmonton, get the local one to Silver Street then walk down Tottenham High Road. We’d go into the Alpha Café, have sausage, egg, chips and beans and a big mug of tea, for 1 shilling and 3 pence. We once saw the legend that is Cliff Jones out shopping with his wife, on match day, parking up and going into the department store that used to be in the High Street. Not sure I’d bump into Moussa doing the same this weekend. Yep, it was different then for sure.

Whilst much will never be the same again, I find myself even more involved and conscious of our team, its players, its results, its rivals, its league position, than I ever was all those years ago. I’ve already put by MP hat on, started to pick the team that I’d put out, questioned the form of some of the players, why they should be rested, looked at what Matt and the other lads are thinking and feeling about Sunderland’s visit tomorrow. Then however for me it was almost the game in splendid isolation, how we played, the quality of the goals, never noticing particularly the other team, their stars, where they were in the league. Now you worry more about the performance of every player. It’s more tense, less forgiving, fine margins. One goal can mean so much……like finishing above the Holloway Road mob last term. You find yourself questioning the coach and the Chairman far more than in days gone by, but in a more interested, involved and passionate way than I ever did back in the 60’s.

I digress though. Tomorrow brings another full house at The Lane and we so need a result that the fans deserve, something that almost becomes an apology to the 85,000 who filled Wembley so loudly on Wednesday (and those not lucky enough to be there), who were left disappointed by the efforts on the pitch.

I’m looking to be adventurous, so will line up 4-3-3, against what is after all one of the weakest teams in the league.

Let’s start with our leader Hugo. I’m not sure if he’s in form or not, but he is our leader and whilst I’ve got some doubts, he is our number 1.

The Back 4. As long as they are injury free I’d always have Walker and that lovely smart young man Toby as the first players on my team sheet. The next two positions are a worry to me, as Wednesday showed. I’m going to be a little radical here, courtesy of some thoughts from Guesty. Wimmer replaces Vertonghen, who moves to left back. Whilst Verts might throw his toys out of the pram, if it’s good for Belgium, then it’s good for us and him.

Middle Three. Moussa is a must, as he should have been Wednesday. Eriksen, despite his lack of form, keeps his place. Deli makes up the middle 3.

Up front. In the Premier League you see teams with pace like when we had that lovely Welsh lad who went on to better things, with players who can beat players like that Hazzard boy at Chelski and sometimes but rarely you get teams with both. I feel it is time to rest Harry, as the poor lad looks so short of form, so I’m going to go with the new flyers Sissoko and Nkoudou wide, with our new Van der Vart look-alike Janssen in between. So it’s:-

Lloris,
Walker, Alderweireld, Wimmer, Vertonghen,
Dembele, Eriksen, Alli,
Sissoko, Janssen, Nkoudou

Closing on my Thought For The (Match)Day I think I’ve managed to answer the question posed of me about whether I’d call myself a Spurs Supporter. I truly can. After all you can’t continue to have the passion to follow Spurs these last 50 plus years, through what we’ve seen and suffered, without being able to call yourself a Supporter. We might not all be the same, but we are all Yiddo’s.

COYS

 

Very refreshing to read a post from a true fan,As for the team I think Poch has said Nkoudou is not ready yet apart from that it is a good team,shame about Son who I think has had some bad press among the fans which is not fair, all the team were responsible for last Wednesday..COYS

 

You'll pass

That's a daring front three, would love to see the new lad (GKN) out there on Sunday but it would take some huge cahonas on Poch's part to go with him & the other two noob lads.

Enjoyed the article by the way. To me support comes in many forms... from our Yid brothers & sisters in foreign lands gathered around a TV set at 4am or silly oclock, through to the die hard away dayers who sing their hearts out in rain, hail & snow. Both of those forms of support contribute in different ways, one is growing the global popularity of the club while the other is being the 12 man on the front line. Who is to say which is more important? In the moneyball world of football we live in, the latter could be said to be far more important (bet that raises a few eyebrows) Its also true that without the family guys struggling to make ends meet & just scraping enough for a decent internet connection/sports tv package there would be less money in the clubs coffers.

On the whole I would say as a fan base we have the finest breed of pedigree supporters in the world (Well I would say that eh from all walks of life, different backgrounds & different limitations that dictate their level of support.

Spurs 6 - Sunderland 1

GKN to score all 6 of ours

COOOOOOOOOYYYYYSSSSS

 

There was a fan on Wednesday getting very irate and accusing fans that would not stand up and sing and act like the m*ron he was as not supporting your team. He was over the top, but as a fellow singer it does help the team to get involved and not just turn up. I don't think it is quite enough just to say you paid your money and so the team can do it for me on their own. We can make a difference on the pitch. We have a major part to play but being so far away from the pitch in the upper tier doesn't seem quite to connect. You don't feel quite part of it. By the way that supporter wasn't seen after half time. Call him a supporter...hypocrite.

 

I went to my first game as a 6 yo in 1949. As soon as I was old enough (about 10) I went to matches on my own in the old boy's enclosure, and I have remained faithful to the Lilywhites through rain and shine. In the good old days I would stand on the shelf and sing glory halelujah - now I only sporadically stand and sing, and I NEVER stand up because I hate the Arse, even if I DO. I call myself a supporter and I try never to be negative. But (this is Spurs we're talking about) I don't always succeed.

 

Great article. I always try and avoid the argument of " I'm a proper supporter etc" because it's just something you can't quantify. You will see from my avatar picture that I and my brother are with the great Glenn Hoddle in 1987.
Does that make me a better supporter than anyone else? Of course it doesn't. I used to go regularly but now simply cant afford to. Does that me less of a supporter? Of course it doesn't.
Some of us are born optimists, some pessimists but we all love Spurs, just in our own way!
Life would be pretty dull if we were all the same.

As for the person asking if you "call yourself a supporter" that's just plain daft and ignorant.

Supporting Spurs is not a competition , it's a way of life. And we can all act ths out however we like as long as we don't stoop to violence or personal abuse.

Come on you Spurs!!

 

Nice piece Bazza.

Rationalising why or whether we are supporters is difficult.

Some people think you can only be a true fan if you blindly clap and sing no matter what drivel is being served up.
Others see things for what they are and accept it and are happy with it taking the little victories and being satisfied with it.
Some passionately want Spurs to be winners not second best and are permanently frustrated at our short comings (think i fall in that bracket)
Some are eternal optimists
Some will forever be negative

But we all support Spurs in our own way and the club should think themselves very lucky that they have such a following who care so much when on many occasions its seemed we are the only ones that care.

Its been a while but does anyone remember what a Trophy looks like in N17???

It is after all what the sport is supposed to be about.

 

Didn't realise it was the Messiah with you Matt. For me in my top three Spurs players ever alongside Greavsie and Dave Mackay.....true legends

 

Hi Felon. Trophies, we're living legends that prove you don't need trophies.....sad, but true

 

It is indeed!! I've got another photo with us both and Garth Crooks but he was nearly crushing our shoulders!!! They were all so nice and were very welcoming.
Happy memories and hopefully many more yet to come!!