One Hotspur

[Stelladrinker]

How long have you been a Spurs fan?

I was chatting to a lad recently who didn’t even know who Mickey Hazard was. Meanwhile it’s a little known fact that our old friend BOF is actually 136 years old and has been following since we looked like Blackburn, first time round, he has the original replica shirt from all that time ago, I’ve seen the pictures.

Me, I’ve been hard at it for a good twenty years give or take, seen some damn good players, teams, managers come and go, seen some awful ones too, (I meant to mention one here that stands out but where do I start…?) but whatever your personal memories, there are certain things that are common to us all, the hatred of Arsenal, the betrayal of Sol Campbell, the intense nerves you feel when we’re two or three nil up because you know full well no one can throw a lead away like we can here at Spurs, and lastly, and most annoyingly, the collective fickleness.

We all do it, we’re all as guilty as each other, we watch our boys with such devotion, we talk about them with such expectation, we raise our hopes so high because we know what we’re capable of, the famous quote goes that “we have set our sights so high that even failure will have in it an echo of glory”. But that’s just not the case is it? We feel no glory in our failure. We’ve all felt it in the pit of our stomachs, every time we seem to be on the verge of something great we slip up, we bottle it, we let ourselves down and there is no one quicker to point it out than the loyal fan himself, sick of seeing another home defeat by Newcastle or Middlesbrough just when we had been on such a good run and would have leapt into the top four with a win, sick of another semi-final defeat to a team we should beat just when we were all getting our Wembley/Cardiff plans together.

It’s a natural emotion to feel upset, angry, let down. But what you do about it is up to you, you can screw your face up, you can scream “same old Spurs” you can slag off the first player that comes to mind who hasn’t had the game of his life, or you can do something else, you can still sing at the top of your voice, you can roar the boys home till your hoarse, even when we lose at the Reebok, even when we only manage a draw away at Wigan, even when we’re 1-0 at home to Derby!

This season the club urges us to be part of “One Hotspur”, this isn’t just a gimmick, Liverpool have reached two champions league finals in three seasons even though they have been found wanting in the league, Jamie Carragher credits it to an overwhelming team spirit, he’s wrong, on European nights they have an overwhelming club spirit. An atmosphere that carries them through - 1-0 down at home to Olympiakos at half time, they needed three goals to qualify, they’re fans stood up to be counted and by god they got them, they won the Champions League final just a few short months later in the face of even stronger adversity, and they did it together, as a club.

We can create something similar at Spurs; we can back our team, our players, our manager to the end. People across the footballing world are tipping us for a push, a proper push this time, on the big four and wouldn’t it be just so Spurs like to stumble under the weight of pressure, for Darren Bent not to score in his first fifteen games, for Ledley King and Dimitar Berbatov to pick up worrying injuries, for us to be beaten by Sunderland on the opening day and wouldn’t it also be so Spurs like for everyone of you who is tipping us for the top right now to stumble too and start in on the endless player slagging, the pessimism, the “same old Tottenham” but we don’t have to, this season is shit or bust. The management know it, the players know it, the fans know it.

If we don’t make the champions league this season the team will start to crumble, Berbatov and Chimbonda will go; they’ll be followed by others, it’s no coincidence there’s been such a massive investment on the team the last few weeks.

Lets hope to god this article is all epidemic when push comes to shove and we actually do stand tall and proud and finally claim our rightful place among the big boys, but in case it’s not and we don’t get off to a flyer, lets be patient, rally round and remember that this time we’re in it together, one chance, one season, one Hotspur.

[Rufio]

Nice post, yes this is our most critical year. Our best players' heads will be turned significantly if we don't win a trophy of some sort (at least) or (/and) make champs league (4th place or above).

I think our squad is in the top 5, maybe top 4, but have we got that mentality, do we believe we can do it.

One's thing for sure, with the talent we have all over the squad, I for one believe we can.

[BringBack_leGin]

i've only had half your tenure, having got my season ticket when i was not even 12 in the summer of 1997, though i had been plenty before that, but despite the accusations of fickleness and whatnot, i've never been less than delighted with the way our team has been supported.

Yes, we've had our negative moments, all fans do. But through a hell of a long time of crap we have also been loyal in our thousands home and away without fail, wiht our average attendances only ever dropping during redevelopment times.

We have amazing fans and I fully trust that they will all, myself included, embrace the sentiments you have laid out in your post, because we always do. After all, we are Tottenham, we are Tottenham, super Tottenham, from the Lane!

On a slightly different note, watch this.... it recalss some 90's players and moments and got me a touch choked up, especially in the bits involving Gin, Mabs and Klins!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8p-dQxaw74

[Kingstheman]

I have supported Tottenham Hotspur since about 1987 - when I was six. The first season I really remember is the 1990/1 season in which we won the f.a. cup.

[JuanRebelde]

There are two things in the article that I disagree with.

Firstly that the Liverpool fans are a model we should work towards. Not unreasonably have they been named the worst fans in Europe by UEFA due to the disturbances they cause - even amongst themselves. Too often they get away with trouble that other clubs would face bans for or worse we all pay for what they did eg the 80's ban.

In my experience, a typical Liverpool fan can be characterised by being born in the 1970's / 80's when they were winning everything and so they jumped on the band wagon from then on.

Most (in my experience) have never been to the ground let alone seen them play and only get the cracks papered over the reality that this once great team is no longer great. Fortune favored them to get in to a CL Final. e.g. the terrible decision made against Chavski in the semi-final second leg at Anfield the first time around amongst other things.

Frankly we should not be looking at the scousers for inspiration but I will say that although his name escapes me, a certain well known high profile spanish football personality discribed what I beleive to be the essence of a Liverpool fan when he said, " if you put a sh*t on a stick and wave it infront of the liverpool fans they'll chear it".

The comment was a snipe at the club as it was saying that Liverpool fans have a reputation for chearing anything including the boring, negative, turgid stuff served up by Benitez. Many other fans would have infact demanded more from their players and managers. The word bland comes to mind when I listen to Liverpool fans talking football.

To that end other fans do deserve credit for sticking with it and indeed making the difference. Pompey could certainly claim credit for this as they have a very passionate and vocal bunch backing them and they do travel. This is a club that is used to struggles but still they come. Other clubs may also claim this but I am just using Pompey as an example.

The other issue I have with the article is that in business (and Spurs are just that) do you think that millions of pounds of investment would be made over a number of years to reach a given target; So that if at first it was not reached when ALL the pieces of the strategy were in place they'd dismantle everything and give up? It doesn't happen.

If we don't get into the CL next season then it will be for the following season etc. The aim is to make Spurs competitive LONG-TERM and not as the laughingly bad press would have it that the whole thing would fall apart if it didn't work this season. That is what Leeds did, we have built more prudently than any of our closest rivals and are clearly not over-spending. We are also building a long-term club not a one off team.

I certainly wouldn't use the word dynasty but I some times get the impression that at spurs the strategy is very much to build on the park firstly to get the top youngsters joining as now is the case. When this happens you become a long-term power.

As such your comments are wrong but I believe the influence of the press has resulted in this incorrect assumption.

PS the first game I saw was Portsmouth v Spurs at fratton park in a pre-season friendly in 1971/72.

[eddiev14]

There are two things in the article that I disagree with.

Firstly that the Liverpool fans are a model we should work towards. Not unreasonably have they been named the worst fans in Europe by UEFA due to the disturbances they cause - even amongst themselves. Too often they get away with trouble that other clubs would face bans for or worse we all pay for what they did eg the 80's ban.

In my experience, a typical Liverpool fan can be characterised by being born in the 1970's / 80's when they were winning everything and so they jumped on the band wagon from then on.

Most (in my experience) have never been to the ground let alone seen them play and only get the cracks papered over the reality that this once great team is no longer great. Fortune favored them to get in to a CL Final. e.g. the terrible decision made against Chavski in the semi-final second leg at Anfield the first time around amongst other things.

Frankly we should not be looking at the scousers for inspiration but I will say that although his name escapes me, a certain well known high profile spanish football personality discribed what I beleive to be the essence of a Liverpool fan when he said, " if you put a sh*t on a stick and wave it infront of the liverpool fans they'll chear it".

The comment was a snipe at the club as it was saying that Liverpool fans have a reputation for chearing anything including the boring, negative, turgid stuff served up by Benitez. Many other fans would have infact demanded more from their players and managers. The word bland comes to mind when I listen to Liverpool fans talking football.

To that end other fans do deserve credit for sticking with it and indeed making the difference. Pompey could certainly claim credit for this as they have a very passionate and vocal bunch backing them and they do travel. This is a club that is used to struggles but still they come. Other clubs may also claim this but I am just using Pompey as an example.

The other issue I have with the article is that in business (and Spurs are just that) do you think that millions of pounds of investment would be made over a number of years to reach a given target; So that if at first it was not reached when ALL the pieces of the strategy were in place they'd dismantle everything and give up? It doesn't happen.

If we don't get into the CL next season then it will be for the following season etc. The aim is to make Spurs competitive LONG-TERM and not as the laughingly bad press would have it that the whole thing would fall apart if it didn't work this season. That is what Leeds did, we have built more prudently than any of our closest rivals and are clearly not over-spending. We are also building a long-term club not a one off team.

I certainly wouldn't use the word dynasty but I some times get the impression that at spurs the strategy is very much to build on the park firstly to get the top youngsters joining as now is the case. When this happens you become a long-term power.

As such your comments are wrong but I believe the influence of the press has resulted in this incorrect assumption.

Yes sir. Nail on the head.

[Boony]

24 years me !

[MrsKeane]

22 me!!

(But there is one player I REALLY don't like though)

[KarsenToon]

I am 17 and i can't remember not being a Tottenham fan

[tottenham4life]

ever since i saw ricky score that goal against city

[madaboutspurs]

great post MATE!!!

[camaj]

Why talk about Liverpool but not our fans after half time in the Seville game? Bloody amazing.

I will criticise our players next season if they deserve it. The difference will be that I won't write our season off after a few dodgy results like a lot of people have done.

[kernowspur]

Like BOF I am old enough to have watched the 61 double team. Also remember being knocked out of the European Cup by Benfica and a dodgy referee in Portugal.
I've been waiting for a long time to get back in the top Eurpean competion and think we have a chance this season.

:-)

[Rufusman]

I suppose I was an early glory hunter, my dad tried to make me a West Ham supporter but my first glimpse of a certain James P. Greaves in 1964 got me hooked and been with the Spurs ever since.

[PantherX]

24 years here. Spurs toured Trinidad in '83 and I went to both games. I hung around after the second match and got autographs from Hoddle, Archibald, Crooks and Parks who actually stopped and chatted for a while.

While I was thrilled was great to meet the other players Parks left the biggest impression. He was such a nice guy Ithe encounter cemented me as a yiddo for life.

As for the other point I don't concern myself with what other clubs' fans do. What we DO need to do is to be patient when things go wrong and not get too down when things go wrong.

Just as a win against Chelsea doesn't make us title contenders a loss to Newcastle or Reading isn't cause for us to start calling for players to be transferred and the manager removed.

If you believe that the team management has us going in the right direction don't lose faith when it gets tough.

[ggibbs1971]

Since Jimmy Greaves scored against Burnley in the '62 cup Final

[Edgarsglasses]

I was born & bread in Liverpool & was brought up as a kid in the early eighties when Liverpool FC won everything in sight.I was given a Liverpool kit by my dad & whisked off to Anfield to be groomed as a red.I turned 10 & saw this guy Hoddle glide around the pitch with such style & grace & thought this guy is class who's he play for? i then saw 81 cup final & i was hooked on Tottenham & have been ever since.Everyone used to tell my dad "oh he's just going through a phase he'll grow out of it!" he's still waiting!!!

[Gladrags]

26 years for me.

Despite being pulled to Fratton park by parents on a regular basis, being born just outside Pompey, Spurs were always number 1.

First time I saw them live, a milk cup tie at Fratton park. 0-0 I believe. Mark Falco was up front. Spurs lost the replay I think?

[macspurs]

I too was thrust into a West Ham strip at an early age, most Romford lads were. Then my insane uncle bought me a Chelsea strip and I was forced to wear that for a while.
I too saw the light when Mr. Hoddle played, and vowed I would follow that man to whatever football club he went to. Needless to say I didn't start supporting Monaco.
A mighty 29 years so far.

[Pillbug]

I was a travel-baby and hence, did not grow up with the constant exposure to english league on television as some of you did, but 17-18 years in tow for me, when I was 13 or so. It was Gazza w/ Lineker. My pops had been a part-time supporter for years but never really adhered to me until 1989-90.

[Pillbug]

what's with these reputation points?

[PT]

Good post Gareth. Well thought out.

I have a roller coaster 36 years behind me and most of it was turgid and forgettable in terms of silverware chasing.

The highlights? Ossie's Famous Five - Pleaty's attempt at breaking the monopoly - Rickie's Winner - Peter Taylor (my boyhood idol).

I have more optimism now than I ever have done and that is down to a packed-to-the-rafters WHL and one BMJ.

COYS

[TheChosenOne]

40 + years & 700 + games later

[SouthLondonSpur]

Its nice to see a few more guys on here with lower posts like myself. Keep it up!

I followed spurs as its the team my dad had trials for and has supported all his life. Only a broken shin kept him out! He took me to see the boys at the Lane when I was very young, 1979 and I was seven. It was all standing in the west stand and I loved it.

It was only a draw in an average mid table season, but we had just come back up from 2nd div. Ardilles scored. Little did I know what an impact those Argies would have. Happy days.

[N10toN17]

It was always going to be Spurs for me as I was born in Tottenham, and lived the first twenty years of my life there, before leaving my family home. I know alot of people think the place is horrible and although growing up there in the 70's and 80's was a bit hairy at times, it's still my home.

Never moved very far though, Wood Green then muswell Hill. Staying near to WHL is top priority.

[SouthLondonSpur]

what's with these reputation points?

Say something interesting or funny and I'll give you rep, its just for fun.

[Pillbug]

Say something interesting or funny and I'll give you rep, its just for fun.

Dammit! So I spent all yesterday registering new accounts and incrementing my reputations points... for fun??

I could have done alot of other things with my day... need to do my research before hand.

[pejb16]

since 1987..... its been mostly a nightmare. The family support Arse... and the mates liverpool and man u.... but I stay faithful. I'd rather lose and support spurs than win with any other team.

[Rufio]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbD7wcbT320

Let's do it our way for the next season shall we?

[infamousyiddo]

since 91 when we won the cup, my uncle took me to the parade, i was six.

i love you spurs!

[Oscar22]

Brilliant post.

[grittyspur1]

This thread confirms that my 30 years of following the mighty Lilleywhites has not been in vain! We are a thoughtful and diverse lot, but our love of that special brand of Tottenham football binds us together.
I now live on the East Coast of the USA, but I did live in London and the around the UK for almost 15 years, and have plenty of family (all goonerz, thought...arggghhh...) still living 'over the pond'. My favorite memory: proposing to my wife @ WHL after a Carling cup win against Cardiff in 2003! Teddy Sherignham scored the only goal.
Finally- I'm not a big fan of the hubcap stealing scousers, and would rather talk football with an Everton fan any day, but I did always have a soft spot in my heart for Kenny Dalgliesh! :beer:
COYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[vietnam1973]

18 years for me and im a yorkshireman so by right i should supporting the mighty tigers!

[frosteye]

Been Spurs as long as I can remember, was bought a kit for Xmas in 1982 (I was 3) by my nan and grandad. They used to own pubs in Edmonton and my nan was born a stones throw from the ground. Theyve got loads of stories of the players coming in their pubs over the years.

Apparently Jimmy Dimmock, who scored the winning goal in the 1921 Cup Final was a regular but lost his leg in a car accident and had to flog his medal to make ends meet.

My nans bro in law was also a grounds man too back in the day.

My mums side of the family are all West Ham, just happy they didnt get their dirt mits on me first!

p.s excellent post, got me all excited and fired up!

[minesadouble]

My first match was the Charity Shield of the 1961/62 Season when double winning Spurs played (and beat) an England XI. I have loved the club and whatever team we have put out ever since. Some have been great (61-63) some very good (67-73 and 81-87), some pretty okay (91) and a few downright dodgy (75-79 and 96-2004) but I never, ever regret that fate, Dave Mackay, Jimmy Greaves, Glenn Hoddle and Paul Gascoigne condemned me to life as a yiddo.

[tippspur59]

Since mid 70s

[ostrov]

We had similar thread on www.spurs.ru (http://www.spurs.ru), where everyone told his story how and when he started supporting Spurs. There are fans from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia.
I support Spurs since my arrival to England in 1990 after World Cup. Always was a fan of England and my favorite players were Spurs players. Gazza, Lineker in this case.
Now I am London correspondent for russianspurs. We are trying to organise Official Fan Club in Russia. SC is my favorite site. I don't write here often but read regularly.
I hope Spurs movement in Russia will outgrow Chelsky, Ars etc. But they are way ahead.
COYS!

[royboy]

have been a spurs fan since 1981. i live in australia and in those days the ONLY game of football that was shown on tv here was the fa cup final, and at that year was the first year my parents let me stay up to watch the game. so from 1981 to the mid-90's the only info was the weekend results in the paper on a monday morning.

luckily the advent of the internet and the introduction of pay tv has allowed me to become a full blown fan but sadly i have never been to a game at whl - i did make it to the spurs shop once. hopefully i will get to a game at some stage in the future but i don't really care - i am just happy to see my club getting some respect.

[Nice One Squirrel]

A turbulent 46 years and the engine is still running.

'61, with Spurs being 'fab', most schoolboys latched onto them - I followed the crowd. '62 and another cup reinforced this. '63 saw Man Utd win the FA Cup and a mass change of loyalties (was this where 'fickle' originated?) - but I stayed with the Lillywhites and have celebrated and endured ever since.

1st tv match I remember clearly was the '67 'cockney' cup final v Chelsea, and my 1st match was (I think) Birmingham reserves v Spurs reserves at St Andrews in 1968.

Lows - losing 5-1 at Derby's Baseball Ground (the day the returning Spurs fans train stopped in the middle of nowhere due to bad behaviour and the entire cohort were kicked off - leaving them to hike cross country causing mayhem en route); losing last match at home to the Arse in May '71, giving them the league title and setting them up for the double; finally going out of the FA Cup at any stage, any year. Being at Molyneux for Wolves v Milwall on the final day of the season we were relegted to Div 2; Milwall replaced us and it was agonising hearing their mocking chants.

Highs - having the privelege to watch Jimmy Greaves, battles between Mike England and Derek Dougan, feeling secure in the abilities of pat Jennings, watching Mullery, Gilzean, Perryman, Hoddle, Waddle, Chivers, Ginola, Klinnsman, Mabbut - the list is endless, and particularly seeing us win the '72 UEFA Cup v Wolves when 3/4 of the crowd ended up on the pitch at the end under 1 remaining floodlight doing a mass conga - and the '81 Cup Final. The final game of the season we spent in Div 2 saw us needing a draw for promotion back to where we belonged; I was at Wembley watching the FA Vase Final but listening to Spurs get their draw v Saints on a radio - I was cheering when nothing exciting was going on in the Wembley match!

Years of mediocrity and then financial struggles followed by a crawl back had been the 'lot' of the Spurs fan for far too long. So to now be where we are with the players we have makes you appreciate the transformation. I still suffer with each loss, but to have 'been there, done that, bought the replica shirt and watched the highlights' you perhaps learn to chill more readily - so long as any bad run isn't too long. I wholeheartedly agree that, as the fans can be the factor that turns a result, we need to be less critical and more supportive, ie One Hotspur.

[Houdini]

Supported Spurs since i was 5 years old, the reason being i cut out and collected the pics on the side of the Ty-Phoo tea packs, (How many of you old uns remember those?) i sent them off and got a large photo of the (Then) current team, so that would have been.....1959/60. My brother (`The sap` as i call him ), sent off for the Liverpool pic). And to my recollection he has been to Anfield once!

[TutanKlinsmann]

'81 Cup Final, was 12. Saw that amazing goal from Ricky Villa. I thought 'this club must be bloody great'. Though watched the Scum and Manure in previous finals, no impact on me-thank god.

[mdharris]

I was eleven when I first saw Spurs and Ginola, and Ive been a supporter ever since.

[Nice One Squirrel]

Houdini: I'm one of the 'Ol 'Farts' that remembers the Typhoo Tea team photos - but must have been c. 1962/3-ish (still have them somewhere). Think they did them over a couple of seasons. They must have drunk a lot of tea in our house (and the neighbours also contributed to the vouchers) as after getting Spurs, we collected just about the whole lot. My younger bro initially followed my enthusiasm for Spurs, but when it was his turn to choose a team photo to send for and we'd already got Spurs, he wanted to know who he could send for. Even then he wasn't allowed Arse, so was told Wolves are 'colourful in gold and black'. He sent away for their photo, Spurs lost a fan and to this day he still follows the Molyneux mob.

[tananwat_w]

My first year of being a Spurs fan ended with Mabbutt scoring an own goal in the FA cup final against Coventry. How he did it is still clear in my memory.

[royboy]

this is a great post. very interesting to read everyone's history of joy and suffering. love it.

[cygnetspurs]

I started going to the lane when Keith B came in ......I loved the way Spurs fans would chant Argentina.....and fill the air with paper......great days....I believe they are coming back....coys

[brakefluid]

Me....was as a few have mentioned since 1981, wow....26 years now.....

By the way, whoever asked earlier about the shit on a stick and Liverpool fans comment, think it was Jorge Valdano that said that

[laneoflegends]

Since about '77 for me......... Favourite memory for me was going to Mila Alecsik (sorry for spelling) house (who lived in street behind parents) after F.A. cup win and being given his medal to hold. Everyone laughing at this stary eyed kid who wouldn't take his eyes of off it!

[GetSpurredOn]

30yrs old and born and bred in the midlands to Wolves(father) and Villa(mother) fan parents, but been a Spurs fan since late 80's, sometime just before the 91 cup win. All due to a family of Spurs fans relocated to the midlands, who convinced me Spurs were the way to go. I didn't really support any team up until then, just used to say I supported England and Lineaker was my favourite player, think him being at the lane was the clincher to convert me to be a Spurs fan. Can't exactly say I've support a non local team all this time to glory hunt, but I wouldn't change for anything.
Secretly, I do keep an eye on Wolves results, years of peer prssure I think from my father, like chinese water torture, I'd never tell him he partly succeeded though, and it's only a casual interest, Spurs will always be my number one team.

[TheChosenOne]

[quote=Nice One Squirrel]

"losing last match at home to the Arse in May '71, giving them the league title and setting them up for the double; finally going out of the FA Cup at any stage, any year"


Bad - very bad night for me. Probably the worst ever in football.

Plus we had been beaten a few weeks earlier by Liverpool
in the FAC quarter finals another 1-0 at home.

Still - I have had the highs as well.

[indonesianspurs]

Great to read the fans' stories here and to learn a bit about our beloved Spurs.

For me, it's only been a mere 16 years, since the 1991 FA cup winning campaign, but well before then, during the 80s I 've heard and seen Hoddle, Waddle, Lineker, etc entertaining the fans.

[llamafarmer]

Firstly that the Liverpool fans are a model we should work towards. Not unreasonably have they been named the worst fans in Europe by UEFA due to the disturbances they cause - even amongst themselves. Too often they get away with trouble that other clubs would face bans for or worse we all pay for what they did eg the 80's ban.


Good post mate, but slightly disagree with this bit. Forget about the morons, I think our stella loving friend was referring to the positive side of their support. Anfield on a big European night is a stunning sight, it's a fortress and definitely something we should aim to match. The Lane has been about as good at times though!

[danielneeds]

Anyone who doubts the Tottenham Hotspur spirit obviously wasn't at the Sevilla game last season. Even though we were 2 down and needing 4 goals to stay in the competition I've never ever heard louder singing and cheering at the lane. It was a spirit that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and it almost pulled us back into the tie...

[Vegas]

It seems there's a few of us who started supporting on cup final day 91. We're all glory hunters! (haha)
Not many gooners in my family. It was either us or QPR or follow the herd and support Liverpool.

[danielneeds]

Oh and my first match, 1986, Man Utd at the Lane. We won 4-1, Glenn Hoddle was magic and I was compltely hooked. Of course i had high expectations after a start like that!

[klinsmann66]

Since I moved to England in 77.... My Uncle brain-washed me with storys of the all conquering Spurs!!!.......Now for some really disturbing news:evil: ......... I moved to Australia about 6 years ago and 2 weeks ago Rang my Aunt back in England......Raving on about my boys becaming staunch Tottenham fans..... and it was all thanks to my uncle:bowdown: .....She then told me that my Uncle was so dissaponted over the last few years that he now Supports the Arse!!!!!!!! How THE F@@K COULD HE......:bang: :bang: Needless to say we do not talk any more......and I will not tell my kids about this cowardly act of abbandonment.....( May be this should be the subject for a new thread...if I can ever get to start one)!!!!!

[mttgary]

Great Nostalgic Post....

I started watching in Easter 59/60, just in time to go and see 2 cup finals on the trot at the tender age of 10 and 11.
Great memories include the noisy floodlit home european games of the early 60's and Alfie Conn sitting on the ball when we beat Leeds to stay up...........
I now live abroad and watch games (with others) via Braodband....hoping to make a pilgramage to WHL this summer for teh Everton game......
Finally my 13 year old son, who started off 4 years ago supporting MANURE, has finally seen the light and has become a Spurs Fan on his own initative --- how heartwarming!!!

[worcestersauce]

My Dad followed Spurs all over the country in the late 40's and early 50's and I was born born and bred in Tottenham in 56, used to listen to the cheers of the crowd on Saturdays and I remember my uncle going on about this great player Tommy Harmer who was full of tricks and a wizard with the ball.
When I was about 7 I used to go to the ground and play football up against the wall at the park lane while the games were going on, I'm sure there used to be engineering firms in the stand back then.
In them days they used to open the gates mid way through the second half ready to let people out so I used to go in then, never saw much because it was terraces and I was only waste high but the noise and atmosphere was fantastic.
After that I started going to games with a box I think it was a tanner at the boys entrance in the East Stand, oh Christ I'm welling up here,... I guess that means I've been a supporter for over fifty years.

When you think about it this country has changed beyond belief in the last 50 years (100 years) a whole army of bulldozers has wiped it clean and built it up again but against it all Football goe's on, like the heart beat of the generations it carries us on filling us with both pride and despair, like the people that follow it Football has been attacked, abused and villified by the powers that be in this country and yet it goes on, we go on, the Spurs go on, a very rare thing, a constant in our lives from the cradle to the grave.

Sorry guys came over a bit shakespeare at the end there but hey who's got more poetry in their soul than a football fan.

[South_London_Spur]

24 years. An uncle and mates tried to get me supporting the Hammers, I was never too convinced and saw them play against Spurs (can't remember the result) and have been a Spurs supporter ever since!

Good post by the way. The support or lack of it can have a big difference on the players which is why we should try and be positive. Criticism is one thing but booing and negativity for its own sake is not 'support' IMHO. All for this One Hostpur idea.

[stoddle]

Fortunately I had no choice but to support Spurs...whole family being Spurs fans. First home game was against Notts County April 1982 - won 3-1 galvin. villa, archibald. But liek a lot of us on here it was also on the back of watching hoddle...the first Spurs goal i ever properly remember watching is the free kick off tommy hutchisons shoulder for the equaliser in 81 cup final.

[Boaman]

Yeah good to think back to the early days.

The first game I remember was 87 Cup final when I was 8, I already had that Hummel/Holsten top so must have been a fully fledged supporter by then. My influence was my cousin who was a few years older than me and he was lucky enough to have the Chris Waddle mullet, how I looked up to him and how I wanted that haircut but was never allowed.

First game at the Lane was Spurs vs Coventry in 92/93, we lost 2 nil and Gordon Durie headbutted some fella and got banned after an inquiry, by the next game we had signed Sheringham and I didn't miss a home game for 3 seasons.

Also I'm from Muswell Hill and Wood Green so there was only one other choice - Barnet.

[Spurfect]

My first recollection of the Mighty Spurs is when my Uncle took me to WHL (Man U I think-failing memory due to being 'old fart') '59 aged 8. Loved the Lillywhite shirts and that noble badge!! Also have some memories of the Typhoo pics [ unfortunately my family wouldn't change from Brooke Bond PG Tips, so no pics for me :-( ] The rest as they say is history, through good and bad!!
and I remember my uncle going on about this great player Tommy Harmer who was full of tricks and a wizard with the ball.

I remember in the 70's playing a charity match versus ex-Spurs 11 (Chivers referee) while playing for Kilburn Rovers and letting in 5 against Tommy Harmer and Cliff Jones etc. You were right Worcester' he was tricky. Went to dive out at his feet..... too late... flicked the ball over me cool as you like!!
Funniest memory.. losing my shoe in a crowd surge (pre all-seater stadiums) and the steward telling me to move out of that section and after yelling my situation to him, having to wait for my shoe to be passed over their heads by the crowd in front of me!! The things we endure to follow our Spurs!!
Would we have it any other way?
COYS
ps Now residing in Adelaide, Sth Australia so only get to see them when Foxtel decide to show them unfortunately

[Houdini]

Houdini: I'm one of the 'Ol 'Farts' that remembers the Typhoo Tea team photos - but must have been c. 1962/3-ish (still have them somewhere). Think they did them over a couple of seasons. They must have drunk a lot of tea in our house (and the neighbours also contributed to the vouchers) as after getting Spurs, we collected just about the whole lot. My younger bro initially followed my enthusiasm for Spurs, but when it was his turn to choose a team photo to send for and we'd already got Spurs, he wanted to know who he could send for. Even then he wasn't allowed Arse, so was told Wolves are 'colourful in gold and black'. He sent away for their photo, Spurs lost a fan and to this day he still follows the Molyneux mob.

Nice One Squirrel, After careful thought and reminiscing, i think you are correct in the dates for the Typhoo cards and photos, it was a different set of cards that i had collected and it was a couple of years later i sent off for the Typhoo pics!(I think i got a rosette with the photo). I also recall my brother being allowed to send off for his team pic (Liverpool) first, it took ages to collect the required pics from the tea packs, but neighbours and everyone would help, IF they drank the same tea! I am trying to recall the actual cards i first collected!

[powerspurs]

Started supporting in 1988, favourite player being Paul Walsh at the time, also loved the commitment and effort of Paul Stewart. We entered our worst period after Venables left. IMHO, we did have some great players in the dark years that followed venables (90's and early 2000's), but I think we had below par managers and this coupled with our overcrowded injury rooms, were the main reasons why we struggled so terribly during this period. Couldn't understand it when we sold Nick Barmby, thought he was going to be superb for us. Can vividly remember Graham Poll denying a clear penalty (when Teddy was tripped) in the dying minutes of the league cup final loss to Blackburn. If it was manu, arse or pool, he would have certainly given the pen. Always thought that when the chips were down, refs showed us no respect, even against lesser teams. Not saying we were world beaters, but never a team to get the rub of the green. I have great respect for MJ, and am quite certain he will take us back to the glory days. God knows, we want it. And we deserve it. So lets step forward and take it. NOW!!!!

[E.L.Strict]

Good read.

I was born in 86 and I have vague memories of watching the 91 cup final, but apart from that I've had a pretty shit spurs supporting life (luckily we are finally on our way up again now though.)

[bradfordspur]

When I was about 7 I used to go to the ground and play football up against the wall at the park lane while the games were going on, I'm sure there used to be engineering firms in the stand back then.
In them days they used to open the gates mid way through the second half ready to let people out so I used to go in then, never saw much because it was terraces and I was only waste high but the noise and atmosphere was fantastic.
After that I started going to games with a box I think it was a tanner at the boys entrance in the East Stand, oh Christ I'm welling up here,... I guess that means I've been a supporter for over fifty years.


I have been a member for sometime keeping up todate with all things Spurs, but this post has prompted me to make my first post.

I, too, played football against the gates in Paxton Road in the early sixties and under the East Stand at reserve games. The comment about getting into games when the gates opened in the second half bought back a 'low memory' for me. In the 1962/1963 the 3rd round of the FA Cup against Burnley was played midweek afternoon because of bad weather. I remember getting out of St Paul's primary school in Park Lane (now the community centre) and getting in the see the end of the game which we lost 0-3. The engineering firm in the Park Lane stand made Thermos flasks. Lots of great memories of FA Cup and European wins, and great players of each generation over the years. Now exiled in the north (live in Bradford and work in Manchester) I rely on away games in the north of England to keep the faith. Sunderland on the 11 August can't come quick enough!!

[stoddle]

I remember being in tears when my dad told me Chris Waddle had been sold to Marseille for 4.5m...can remember my dad coming up the stairs and me coming out of my bedroom door to be greeted with the news that he had gone....it was more of a shock than Glenda going as we all knew his intentions before the season was out.

[DC_Boy]

46 years man and boy (yes I was an infant glory hunter :-)

So many memories - I too remember the Typhoo pics - I remember a black and white booklet that celebrated the arrival of jimmy Greaves - I remember my first heart break watching spurs lose on TV to Benfica in 62 - I remember too much I remember too little - but one thing I have never been fickle, and I don't think anywhere near all spurs fans are such - I've always loved the club and stayed positive towards it

[CosmicHotspur]

My memories are dotted through all these threads like a patchwork.

I was born in Argyle Road in Tottenham at the end of 1947 and lived there until I was 21. My dad took me to games now and then when I was really little, from age 5 onwards and sat me on a barrier on the terraces so I could see the pitch. I have vague recollections of Tommy Harmer, Len Duquemin, Ted Ditchburn, Johnny Brooks, Alfie Stokes and Micky Dulin (before he broke his leg and had to give up playing).

Starting going to games on my own (in the boys entrance - well, there wasn't a girls entrance!) when I was 12 so I was lucky enough to see the Double team take shape and enter the most glorious years of Spurs history. I stood right on the centre line fence opposite the players tunnel, with pals of all ages that I made on the terraces, right through my teens and into my twenties. Once I started work at 16, I went to lots of away games but was always happy to watch the reserves too (where there were often gates of 12 - 13,000 some Saturdays) and scorelines like 10-0 in our favour. There were international players in the reserves who couldn't get regular first team places, for example Mel Hopkins, Tony Marchi and Terry Medwin.

I was definitely spoiled with a real feast of football in those years. I can remember having flu and not being able to go to an evening game on one occasion. I sat in bed with the light off and looked through my autographed photo albums by the light of the floodlights which shone directly into the room and sobbed, hearing the roar of the crowd and was utterly miserable because I couldn't be there.

Went to the 62 Cup Final when we defeated Burnley, cried on the night we beat Benfica but lost on aggregate, sneaked out of the house and queued all night to get cup tickets (my mum despaired of me and made me go to bed to catch up on lost sleep!), held the Cup Winners Cup through the gates at WHL when the team came back in triumph.

Got to know a lot of the players and babysat for quite a few of them. Still keep in touch with Cliff Jones and family.

I'm sure I must have known some of you other "oldies" who grew up in Tottenham. Both my sisters (both older than me) went to St Paul's but I went to Coleraine Park. I was an avid autograph hunter when I was a kid and was always at the Lane in school holidays and regularly went to Cheshunt to watch the team training too.

I could write a book ...

[orkneyspur]

First game at home to Blackburn in 1964, first full season 1966. Went with my dad home and away through to 1987, when I went away to make my fortune. Dad still goes most weeks, he's been regular since the 50's. He might know you Cosmic. Too many good memories. The first home match after we signed Ricky and Ozzy. The ticker tape reception, ala the world cup was amazing. (We lost) Meeting Bill Nicholson.
Cliff Jones, blood pouring from his head, arm in a sling and still crossing the ball with pin point accuracy. Gilly and Greavesie, the G men. Arriving at the Lane on a Sunday morning at 3 a.m. queing for cup final tickets, (regularly)
Makes me almost weep with fond memories.