Tottenham as a second team !

[Geyzer Soze]

Very interesting stuff. I always thought my Grandad was a bit weird for that. He's 94 now and one of the most interesting and awesome people i have ever known. RAF, don't you know. But ... i always thought it was a bit weird that he tended to support Spurs and Arsenal pretty much equally. Bless him, when the family are all together he does his best to pretend he only likes Spurs, but when he thinks he's not being noticed he'll slip on an Arsenal game and watch it with pleasure. We mock him, he goes red in the face and laughs his ass off ...

I never realised that in the older generations it was pretty normal, but it makes perfect sense actually. Back then i guess it was hard to get around and follow the team, you wanted to go to footie but couldn't afford the time or money to travel i guess. So went to any footie you could. It's actually quite nice. Love of the game, not tribal shit (which is also fun)

 

[GMI]

I used to get down to Underhill alot back in the day. Have always kept an eye out for Barnet........and Shrewsbury. Not keen on Ar**nal, Chelsea, West Ham or Liverpool if I'm being totally honest

 

[onthetwo]

I grew up with a kid who was a ManU fan, living in Cheshire. Bumped into his mum the other day and she said his 9-year old son now trains at Citeh, his inlaws are all Citeh fans so now he (my mate) also supports Citeh! Im still in shock to be honest.

 

[Flashspur]

Spurs are actually my 4th club.

As an American, I have to say- I love a lot of English teams! And it's fun because there are so many to choose from! But since I can't pick 'em all, I've gone with 4 mainstays (in the Prem, that is).

My list:

1) Arsenal
2) Chelsea
3) West Ham

Distant 4th: Tottenham

My favorite player is Jack Wilshire! I love him! He, imvho, truly embodies the spirit of the game with his never-say-die attitude and his grit and determination. He has helped us immeasurably and I once told him so, shouting (from the stands) the last time my beloved boys in red and white came on a tour of the US! It was so amazing- I got a special kit made up for the occasion with his name on the back and "No. 1 fan" on either side of it! I even wore the same size shorts that he wears- despite the fact that I'm quite a bit taller! They were small on me but I didn't mind- and I think he appreciated it because he smiled at me when he came out of the tunnel (something I'll never forget)! My man Jack is something else; I have a life-size poster of him in my room, surrounded by all my Gooner gear (including a replica trophy from our undefeated season a decade ago- which looks just like the real thing! This being a Tottenham board you might not know this but back then they called us "The Invincibles!" What memories!). Man oh man you should've seen me when we won the league at White Hart Lane (your stadium I believe)-- holy smokes- talk about good times! In fact as I'm typing this I'm wearing an Arsenal shirt with "Henry" on the back (although I feel like a traitor to Jack lol)! My wife thinks I should get rid of some of my memorabilia- she says "you're 47, yet you act like an overgrown child," but we all know how enticing this stuff can be! And there's no way in heaven I would willingly part with any of my Arsenal collection. I consider myself part of the team in a way, and I bet if the players could meet me they would feel the same! Oh well, maybe someday!

As for Chelsea: John Terry is- and always will be- my favorite defender, and I love the way Chelsea play (and their fans are great as well!). Roman really keeps us humming along- and now with Jose back at the helm the sky's the limit! Tbh it's hard picking between my blues and my reds so I basically don't; I wish for nothing but the best whenever I see them play, and when they face each other (which I believe you guys call a "derby"- except that unlike our Kentucky derby you "chaps" say "darby"- man you guys are out of control! But I digress...) I root for a great game! This may sound crazy but I have a jersey (sorry there "chaps"- I mean to say "shirt!" You Brits and your confusing terms lol!) that is half Arsenal and half Chelsea, split down the middle, which I wear when appropriate (and sometimes even when not!). This helps me to feel like a true supporter- and not one favoring one team over the other (which would hardly be fair since I adore them both!). Indeed, I love Chelsea so much I only buy Samsung products (haha- I just wish Emirates Airlines flew between cities in America!).

As for West Ham- well, though I don't really have much of an affinity for their current players, I do feel a kinship with both the supporters and the owners. Also, since they play in a kind of red and blue then it's almost as if they're a family member uniting my other two top sides- or at least thats the way I prefer to look at it! West Ham are like my underdog team- they're never really that good on the field (oh sorry- there I go again: "pitch") but they seem really cool and fun and feisty- good "blokes" as you guys might say...just one question: is there actual ham there (like ham you can eat- the pink stuff) or is it just a coincidence that ham is in the name? I'm wondering because I really like ham and maybe it's good there and if I make it out to a game (sorry: match) I'll buy some and eat it with my fellow hammies! We'll "ham" it up together!

As for Spurs, they're pretty decent, and I try and cheer them on when I can (at least as long as their winning doesn't interfere with any of my above true core teams). I don't know much about them but I do know that if I want to really mess with people's minds here in the States I can say "I'm watching Spurs"; they'll think I'm referring to the basketball team from San Antonio but you and I know better! Haha- joke's on them!

Anyway- wow- English soccer is freakin' awesome! So many cool squads! Cool names! Cool colors! I love it!!!

Oh hey btw- I almost forgot to ask: what do you "blokes" think of my list? Is it close to yours?

WUM

 

[SteveH]

Palace

 

[deckchair]

I used to get down to Underhill alot back in the day. Have always kept an eye out for Barnet........and Shrewsbury. Not keen on Ar**nal, Chelsea, West Ham or Liverpool if I'm being totally honest

I have a love of Barnet too. Now living in the in the Midlands people here cant really comprehend a pitch with a slope of around 10ft end to end. people laugh at me and say "haha, Barnet are 3-0 down at half time". My reply of "its ok, we will be kicking downhill in the 2nd half" has them bemused.

As a youngster I was lucky enough to go to most Spurs home games but i did also enjoy the Barnet/Enfield rivalry of the 1980s.

 

[michaelden]

I can go better.. My old man (lifelong Spurs fan) has been to The Boleyn more than he has to WHL...

I've been to Chelsea more than Spurs. Mate has corporate tickets and gives them to me.

 

[Gb160]

Depends how old he was I guess. Bruce Forsyth is on record as saying he supports both us and the gooners. I think it was quite common many years ago for North Londoners to watch one team when the other was playing away.

Either that or he's an idiot.

My Grandad was a schoolfriend of Brucey (Latymer,Edmonton) and he too used to support both teams.
Watching football live used to be very reasonably priced.

 

[dimiSpur]

I don't have a second team. Tottenham make me miserable enough for four teams. I do have a weekly second team though, that's whoever is playing Arsenal.

 

[Riandor]

My second team: Oxford United
My team from living in Scotland: Rangers (you HAD to choose or you were in trouble at school!!)
My Team living in Germany: HSV

 

[deckchair]

My Grandad was a schoolfriend of Brucey (Latymer,Edmonton) and he too used to support both teams.
Watching football live used to be very reasonably priced.

"Sing it Latymer loud and long......." wasnt too keen on the workload at school, but the sport was awesome....especially having wednesday afternoons off in the 6th form to go and play golf. tremendous.

Spurs also scored their first ever goal in a game against Latymer, in a 8-1 defeat.

 

[Kendall]

Second club is Northampton, but I'm sure if Spurs were ever in the same league, any affection I have for them would dissipate.

 

[Kendall]

Spurs are actually my 4th club.

As an American, I have to say- I love a lot of English teams! And it's fun because there are so many to choose from! But since I can't pick 'em all, I've gone with 4 mainstays (in the Prem, that is).

My list:

1) Arsenal
2) Chelsea
3) West Ham

Distant 4th: Tottenham

My favorite player is Jack Wilshire! I love him! He, imvho, truly embodies the spirit of the game with his never-say-die attitude and his grit and determination. He has helped us immeasurably and I once told him so, shouting (from the stands) the last time my beloved boys in red and white came on a tour of the US! It was so amazing- I got a special kit made up for the occasion with his name on the back and "No. 1 fan" on either side of it! I even wore the same size shorts that he wears- despite the fact that I'm quite a bit taller! They were small on me but I didn't mind- and I think he appreciated it because he smiled at me when he came out of the tunnel (something I'll never forget)! My man Jack is something else; I have a life-size poster of him in my room, surrounded by all my Gooner gear (including a replica trophy from our undefeated season a decade ago- which looks just like the real thing! This being a Tottenham board you might not know this but back then they called us "The Invincibles!" What memories!). Man oh man you should've seen me when we won the league at White Hart Lane (your stadium I believe)-- holy smokes- talk about good times! In fact as I'm typing this I'm wearing an Arsenal shirt with "Henry" on the back (although I feel like a traitor to Jack lol)! My wife thinks I should get rid of some of my memorabilia- she says "you're 47, yet you act like an overgrown child," but we all know how enticing this stuff can be! And there's no way in heaven I would willingly part with any of my Arsenal collection. I consider myself part of the team in a way, and I bet if the players could meet me they would feel the same! Oh well, maybe someday!

As for Chelsea: John Terry is- and always will be- my favorite defender, and I love the way Chelsea play (and their fans are great as well!). Roman really keeps us humming along- and now with Jose back at the helm the sky's the limit! Tbh it's hard picking between my blues and my reds so I basically don't; I wish for nothing but the best whenever I see them play, and when they face each other (which I believe you guys call a "derby"- except that unlike our Kentucky derby you "chaps" say "darby"- man you guys are out of control! But I digress...) I root for a great game! This may sound crazy but I have a jersey (sorry there "chaps"- I mean to say "shirt!" You Brits and your confusing terms lol!) that is half Arsenal and half Chelsea, split down the middle, which I wear when appropriate (and sometimes even when not!). This helps me to feel like a true supporter- and not one favoring one team over the other (which would hardly be fair since I adore them both!). Indeed, I love Chelsea so much I only buy Samsung products (haha- I just wish Emirates Airlines flew between cities in America!).

As for West Ham- well, though I don't really have much of an affinity for their current players, I do feel a kinship with both the supporters and the owners. Also, since they play in a kind of red and blue then it's almost as if they're a family member uniting my other two top sides- or at least thats the way I prefer to look at it! West Ham are like my underdog team- they're never really that good on the field (oh sorry- there I go again: "pitch") but they seem really cool and fun and feisty- good "blokes" as you guys might say...just one question: is there actual ham there (like ham you can eat- the pink stuff) or is it just a coincidence that ham is in the name? I'm wondering because I really like ham and maybe it's good there and if I make it out to a game (sorry: match) I'll buy some and eat it with my fellow hammies! We'll "ham" it up together!

As for Spurs, they're pretty decent, and I try and cheer them on when I can (at least as long as their winning doesn't interfere with any of my above true core teams). I don't know much about them but I do know that if I want to really mess with people's minds here in the States I can say "I'm watching Spurs"; they'll think I'm referring to the basketball team from San Antonio but you and I know better! Haha- joke's on them!

Anyway- wow- English soccer is freakin' awesome! So many cool squads! Cool names! Cool colors! I love it!!!

Oh hey btw- I almost forgot to ask: what do you "blokes" think of my list? Is it close to yours?

I would love it if someone changed you name to TwanGoon now.

 

[Gb160]

As a youngster I was lucky enough to go to most Spurs home games but i did also enjoy the Barnet/Enfield rivalry of the 1980s.

I used to go to Enfield matches untl they pissed off to Cheshunt!
I still refuse to go to that Cinema because of that very reason !

 

[Shea]

Unfortunately my granddad died when he was 66 - he would have been 81 now

So he is of the generation, used to go watch Spurs every week (though not really to away games) unlike many though he did not watch Arsenal and indeed he hated them, he used to watch Spurs youth games (which apparently were played at White Hart Lane on weeks where we were playing away, would take my aunt in the 70's and she grew up loving Glen Hoddle though my mum was never interested)

I dunno if it was just his miserable nature that set him apart from the average fan of his generation, or the fact he married my nan who came from an Arsenal family (so even though she was not interested in football my granddads brother in law and father in law were Gooners) that inspired his dislike for all things Arsenal

My dad always hated Chelsea more than Arsenal, he's nearly 60 now so his main supporting era would have been the 70s. He grew up in Shepherd's bush, his dad was a QPR fan and I guess my dad lived in Chelsea territory more than Arsenal which explains the distain for them?

I think its all a matter of perspective, I literally only support Spurs and find it hard to understand how others can support teams in other leagues or even other Sports. I might have teams I prefer or what to win in other leagues and in other sports but Spurs are my only team, nothing else comes close. I guess its my nature.

Attitudes certainly change - the older generations seemed to have often supported all London clubs over clubs from afar because they were representative of them. My dad's generation probably thought that strange but they supported all English clubs in Europe as they were representing them over the foreigners (even though my dad was born in Ireland and still has an Irish passport), today I and I believe most of us frequently want the English teams to lose in Europe so we can laugh at the fans of the teams we hate

Times change, peoples perspective of the game changes

 

[Shea]

I would love it if someone changed you name to TwatGoon now.

fixed that for you

 

[mil1lion]

1. Tottingham
2. Barca
3. AC Milan

Spurs are my first and true passion in football and date as far back as I remember due to my Dad's side of the family being Spurs, and having relatives in Tottenham. I started following foreign football in my school days and really took to Serie A on channel 4 with James Richardson. I was drawn to AC Milan at the time and they played in the same colours as my Sunday League team back then so I followed them. Unfortunately Serie A is not what it used to be and I found myself getting a bit detached from it after the match fixing scandal. I still follow the Milan results every week though and catch highlights online as I don't have BT Sports to watch them live. I started following Barca in the late 90s when I got Sky and fell in love with their style of football. Due to the coverage from Sky to show pretty much every game I've gotten a lot closer to them over the years. Beating Arsenal in the CL final helped too

As far as English football goes I never really follow the lower league stuff. I don't like too many Premier League clubs either. Not that I mind many of them, it's only really Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham, Liverpool, Everton, Stoke and Newcastle that I really dislike. I think with Arsenal over the years I don't hate them with as much passion as I used to. I think that comes largely down to the days when they had a bigger English core with the likes of Adams, Keown, Platt, Wright, Merson etc. Those were proper heated North London Derbies. I still love the fixture and nothing makes me happier when we beat them but other than that I don't worry too much about them now (mainly because I am confident they wont win the League nowadays). I still hope they lose very game mind but have gotten used to them winning a majority of games knowing they will slip up from time to time. The Chelsea that have developed since Roman took over has made me hate them more and more over the years now. I hate them just as much as Arsenal.

 

[Mr.D]

I used to go to watch the reserves at the Lane in the Football Combination when the first team were away. Seems like a lifetime ago.
I've a soft spot for the Os as I was brought up in Walthamstow and was a ball boy there when I played for the district.
Now I go and watch Margate as I only live 10 minutes walk away.

 

[Kendall]

fixed that for you

Didn't fix my typo though did you?

****

 

[Shea]

Didn't fix my typo though did you?

****

I was saving that for the English language thread