To cheer or not to cheer, that is the question…

The civil unrest that currently engulfs all of us who love Tottenham Hotspur Football Club stems from a number of branches but when there is blame to be laid, maybe instead of looking for scapegoats, we as fans should take a closer look in the mirror and begin to question our own judgement in the demise of a once great football team.

Let us for a brief moment forget about the atrocious transfer policies put in place by Daniel Levy and Baldini; let us put aside the lack of effort and emotion emanating from the players who have worn the shirt this season and please, for heavens sake, can we give poor old Pochettino a break – give him the time and resources to implement his system and I believe he will succeed. Instead let us look squarely in the mirror at ourselves and other supporters who are finding it impossible to pull themselves from what would appear an endless malaise of discontent.

[linequote]The problem lies in the fact that the idea of the supporter or fan has changed beyond all recognition since the advent of Sky TV.[/linequote]

The discord at our club (don’t forget without us fans it wouldn’t exist) lies far deeper than a divide between the hierarchy and the fan base, if anything the truly worrying issue is the discord between us supporters. From the plethora of well written articles I see here on The Fighting Cock there would appear to be two arguments of the supporters role, namely, we are proactive and get behind the team at all times or, we are reactive to the teams display and thus act according to the performances being meted out in front of our eyes.

The problem lies in the fact that the idea of the supporter or fan has changed beyond all recognition since the advent of Sky TV and their merry media circus of glitz, glamour and most potently of all, money.

It does not matter if you are a fan of Tottenham or any other Premiership club, essentially there are two types of fans in modern football, the pre-Sky TV fan and those who have grown up not knowing that football never used to be played on Friday nights to accommodate the whims of a Barclays Bank television advert.

The modern fan, through no fault of their own is the reason clubs and players are so far removed from the real world we somehow co-exist within. Thanks to the internet and the advances in modern day travel, fans from around the globe can now attend a football game in the premiership and that is exactly what they will do – attend one game. They will come from Denmark for the experience, or from China to see the stars they see on TV every week, they will travel vast distances not to see the club but to see the players.

[fullquote]The noise levels, or lack of at White Hart Lane have something to do with the tripe being dished out on the field of play but fundamentally, it comes from us, always has done, always will.[/fullquote]

No one goes to see Rotherham or Southend or any other club below the Premier league to see the players, they go because they have an affinity with the club, the area, the town and it’s people and because these people go week in week out they build a bond, a camaraderie. They travel together, they drink together and most importantly, they sing together. Within these towns there is far more of a community feel to the support, something that has been lost at most Premier league players and chairman since the advent of Rupert Murdoch and his mercenary media machine.

The noise levels, or lack of at White Hart Lane have something to do with the tripe being dished out on the field of play but fundamentally, it comes from us, always has done, always will.

Due to geographical and financial reasons, getting to see my beloved Spurs is something of a rarity but when I do go the best time I have is in one of the home supporters pubs before the game. You can hear the singing emanating from the peeling plaster before you have entered the building, the noise is almost tangible and the heart starts to pump that little faster. It’s packed to the rafters and songs from down the ages are ringing out from grown men who should know better but are enveloped in the moment, this shared togetherness, our arms raised skywards as old black and white photos of Mackay, Blanchflower, Hoddle et al smile down from the walls. This is our Tottenham.

[linequote]The modern fan, through no fault of their own is the reason clubs and players are so far removed from the real world we somehow co-exist within.[/linequote]

Sadly, come kick-off time and as we all go to find our seats dotted around the ground, I am sat next to people who do not share in this feeling; people who have been fleeced in the club shop or are mulling over the best angle for a selfie. I try my utmost to start something going, to orchestrate some banter, a rendition of Come on You Spurs but I merely get looked at like you do when you smile at someone on the Tube.

That is why movements such as 1882 have to be recognised, because when Adebayor and all those others who simply do not care are long gone, it is you and I who shall be left behind.

People need to stop hiding behind their smart phones when Eriksen is taking another woeful corner and engage themselves in the action that is taking place before their very eyes. They need to sing, they need to chant, they need to ignore the crap on the pitch and support not the players but the club.