The Fighting Cock by Martin Cloake
There are some great independent Spurs blogs and podcasts being produced at the moment and I always try to make my small contribution to raising their profile when I can. Lately I’ve been picking up on The Fighting Cock and the 1882 movement. I’ve followed a couple of the lads involved on Twitter and recognise some names from back in the day on the old TopSpurs message board, and there’s a real energy to what they are doing.
I’m going to sound as old as I feel when I’m listening to the podcast now but it’s really encouraging to hear what sounds like a new generation creating something and questioning the blandification of modern football. The Fighting Cock is above all passionate about Spurs, but there’s a recognition of the bigger picture that chimes with a growing feeling that’s coalescing around the Stand Against Modern Football initiative. Having come from a generation at Spurs that, despite our fanzine experience and efforts with various independent supporter initiatives, has not really made the impression we once thought we could, what’s most encouraging is the can-do spirit that pervades The Fighting Cock crew. They are a reminder of what football supporters are capable of, and of a spirit that is, in one of the great Steve Perryman’s favourite words, “proper”.
Lilywhite & Blue – Interview with author Jeff Maysh
If you listened to last week’s podcast you probably noticed that we conducted an interview with journalist, author, and proper Spurs fan Jeff Maysh. (If you want to hear it again scroll to the bottom of this page.) A couple of seasons ago Jeff put together a book, Lilywhite & Blue, that chronicles the history of our famous jersey. Well now an updated version is available for £5.99 on the iPad. If you’ve ever worn a Spurs shirt, this book is for you. Lilywhite & Blue is a visual history of every glorious shirt design since the team was founded. For this unique project, […]
Being a member of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club
I’ve been thinking about what my membership in Tottenham Hotspur Football Club actually means in light of all of the recent discussions regarding “supporters” and “fans” and “consumers” and other identifiers that have been thrown around recently. I’m not from London, or even the United Kingdom. I have never lived full time in London at any point in my life. Obviously, I cannot attend first team matches at White Hart Lane every weekend like I would love to. But with the growth of the Premier League into an international phenomenon and the internet and television, I’m far from alone in […]
Sex appeal
Every match day I go through the ups and downs with the team. I celebrate goals like a mad person and I rue the goals scored against us. I sing with the supporters from my living room. I watched Bayern München crush our last hopes of Champions League football. I drank myself into a stupor just like everybody else that night. I paid a subscription to Charlton Athletic to listen to a feed of the Spurs youth game that TFC attended and sang along in my office here in California. How much more do I have to do to prove […]
The Levy Files. Dossier 15: Why he Picked AVB.
“I couldn’t help myself officer. You see after having the Premier League back and then taken away so soon, well the temptation took over me.” “Now now son, we know what you did, just tell us what you saw.” “I didn’t see anything!! Honestly.” I was lying as best as I could. The truth was I saw everything. Earlier. After a summer where the country toasted new heroes and the glory of sport was apparently rediscovered, the return of the Premier League pushed me over the edge. The nonsense, the banal booing, the over/underpriced players and the shiny new kits […]
The Bale Identity
The world is full of brain-busting mysteries; What is the Bermuda Triangle? Does Bigfoot really exist? Why would anyone pay 20 million for Jordan Henderson? but none of the aforementioned phenomena boggle the mind like what exactly is Gareth Bale’s best position? Is it left-wing, right-wing, left back or maybe page 73 of the Kama Sutra Christmas edition? Here we will explore the pros and cons of each position the Welsh Wizard could potentially occupy this season. Left-wing Tried and tested, Bale’s speed and skill has made many a mug of even the best full-backs. A deft piece of control […]
Time to Get Serious
When Arjen Robben fluffed his penalty deep into extra time at the Allianz Arena, the “nightmare” of the Europa League became a reality. Trips to far flung corners of Europe, a lack of Saturday 3pm kickoffs and perhaps worst of all, ITV4 or Channel 5 commentary. But then something occurred to me: Why don’t we go out and win the bloody thing? Where’s the shame in lifting the Europa League cup? The Europa League is the amalgamation of the Cup Winners Cup and the UEFA cup, which in order to appeal to the masses has taken on a Champions League […]