Mark Sheehan, a Spurs fan and regular at White Hart Lane for over three decades, has fallen out of love with Spurs. Find out what broke him.
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As much as i would like to disagree with the article, i cant. Most of it is bang on.
What a well written piece. Im only in my 30s so cant really comment on football ages ago but i agree with what he is saying about the joy of going to game has kind of died. Unfortunately a friend summed it up you either go along with how modern football is going or get off the bus because it aint going to change as long as people are getting rich off it
Alternative is to watch us go to the championship and scrap by in a league with far less money and fame, about as close to the old first division as you will get.
It's a good article, but I suspect the writer hasn't broken the habit yet and will be supporting Spurs this time next year.
I could never kick the habit, and don't want to, despite wanting the polar opposite of what the writer wants and us to get rid of ENIC and get in a Chelsea/City style successful owner.
I am proud of the fact that I stopped wasting lots of money going to the Lane to have my day ruined by moaners, whingers, non-singers and amateur analysts. Though like the author I see hope in the 1882 movement.
The writer fondly remembers the 80s, as do I, plus the 70s and 60s. But I do remember the dark side of those decades as the hooligans and incompetent authorities did so much to damage our game, beginning some time in the mid-late 60s. We had a great product in football back in the 50s and early/mid 60s, something somehow went horribly wrong.
I guess society is to blame, probably
I could never kick the habit, and don't want to, despite wanting the polar opposite of what the writer wants and us to get rid of ENIC and get in a Chelsea/City style successful owner.
I am proud of the fact that I stopped wasting lots of money going to the Lane to have my day ruined by moaners, whingers, non-singers and amateur analysts. Though like the author I see hope in the 1882 movement.
The writer fondly remembers the 80s, as do I, plus the 70s and 60s. But I do remember the dark side of those decades as the hooligans and incompetent authorities did so much to damage our game, beginning some time in the mid-late 60s. We had a great product in football back in the 50s and early/mid 60s, something somehow went horribly wrong.
I guess society is to blame, probably
I can't claim that I've been following Spurs or football in general for as long as the author or as many of you, but I have to imagine that this feeling is not exclusive to the modern day. Maybe there were different issues a while ago, but I'm sure that 30 years ago there were plenty of people complaining about the state of the modern game as well.
Yes, there are plenty of annoying things in the game, but this is not limited to football.
Yes, there are plenty of annoying things in the game, but this is not limited to football.
I bet that when the offside rule was changed there was a whole wave of people that were finished with the sport.
This - older folk always moan about the hey days and how everything was cheaper (inflation shocker!), people were more polite and everything was so much better. Happens every generation.
As for relegation keeping only the players who 'give a shit about the club' - there is no such thing - they're paid employees and much like with any other job would seek better opportunities - this romanticised bullshit about relegation actually improving us needs to stop - it would set us back 10, possibly even 20 years
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The article is bang on in my opinion, no one makes the decision to knock it on the head lightly, in my case it took 5 years!
I've been going to the lane since 1968 and Tottenham has always been a massive part of my life. It's the changes to the game as a whole, governing bodies of football used to insure to a degree an even distribution of revenues to at least show a level playing field. If Man united played Palace back in the day, palace would share 20% of the gate money. The TV revenues would be shared equally with all 92 league clubs. That all stopped, and the advent of the premier league and sky just ruined the game. The greed is good league is a far cry from the game I grew up watching.
Yes you have moaners, that was always been part of the game to let off a bit of steam after a long week. But inflation shocker is wrong, football has suffered mega inflation, and in the process has driven out some of its most loyal followers.
The atmosphere at games is at best shocking compared to what it used to be like, many grounds full with consumers wearing their replica shirts with corporate logos proudly on their chests, my word what has happened to our once great game.
Apart from the odd 1882 match I now go and watch non league with many like minded disillusioned top flight fans. I just come back from a weekend up in Bradford watching Dartford in the FA cup, and it was great, received a warm welcome from the Bradford fans in the pubs before and after the match. In many ways it feel like football used to be, fun!
I've been going to the lane since 1968 and Tottenham has always been a massive part of my life. It's the changes to the game as a whole, governing bodies of football used to insure to a degree an even distribution of revenues to at least show a level playing field. If Man united played Palace back in the day, palace would share 20% of the gate money. The TV revenues would be shared equally with all 92 league clubs. That all stopped, and the advent of the premier league and sky just ruined the game. The greed is good league is a far cry from the game I grew up watching.
Yes you have moaners, that was always been part of the game to let off a bit of steam after a long week. But inflation shocker is wrong, football has suffered mega inflation, and in the process has driven out some of its most loyal followers.
The atmosphere at games is at best shocking compared to what it used to be like, many grounds full with consumers wearing their replica shirts with corporate logos proudly on their chests, my word what has happened to our once great game.
Apart from the odd 1882 match I now go and watch non league with many like minded disillusioned top flight fans. I just come back from a weekend up in Bradford watching Dartford in the FA cup, and it was great, received a warm welcome from the Bradford fans in the pubs before and after the match. In many ways it feel like football used to be, fun!
Nice article but I have to say I disagree with the last part. Talking about how Football was once beautiful - looking back tot he Champions League season. I don't think you can moan about the money in the game but want to be in the Champions League too. Also, if we got relegated, I really don't think that would lead to us being left with players who care about the club at all - almost the opposite in fact.
The whole Premier League model, modern football as it is is, its definitely part of the game a lot of people dislike, the corporate sponsorship, high ticket prices etc etc but you have to realise, as much as you may dislike it, the club we supposedly love want to be a part of it whether we like it or not. You can't expect to pay £20 a match and challenge for the Champions League if you hate what Sky has done to the game and think the money broadcasting has brought in has ruined everything.
If you feel THAT strongly about it all, I really don't think you have much option than to stop making the trip to White Hart Lane for overpriced matches and sitting amongst a bunch of people moaning about how shit we are or how much people get paid and how it was better before this that and the other - go support your local club instead. You will probably enjoy it more and no amount of articles online or banners at packed out stadiums is really going to change anything.
The whole Premier League model, modern football as it is is, its definitely part of the game a lot of people dislike, the corporate sponsorship, high ticket prices etc etc but you have to realise, as much as you may dislike it, the club we supposedly love want to be a part of it whether we like it or not. You can't expect to pay £20 a match and challenge for the Champions League if you hate what Sky has done to the game and think the money broadcasting has brought in has ruined everything.
If you feel THAT strongly about it all, I really don't think you have much option than to stop making the trip to White Hart Lane for overpriced matches and sitting amongst a bunch of people moaning about how shit we are or how much people get paid and how it was better before this that and the other - go support your local club instead. You will probably enjoy it more and no amount of articles online or banners at packed out stadiums is really going to change anything.
It's funny but the German clubs Can charge much less than £20 a match and compete in the champions league. It can be done if there is the will,
I love Spurs, even before my 1st match in 1976...... During the early 80's I went to 30-50 games, home and away for 5/6 seasons, till 1992 when I got with my wife, and other things took my love, and Spurs took a minor back seat, but when my boy got interested in football my love of Spurs got rekindled.
There are to many greedy mercenaries , but with kane, Mason, Nabil.......and Carroll, Pritchard etc to come thru, I hope it improves'.
I like this article and agree with much of it......I went to Chelski last week, it was embarrassing watching the crowd, sitting like at the theatre doing nothing, apart from when they scored......Mourinos right, your crowd are shite.....I hope if we get the monies in, and a new stadium, I fear us going that way
TTID
There are to many greedy mercenaries , but with kane, Mason, Nabil.......and Carroll, Pritchard etc to come thru, I hope it improves'.
I like this article and agree with much of it......I went to Chelski last week, it was embarrassing watching the crowd, sitting like at the theatre doing nothing, apart from when they scored......Mourinos right, your crowd are shite.....I hope if we get the monies in, and a new stadium, I fear us going that way
TTID
I dont think people realise how much fun it is going to lower league football. Even though i am severely disillusioned with the Prem i still attend 20-25 Spurs games every season but i also take in 5-6 Lewes matches a season.
I have a great time there & you can tell the staff & officials are grateful for every extra penny that comes through the turnstiles (tickets are £11).
Being able to stand on the terrace (& change ends at H-T) with pint in hand & the stewards virtually leaving you to your own devices is marvellous.
I have a great time there & you can tell the staff & officials are grateful for every extra penny that comes through the turnstiles (tickets are £11).
Being able to stand on the terrace (& change ends at H-T) with pint in hand & the stewards virtually leaving you to your own devices is marvellous.
I think this Article is a complete load of horseshit quite frankly and if you don't think so you are afflicted by this phenomenon of being impressed by anyone who uses large words and long sentences. The emperors new clothes. The soundbytes sound good, but on reflection and thought they mean absolutely fuck all.
I think i could rebut every paragraph of this tripe quite successfully, but honestly i can't be bothered even to begin.
I think i could rebut every paragraph of this tripe quite successfully, but honestly i can't be bothered even to begin.
A goalless draw at the Lane and then this. I'm about to crumbleochfacepalm:
Well written piece. Can't say i agree with all of it. We'll always love THFC and we'll always want them to win. This talk of relegation being good for the club to go back to traditional roots is the biggest load of shit i've ever heard! Those flogs suggesting that probably wont be happy untul we are playing in a 3 team competition with AFC Wimbledon and FC United
ochfacepalm:Well written piece. Can't say i agree with all of it. We'll always love THFC and we'll always want them to win. This talk of relegation being good for the club to go back to traditional roots is the biggest load of shit i've ever heard! Those flogs suggesting that probably wont be happy untul we are playing in a 3 team competition with AFC Wimbledon and FC United
I went to the wonderfully named "dripping pan" a couple of seasons back to watch Dartford there. First off, what a setting for a football ground, with the rolling hills all around. And to stand on that terrace with a pint of Harvey's old ale in hand was pure bliss!!!