Supporting Spurs

[spursfan77]

Pretty much spot on for me. I've been passing my tickets on. I'm literally keeping my ST for young boys just incase they want to go

That’s the only thing that makes me wonder about keeping them but going to games is becoming harder for various family reasons so I could easily give them up and then for the same price treat them to a few lowest end corporate games during the season if they want to go as a treat.

Either that or just go to some lower league football instead which I’m more than willing to do. Probably a lot more fun without VAR and the expectations to be not met.

 

[Gingernut]

That’s the only thing that makes me wonder about keeping them but going to games is becoming harder for various family reasons so I could easily give them up and then for the same price treat them to a few lowest end corporate games during the season if they want to go as a treat.

Either that or just go to some lower league football instead which I’m more than willing to do. Probably a lot more fun without VAR and the expectations to be not met.

I take them to see a national league south team, a few times a year. Costs 12 quid for 3 or us and doesn't matter if they get board and we leave after 50 minutes.

You'll always sell them on ticket exchange as long as tourists keep coming

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

I know this may seem kneejerk to some and ridiculous to others but I guess the situation with how I feel about supporting Spurs is compounded by other things in my life. I've supported Spurs for 35 years and I go to games every year when I can get tickets. I take my kids and they love going to the stadium and singing all the songs and essentially having free license to shout as much as they want.

But supporting Spurs isn't a walk in the park as you all know and I'm finding I don't really enjoy watching us. I don't find it entertaining. On the contrary I find it stressful and anxiety inducing and when we win I'm in a good mood and when we lose it affects me more than I'd like it to. I listen to the podcasts in the hope of hearing some optimism about our future, I read the transfer rumours in the hope of having some exciting news about a new player that can help our cause. But it all seems more and more toxic, divisive and pessimistic. The last few months of the season have not been fun and I feel every match is another moment when I'm going to be let down. I don't blame the players or Ange, I'm very much Ange In because I believe in what he's trying to achieve.

But I've stepped over to the dark side and accept that this is all on Levy. We will likely sack Ange, even though I would want him to have a proper opportunity to bring success and we'll move onto the next manager without properly supporting him with the players necessary to do the job and in 18 months he'll be sacked too. I think after 35 years of supporting the club and going to games I will decide to just stop.

I just feel like I'd prefer not to support any club if it's going to make me feel this way. Is it possible to stop supporting Spurs?

Sorry for the long post but I don't have many other outlets aside from here

Sorry you’re feeling like this mate but many many of us completely relate to this and are feeling the same or similar.

The simplest way to put it is just that I feel the ‘soul’ of the football club has been destroyed under Levy/ENIC’s ownership so most longer term fans hope and patience has just been completely eroded.

For 30 years I had a season ticket and also went to tons of away games with my old man and mates, there have been some incredible matches and highlight was getting to the CL final under Poch, I cried like a little baby when Moura scored that last second winner and flying out there with my dad and mates was incredible, I also absolutely loved the old WHL, some fantastic fantastic matches, teams and atmospheres, especially under: Jol, Redknapp and Poch.

Id say that since Poch was sacked the club has just gone from one bad decision to the next, it feels like as fans we have been cheated on over and over for a good 5-6 years but in reality we’ve also been lied to for 20-30 years whereby Levy/ENIC promised the stadium to be a game changer and take us to the next level when in reality nothing much has changed, if anything the football ‘strategy’, if there even is one, has got worse and we don’t make signings or build squads to seriously compete or win, we ALWAYS leave managers with squads with holes in and when it does all go wrong, there is never a proactive good contingency plan in place and even if there is the same cycle just repeats.

Meanwhile so many teams in the PL have far better scouting and player and manager recruiting and far better club cultures/leadership to try and win.

I gave up my season ticket 10 games into this season to save money and time as I just don’t enjoy going to the games anymore and I’ve not regretted it at all, I’ve also moved to Scotland with my family and tbh the distance from the club feels really refreshing.

When I was a kid and young adult spurs was my life, I lived and breathed it and could never ever consider or comprehend a world where I would move countries and not be able to go to matches but over time many decisions levy and the club have made have slowly slowly just sucked the soul from the club and the hope from the fans and now I have a family, it’s just not a priority for me.

I’ll still watch every single game on TV\MOTD and I absolutely love analysing and discussing it all on here with you lot but I cannot even describe the apathy I have towards the club me and my family have loved and lived and breathed for literally decades.

If Levy leaves and the way the club is run changes or if we somehow get to a EL or FA Cup final and/or Levy leaves and the club gets its soul back I’d consider flying down with my son for the odd big game but outside of that I’m not planning on stepping foot in that ground again and I’m going to focus a lot more of my time and energy on other things.

Love to all who feel similar and I wish and hope brighter times are ahead for us long suffering spurs fans one day but as things stand the way we are run I can only see things getting worse.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

I’d be interested to know what the younger spurs supporting generation think, are they optimistic about our young squad, do they enjoy going to this fancy stadium of ours or are they finding the club as soul destroying as the rest of us I’d say anyone age 30 and over tbh from those on here saying they’ve supported the club for 25/30 years + and from those I speak to, almost everyone is saying the same things about how badly the club is run on the football side and how their love of the club has been fading year in year.

I suppose in a weird way this is how Newcastle fans felt under Ashley, Everton under Moshiri, Sunderland and Blackburn for a while, Villa for a while, Leeds for a while, Forest for a while etc etc, just basically fairly big clubs just run really badly going in the wrong direction with little to no hope for the fans of anything changing.

 

[UncleBuck]

I’ve just opened our bin and my 9 year old has put his home shirt in it!
This has been building for months, all the spurs badges have been disappearing off his crocs recently and he’s been as miserable as sin all afternoon.
I’m actually torn as to whether I get it out or just leave it which is something I never thought I’d say.
We’ve had loads of chats over the last year about ups and downs with sport in general but I honestly think he’s going to pipe up and tell me he’s going to start supporting another team.
At least at such a young age they can change their allegiance

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

I’ve just opened our bin and my 9 year old has put his home shirt in it!
This has been building for months, all the spurs badges have been disappearing off his crocs recently and he’s been as miserable as sin all afternoon.
I’m actually torn as to whether I get it out or just leave it which is something I never thought I’d say.
We’ve had loads of chats over the last year about ups and downs with sport in general but I honestly think he’s going to pipe up and tell me he’s going to start supporting another team.
At least at such a young age they can change their allegiance

Sorry to hear that mate and such a tricky position for you to be in as nothing better than sharing your love and bond of spurs with your son but if it’s making you both unhappy and as you say he’s young enough to switch to someone else then who knows right as no point carrying on with something making you unhappy.

I remember going to WHL for years as a kid with my dad in the 90’s and 00’s when we were mostly rubbish but I loved the ground and going to the games and I loved spurs being different to my mates at school all being man.u, arsenal or Chelsea glory hunters as IF one day spurs did win it would feel so so sweet and we started to slowly get better once Jol became manager, we crept up to 5th in the league and narrowly missed out on CL qualification due to lasagna gate, we also had a really really cool fun young squad with a British core that along with a fun traditional tight football stadium it all made for a fun club to support even if we weren’t likely to win, we were getting better and there was long term hope and short term fun moments like beating Chelsea at WHL for the first time in years, the atmosphere under the lights was just incredible, then Redknapp and Poch times were brilliant too but I don’t love the new stadium, it’s had its moments but the atmosphere just doesn’t feel great like it used to at times when WHL was really rocking and since Poch was sacked the clubs soul and spirit has been battered and lost, we are a mess and getting worse and worse, it’s not fun.

My son is too young to really get into it yet, I used to think he’d have no choice almost like me and my dad and his dad it’s a right of passage but now the way the club is and now not living near enough to go to games I think more and more I’ll just let him support who he wants (aside from any of our main rivals ofc)

 

[SirNiNyHotspur]

I have just disengaged emotionally last few years, will probably be that way until ENIC are gone, hoping I can get the passion back after that, but I don’t get pissed when we lose anymore, the caveat to that I rarely get excited when we play well or win.

I’ve just opened our bin and my 9 year old has put his home shirt in it!
This has been building for months, all the spurs badges have been disappearing off his crocs recently and he’s been as miserable as sin all afternoon.
I’m actually torn as to whether I get it out or just leave it which is something I never thought I’d say.
We’ve had loads of chats over the last year about ups and downs with sport in general but I honestly think he’s going to pipe up and tell me he’s going to start supporting another team.
At least at such a young age they can change their allegiance

Let them pick their own team from a different league and have Spurs as their 2nd team, worked for me, one supports Real Madrid, one Barcelona, ENIC can’t spoil it for them there so I’m grateful for that…

 

[Metalhead]

Take some time away and go and watch a local non league team play instead.

That’s exactly what I do.

 

[Nice One Cyril]

Sorry to hear that mate and such a tricky position for you to be in as nothing better than sharing your love and bond of spurs with your son but if it’s making you both unhappy and as you say he’s young enough to switch to someone else then who knows right as no point carrying on with something making you unhappy.

I remember going to WHL for years as a kid with my dad in the 90’s and 00’s when we were mostly rubbish but I loved the ground and going to the games and I loved spurs being different to my mates at school all being man.u, arsenal or Chelsea glory hunters as IF one day spurs did win it would feel so so sweet and we started to slowly get better once Jol became manager, we crept up to 5th in the league and narrowly missed out on CL qualification due to lasagna gate, we also had a really really cool fun young squad with a British core that along with a fun traditional tight football stadium it all made for a fun club to support even if we weren’t likely to win, we were getting better and there was long term hope and short term fun moments like beating Chelsea at WHL for the first time in years, the atmosphere under the lights was just incredible, then Redknapp and Poch times were brilliant too but I don’t love the new stadium, it’s had its moments but the atmosphere just doesn’t feel great like it used to at times when WHL was really rocking and since Poch was sacked the clubs soul and spirit has been battered and lost, we are a mess and getting worse and worse, it’s not fun.

My son is too young to really get into it yet, I used to think he’d have no choice almost like me and my dad and his dad it’s a right of passage but now the way the club is and now not living near enough to go to games I think more and more I’ll just let him support who he wants (aside from any of our main rivals ofc)

 

[Nice One Cyril]

So sad reading this thread. I'm too old to change now. But the young ones being affected, in a adverse way by the club's steady decline upsets me. I really hope that Levy reads some of these posts, but I realise he won't. He doesn't care about any of us, young or old. It's so very, very sad.

 

[SamR]

I used to be spurs centric - watched every game I could, followed every news article, properly immersed.

It’s slowly changed over the last few years. I can’t really say when it happened, but I Lost my love for it. Perhaps other life factors compounding my emotional detachment but I do think you can fall out of love supporting the club you adored as a kid.

I still have some interest and I don’t follow another team, but I just seem to laugh when we lose and then move on. There’s just too much else in life to enjoy, and life is short and precise, to have your feelings held to ransom by Spurs. I have a little boy now and his grandad is a Brighton fan - I don’t know if I want to put him through the misery and haven’t really resisted his grandad bending his ear to support Brighton. Can’t believe it really as 5 or so years back I’d have banned him from the house for swaying his allegiance!

 

[harispurs]

I am Indonesian and have lived my life as a Spurs supporter for 39 years. I haven't had the opportunity to come to London and visit White Hart Lane or Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. As someone who supports Spurs from abroad, it is certainly different from most of my friends here, where I can only see Spurs from TV broadcasts and the internet.

As long as I can remember, I was already a Spurs supporter when Spurs had financial difficulties in the early 1990s and in that decade, for several seasons, we witnessed how Spurs struggled to avoid relegation.

Scholar, Sugar, and ENIC/Levy all have their own merits and demerits. And I'm grateful to be able to see Spurs at the level where finishing outside the top 5 is a failure. Something that was a dream when Spurs were in the 1990s and early 2000s.

I, like everyone here as a fan, certainly have the same feeling of disappointment seeing Spurs slump this season. But I believe that failure is something important in our process of becoming better. I don't want to get caught up in polemics about who is right or wrong, and I really avoid social media, which are full of negative things. I prefer to see things from a positive side and believe that everything will have its time to shine, including our beloved Spurs.​

 

[AustrianHotspur]

It's really a very difficult phase right now. They always say that it is in the bad times that you can see who is a true fan. But that's only half the story. Especially when it comes to Spurs. The last few years have just been difficult and I can understand everyone, no matter how long they have supported this club, who is just tired of it and is no longer interested in burdening themselves and their lives (and those around them) with this negativity. Life is just so much more than Spurs for many of us.

I've been a Tottenham fan for 20 years now. And even though I'm Austrian and will probably never be able to understand the club and the culture to the same extent as locals, this club is a big part of my life. There were years when I flew to London up to 10 times to see Tottenham play. In the last few years (since Pochettino's last year) I've been getting further and further out mentally.

Yesterday after the game my wife said to me "I'm sorry things aren't going well at the moment" and I just sat there and thought to myself "I don't really care anymore". And that's actually sad.

 

[Armstrong_11]

when u think it can't get any worst.... they just sink you to a new low.

can't wait for May.

 

[NickHSpurs]

The atmosphere in the stands is really starting to get toxic both home and away. This month I've seen at least three very heated arguments between our own fans, there was quite a few yesterday in the away end and I've seen it happen at the Lane as well.

People have had enough and are getting really wound up by what they're seeing and taking it out on people around them, which is wrong. I saw a family leave after an hour yesterday because the women and kids felt uncomfortable about the atmosphere between our own fans. It's a sad state of affairs.

 

[Snarfalicious]

I know this may seem kneejerk to some and ridiculous to others but I guess the situation with how I feel about supporting Spurs is compounded by other things in my life. I've supported Spurs for 35 years and I go to games every year when I can get tickets. I take my kids and they love going to the stadium and singing all the songs and essentially having free license to shout as much as they want.

But supporting Spurs isn't a walk in the park as you all know and I'm finding I don't really enjoy watching us. I don't find it entertaining. On the contrary I find it stressful and anxiety inducing and when we win I'm in a good mood and when we lose it affects me more than I'd like it to. I listen to the podcasts in the hope of hearing some optimism about our future, I read the transfer rumours in the hope of having some exciting news about a new player that can help our cause. But it all seems more and more toxic, divisive and pessimistic. The last few months of the season have not been fun and I feel every match is another moment when I'm going to be let down. I don't blame the players or Ange, I'm very much Ange In because I believe in what he's trying to achieve.

But I've stepped over to the dark side and accept that this is all on Levy. We will likely sack Ange, even though I would want him to have a proper opportunity to bring success and we'll move onto the next manager without properly supporting him with the players necessary to do the job and in 18 months he'll be sacked too. I think after 35 years of supporting the club and going to games I will decide to just stop.

I just feel like I'd prefer not to support any club if it's going to make me feel this way. Is it possible to stop supporting Spurs?

Sorry for the long post but I don't have many other outlets aside from here

You are not alone. Sums up how I feel and obviously others do, as well.

It ain’t easy, but I believe things will get better. That’s how I’m built and that’s how I’ll continue on. It may not be today, tomorrow, next month, next year. But these are the times that I hope to one day look back on and say “it was worth it.”

And if I never get to do that, it’ll be alright. It’s football, but I know it’s given me so much joy throughout the years that even if it all truly is downhill from here (I want to note I do not believe this in the slightest) no one can ever take that away.

Chin up and fuck Daniel Levy.

 

[Ruducus]

I’ve just opened our bin and my 9 year old has put his home shirt in it!
This has been building for months, all the spurs badges have been disappearing off his crocs recently and he’s been as miserable as sin all afternoon.
I’m actually torn as to whether I get it out or just leave it which is something I never thought I’d say.
We’ve had loads of chats over the last year about ups and downs with sport in general but I honestly think he’s going to pipe up and tell me he’s going to start supporting another team.
At least at such a young age they can change their allegiance

I started supporting Spurs in the 90's & we were dreadful. I remember asking my dad why I support spurs & if I can support someone else. What really helped me then & still does now when I am in my 30's is that it hasn't really ever been about how good we are.

Yes, I don't like us being shit & I want to see us win things. But some of my best friends, I know because we both support Tottenham. Some of the best moment's I have had with my dad, are because we both support Tottenham.

Tottenham has also given me individual moments of joy, due results they've got in games I've been at live or watched on TV, but that hasn't been the main thing I've loved about being a Spurs fan.

To me, football is about sharing experiences with people close to you. It is not about that dopamine hit of watching your side win.

IMO you should take the shirt out the bin. You should tell you 9 year old that you hate spurs at the moment too. Tell him about bad we were in the 90's & how good we were at points.

Everyone on this site, we all get it. We all share the feeling of being a spurs fan, which is a unique & great thing. Whenever I meet a spurs fan, I like them a bit straight off the bat.

I would not trade all the memories I have with my friends and family around spurs for being a City or United fan and watching 'my team' win loads of titles, because they aren't my team & could never be, because we're all spurs really, aren't we?

 

[GilzeansGrandad]

I don't think I chose Tottenham Hotspur to support back in the late 1960's, I always say it chose me. I could have become a Southampton fan. They are my nearest PL club and I went a few times back then but never felt any kind of connection or affection. My first visit to WHL in 1970 sealed my fate and I've been a supporter ever since, for good or ill.
I've found since our recent decline that I'm better just recording the game and watching it the next day when I know the score. It's less stressful that way.
My chief concern I think is that I never will see the club succeed in the way we all want it to. Given my advancing years and the club's current ownership I think this is a real possibility.

 

[aliyid]

Always interesting reading other peoples perspective on things. It often takes a thread like this for me to pause and re-evaluate my own position / mentality around it all.

I've found that as a Spurs fan I've cultivated a coping mechanism over many years to avoid getting dragged too deeply into the madness. At the end of the day we (fans) have no power or impact on anything the club are doing / achieving or over actual decisions being made. Once you accept this it frees you up to take it for what it is:

• When things are going well I dive in at the deep end, read up on what opposition fans are saying, consume every piece of analysis I can find and radiate with a warm glow that only Spurs can bring.
• When we lose I scoff at the poor analysis on Sky, remind myself that none of these idiots being paid to report on the game actually understand what's going on at the club and create a bubble to protect myself.

Think I reached an epiphany during the Mourinho era that it shouldn't affect me this much when we do badly, mates will mock but if you probe their banter even a tiny bit they have no idea what they're talking about and are just reacting to a headline they saw online.

Focus on what makes you happy, I love going to the game, chatting shit with my mates in the concourse over a beer, celebrating madly when we score and collectively laughing at the idiot who sits behind us that won't shut up during the game.

Once you work out how to re-frame your impact on the club (and it's results) you can find a way to enjoy the highs while still minimising the lows. They're still shitty but don't measure your love for the club on how much it hurts when we lose. That's just toxic and will only end up negatively impacting your own mental health far more than it does the club.

 

[scat1620]