What a goldmine
Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at 12:56PM Reading through the 2012 revised and updated edition of the Spurs Miscellany - newly released this month - I realised something that about the old enemy from down the road (aside from the fact they were called Woolwich and played their football in Plumstead and attempted to merge with Fulham). Before they made their journey to North London, the local residents objected about the prospective move. Yet people turned up for their home matches. That's the same people probably bitching about the move, the same people living in North London, some of which probably frequented White Hart Lane before Highbury.
So the old enemy is not only a football club with nomadic tendencies and no true identity but also one whose new founded fanbase just down the road on the Seven Sisters is made up of turncoats and deserters. The ilk of fan that turns their back on their own. They're fundamentally Tottenham rejects. Their original North London fanbase is made up of football fans that turned their back on their local club and pledged allegiance to one uprooted from elsewhere and dumped in our back yard. That and the fact they are the only club in history not to be promoted on footballing merit. History is what defines you right? Even history that takes you back several decades.
I knew all this already of course. I've read the Spurs Miscellany before. But now the prolific Martin Cloake and Adam Powley have updated their labour of love with new wonderful gems of facts, feats, records, anecdotes, classic matches, quotes, quirky info and trivia along with essential historical timelines that serve to remind all why we are a club bestowed with such rich colourful history. There's also biographical sections on club heroes like Paul Gascoigne, Danny Blanchflower, Steve Perryman, Gary Lineker and Chris Waddle as well as detailed season-by-season records for the geeks that wish to overdose on stats. There's also stories on some of our other famous Lilywhite legends and players you might not know (Walter Tull, Vivian Woodward) but you really should.
There's also a chapter dedicated to Mr Tottenham Hotspur, Bill Nicholson. And yes, Harry Redknapp and Gareth Bale are also included - as cited, it's revised and up to date (to the end of last season with the stats correct up until the start of the 2012/13 season).
The brilliant thing about this book is that you can literally pick it up, turn to any page and either read something you didn't know about Spurs or be reminded about something utterly irreverent yet funny or just down right glorious about our N17 haven. Love the entry on our crest (Badge of honour, page 31) along with our origin story and yes, even though I throw a cheap shot or two at Dial Square their own origins play such a big part in what is surely one of the most bitter rivalries in football (because love them or hate them, our rivalry is about football...rather than politics or religion or class wars). The story of our first ever game against them is also ironically funny.
Look, it's Spurs. You're Spurs. The book is jam-packed with quick-fire brilliance on Spurs. Ossie Ardiles foreword. Get on it.
The Tottenham Miscellany is published by Vision Sports Publishing RRP £9.99
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Want to win a copy?
Simply tell me a fact about yourself relating to Spurs. Can be anything, an anecdote, a quote. Best one wins. Just use the submission contact form to send in your entry or just add it in the comments section below (you might want to sign up to the blog first so that I can email you or just make surey you include a valid email address when you post).
Reader Comments (11)
Shit club, no history.
Christmas 1992 - when I was ten I won a Junior Spurs competition to go to the old Chase Lodge training ground and attend a first team training session. Weeing myself with excitement for days in advance, I was horrified to wake up on the big day to find myself covered in chicken pox and being told by my Mum that I couldn't go. Dad said 'course he's going' and proceeded to wrap me in the biggest coat he could find, along with a Spurs baseball cap and three Spurs scarves carefully placed to cover just about every individual chicken pock on my bonce. We went along as planned and had a great day - the adrenaline of meeting the players overtook the wretchedly ill feeling I'd been suffering in the morning. I found out that Paul Allen did indeed really have a squeaky voice, it was confirmed that Gary Mabbutt was indeed the nicest man in the world, I had my photo taken with Teddy, Erik Thorstvedt, Nayim, Neil Ruddock, Ray Clemence and loads more, while Dad had a good chat with Vinny Samways about his rather sexy black Shogun that we'd parked next to. At the end of the sesh, a very young Nick Barmby, then one of the hottest properties in the game, came along and took my cap off, rubbed my head and said 'see you again mate, hope you enjoyed the day' and then disappeared. I still have the newspaper clippings ruling him out of the following match with a sudden case of chicken pox.
Tom ----your memories are brilliant, coys
I once spent a lazy Sunday afternoon at a 'Gentlemen’s Evening' type event in the bowels of east London. The pint glass was passed around after the ladies had entertained the audience and once the glass was full, a willing volunteer stepped up onto the stage, stripped, and took the lucky lady from behind. Just as his performance reached a crescendo, he looked out across the crowd of drunks and shouted "Come on the Spurs!". I had to applaud. Proudest day of being a Spurs fan.
Get it here for £3.99 http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/qs_product_tbp?storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=100&productId=304206&searchTerm=Spurs+Miscellany
Should be able to find a free delivery code too if you Google it.
Cheers I, Partridge,
Just ordered with free delivery Code XMAS262.
CB
Sounds like a very good read Spooky I doff my cap to the authors. I wouldn't mind having a copy of this on my bookshelf, hence my contribution to the, 'd' ya wanna win a copy compo' sent to you earlier!!
COYS!!!
The year before last, me and my wife went to Martin Chivers book signing at Waterstones in Hatfield, Galeria.
When I piped up and cheekily blamed him for turning me into a Spurs fan.
I explained to him that I was nine years old when my then friend Keith paid for me to see Spurs play at WHL.
The ball fell to me in the old cage where I was right up the front as I was too tiny (still am). This giant of a man Chivers came over to me ,reached out to take the ball of me and patted me on the head. That was it, there and then I knew my new love was Spurs and Chivers my Hero.
He then say's why the blame though, surely you should of thanked me.
That is when I said to him that is why I blame you, because never in my life have I loved something, yet at the same time,"drive me bloody insane".,
Then me wife pipes up. Nine years old George.. Martin you look younger than my husband, what is your secret.
To be honest he did look good for his age. Can you imagine, my hero looking younger than me.
COY MIGHTY SPURS
Cheltanham need your help. I put that code in and they say it is an in valid code. Am I doing something wrong?
Please advice if you can.
Many thanks
koko61
Have sussed it Cheltenham. I needed to use lower casing letters.
Cheers for that Partridge. What a bargain, have ordered 3 books to give as gifts and one for me.
Thanks for the code CB.
COY MIGHTY SPURS
My first ever football coach made 164 league appearances and scored 37 goals for the mighty spurs. See if you can work out who it is. A clue - it's not as exciting as you think