Do you want safe standing at the Lane?

We're all aware of current government regulations on persistent standing at football stadia in England. There is no safe standing areas, none that exist officially. We're always made aware of the potential risk of clubs being punished for it by having sections of their ground shut. However there's always that argument any given supporter could give that at times clubs look the other way, say if its a North London derby. It's rare to be asked to be seated. Passions and nerves run high. So persistent standing is not the health and safety risk some would have you imagine however its also not a safe standing area. You're still standing by your seat. So why should supporters and clubs not discuss the potential for an official area, block where football fans are permitted to stand? At the minute, it's just not legally viable. So what can be done about it?

For starters, keep you're eye on the Football Supporters Federation website. There's also a petition you can sign. They will also keep you apprised of other clubs that are currently pushing for safe standing to happen. This includes other Premier League clubs as well as some from the lower leagues.

The issue still remains with the current government legislation. So what can we do about it?

Early day motion.

What is EDM? An EDM is a form of petition amongst the back-bench MP's (minsters are not allowed to sign them). Their purpose is to raise awareness for any given issue and to demonstrate the level of support for that issue in Westminster. So as Tottenham fans, what can we do?

We need to get every MP in the Tottenham catchment area plus those that represent Tottenham fans living elsewhere to support the EDM. You can use this to locate MP's:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/2432632/UK-General-Election-2010-political-map.html

So we need to get MP's to sign the EDM.

Also, keep your eye on the FSF website for the very latest on this.

We also need to get the club to support the EDM and what it's actually asking for. I've included the actual motion details below, in a nutshell it's to oversee a few pilots for safe standing to see if its feasible in practice. The vital part of this is quite obvious. You (Tottenham supporters) need to let the club know that you back this idea that you can to see safe standing piloted in England and possibly even at Spurs so that we all can see if its something that can work in the Premier League as well as it does in Germany. Even if pilots are not run at White Hart Lane there is surely no harm at all for Tottenham to entertain someone else in piloting safe standing by running a trial so that both Spurs and all other clubs can see if its beneficial or not. There is nothing to lose here. However, we need as many football clubs as possible to just agree that this is something worth looking into.

Below is the early day motion as it stands at the time of writing. I'll be sharing the FSF updates once they're available on their website. Please discuss safe standing here and promote the EDM if you're interested in seeing this progress.

Please share this link - http://www.fsf.org.uk/campaigns/safestanding/index.php - to promote the EDM.

Early day motion 573

INTRODUCTION OF A PILOT OF NEW STANDING TECHNOLOGY IN FOOTBALL STADIA

• Session: 2012-13
• Date tabled: 15.10.2012
• Primary sponsor: Godsiff, Roger
• Sponsors:
  • Hancock, Mike
  • Stringer, Graham

Total number of signatures: 3

Godsiff, Roger	Hancock, Mike	Stringer, Graham

That this House urges the Government to accept the case for introducing, on a trial basis, limited standing areas at grounds of clubs in the Premier League and Championship whose management want to participate in such trials; further urges the Government to recognise there is widespread support for such areas and that improvements in stadium design and technology mean that, with rigorous safety specifications, standing areas can be safely introduced; notes the long-term success of new standing technology in many other European leagues, including the German Bundesliga, the availability of this technology in the UK and plans by the Scottish Premier League to initiate trials; and calls on the Government to amend the Football Spectators Act 1989 by statutory instrument to allow this pilot to take place.

1882 - NK Maribor at the Lane

If you don’t know what 1882 is, it’s simply a group of Spurs fans that want to go to games and sing. Not just for five minutes here and there but for 90 minutes. We started off as the ‘Ultras’, rather naively thinking we could perhaps redefine a label that has so many deep rooted connotations (on the continent) to the right wing (politically, not positionally). We drummed up interest last season and had 250 turn up to support the youth team in the FA Youth Cup away to Charlton. Although we weren’t allowed to physically take our drum into the ground.

We chose a youth game simply to make a point that it isn’t all about the first team, it isn’t all about the obvious opportunities to seek glory. It’s about the shirt, no matter the team, be it kids or full internationals. I know, I know...some of you are probably reading this and thinking ‘been here before Spooky mate’, but there’s plenty who won’t have heard about it. So skip ahead if you've seen all the background blurb before.

Our next game was at the NextGen at the Lane against Barcelona earlier this season. The club itself was very receptive and supportive (allowing us two blocks in the West Stand), be it with some teething problems on the evening itself, but we had 600 fans turn up specifically off the back of knowing about the 1882 movement (RIP Ultras) or being told about it by friends. Things have progressed again and we’ve had a meeting at WHL with Tottenham officials regarding the NK Maribor home match in the Europa League. Tickets are probably sold out now, but the club have once more facilitated us and we have block J in the East Upper.

Now personally, I know 1882 is considered to be a ‘group’. To be honest, I don't want people to think too much about a label. Yes, we (The Fighting Cock) are representatives of this 'movement', organising block allocation and spreading the word but it’s simply that; awareness. We’re not accountable or responsible for everyone who buys a ticket for the game in the block allocated. We’re just the sign post that points to where like-minded individuals can gather and not annoy the **** out of each other, because everyone is there to capture that old emotive and mostly dismissed spirit of supporting no matter what. It’s a bloody good laugh and I guess youth games (and away from home) is where this sort of thing will excel but it’s a worthy experiment for the Europa League.

In the long run we’re hoping to continue talking to Spurs. We’re heavily involved with the Football Supporters Federation and I guess the main aim is to have safe standing at Spurs (or for the idea to be recognised). Be it at the Lane or the new stadium.

Worth mentioning, that just because we are allocated a block that doesn’t mean we have special dispensation to stand. Persistent standing (as we all know too well) is not allowed. If you’re going, stand up and sing like you would normally do when reacting to atmosphere/football/fellow fans – but let the stewards to their job. We’re all very educated in the game of musical chairs that plays out any given home match. They're under instructions to do what they do.

The Barca game was the first 1882 'event' at the Lane. One or two of supporters got a bit carried away and words were exchanged, however its also worth highlighting that there were several positive moments between stewards and fans and even police officers. And lessons learnt no doubt, for example, some people purchasing tickets for a specially allocated block and then complaining about standing/singing.

I think it’s amazing we even have to consider doing this for a first team game. Amazing in the sense that the atmosphere should be organic for any given home match. But there you go, seems a fuse has blown and electricity running through the stands at White Hart Lane is hardly creating a spark thesedays.

If you don’t get to go to the Maribor game, then keep a look out for future youth games.

I guess this is all about communication and common sense. From all involved. The whole experience should be no different to any given match day at the Lane. No different to wanting to take your place in the Park Lane lower. No different to how you would behave if you sat next to someone that enjoyed a good noisy song. I hope the club actually grasp that because its important. Supporters present, in block J will be well up to support Spurs on the night. This isn't about being different it's about being Tottenham.

The aim of the 1882 movement is to support our team and the shirt they play in. To sing as loud and as long as our lungs will let us. We want to hark back to the days before the Premier League, when how loud you sing and how passionate you became wasn’t dependent on how well Tottenham were playing.

For more on 1882 click here.

Let’s pretend we scored a goal

Thanks to everyone that cited 1882 (blocks 15 and 16 allocated) when getting tickets for the NextGen game at the Lane against Barca on Thursday night. Around 600 or so like-minded supporters turned up, stood up and sang for 90 minutes. Great atmosphere before the game at the Bricklayers pub and relentless enthusiasm right up to the final whistle and beyond. Okay, so there were some issues with overzealous stewards during the first half including the Old Bill doing the rounds although to be fair to them they were only following club policy, something witnessed on any given match day at Spurs.

Although this is an U-19’s game its hardly the same category as a fully fledged league match. Lack of communication it would seem was the reason as the head steward was apologetic to one Spurs fan after a heated debate on the subject. They didn’t seem to know the club had arranged the blocks for us (supporters that wanted to sing – you try signing sitting down). Second half, they let us get on with it proving safe standing is exactly that. So thank you to Spurs and the stewards. I’m sure it will be slicker next time round.

If you missed this whole 1882 thing first time round, it involved us travelling to Charlton away last season for the FA Youth Cup. 250 turned up for it, singing for the entirety of the match. We lost, 1-0. We didn’t care much, we just sang about Spurs. Considering all the coverage over the current supporting landscape at the Lane and the nervous, fearful approach – the aim of Thursday evening was to bring back some of that upbeat, constant love for the shirt no matter what was going on around us. I think we did pretty well. Just over 8k turned up for the game which is amazing in itself. Barca won 2-0, not unexpected. Out of our lot Pritchard looks a gem. Samper is one to watch for Barca.

I guess the thing that sticks out most from the evening is that if this sort of unofficial standing area was not available on the night, if Spurs were not accommodating then there would not have been the atmosphere created because all the people that want to sing will have had tickets all over the West Stand leaving them fragmented. Stick them all in one place and you get what we got: Support, from start to finish. Then again, the fact we need a singing section to produce a far better experience than sitting there doing nothing is another example of modern football and that's why we started 1882. To draw people in.

Okay, so the pressure of youth football from a supporter’s perspective is not on the same level of expectancy than first team football. But considering the Park Lane lower was once known for its voice, seems a shame and a waste that if the hardcore stand there, they’re not producing the same vocals every other weekend that 600 produced for a NextGen game. It’s not even about 1882 and The Fighting Cock. It’s simply about recapturing that romantic notion of being proud of the badge on the shirt and not caring about anything other than being Tottenham Hotspur. Everyone at Spurs has a voice. It’s better to be heard singing that it is complaining.

The essence of supporter is to support. If that makes us a dying breed, so be it. We'll be part of it until the end.

-

Great to meet a few more people off Twitter, although not enough of you it seems. Avatars on t-shirts like name tags next time? Missed out on a couple of handshakes and hugs. Pleasure to chat to Crackers who hosts the 'Ohh When the Spurs' podcast with Antony Costa. And big love to @eperons, @Teflon6 and also @THFCAlex from Norway with a better English accent than most English people - all of them travelled in from the continent to make the game. Not forgetting the God like CaseTFC (webmaster of The Fighting Cock website) who visited the Lane from Crewe.

The West Stand has never been so noisy. We'll be part of it until the end.

#1882tfc

Follow @lovetheshirt

Barca at the Lane

I think it's no surprise that The Fighting Cock finds the booing at the previous two home games embarrassing. But it makes the #1882tfc event at the Barca game all the more important. Modern football is making fans obsessed with success.

We want to remove the idea that supporting your club positively isn't wholly dependant on whether or not we're playing well. We want to sing for the shirt that the players are wearing purely for that reason...that they are wearing it.

If you're against the booing this game is a genuine opportunity to be a different supporter. One that supports because they love THFC. We're going to be there singing our hearts out for that beautiful glorious Lilywhite shirt, because, after all, that's what it's all about.

If you want to join #1882tfc movement everything you need to know is here:

thefightingcock.co.uk/tag/1882/

Ticket Info:

Tottenham Hotspur vs Barcelona in the NextGen Series. Thursday 13th September, KO 7pm.

Call the ticket office on 0844 844 0102, select option 2 and quote ’1882′. At the time of writing there's around 100 tickets left in blocks 15 and 16.

Meet before the game in the Bricklayers pub around 5pm.

Follow the hashtag #1882tfc on Twitter.

Love the Shirt

1882

On 13th September 2012, at 7pm, Tottenham Hotspur play Barcelona at White Hart Lane in the NextGen Series, the competition that sorts out the pecking order of the very best of the youth teams in Europe.

While on the pitch a game against one of Europe's best youth set ups will be a stern test, in the stands it will be a different matter:

Last season The Fighting Cock organised for 250 fans to travel down to the Valley to watch the Spurs youth team take on Charlton in the FA Youth Cup. We lost one nil. That didn't matter. The point of the night was to support our team, and the shirt they play in. To sing as loud and as long as our lungs would let us. And we didn't disappoint.

We wanted to hark back to the days before the Premier League, when how loud you sing and how passionate you became wasn't dependent on how well Tottenham were playing. Simply being there, and being Spurs was enough. Now we want to do it again at White Hart Lane.

Last year it was called 'The Ultras' but this created unwanted attention. From this point onwards it's '1882'.

We've been speaking with the club about ticketing arrangements, prices etc. so we'll keep you posted via the Fighting Cock podcast and additionally on the forum.

Always look on the bright side of Spurs

Made to soothe those post season blues and warm your lovely Tottenham hearts…

There’s always next season after all…

Written by Charlotte ‘Peachy’ Hamilton @charlottepeachy and tehTrunk @tehTrunk

Further credit and thanks to our wonderful cast Rakesh Makwana, Matt Slocombe, Sarah Gallen, Tim Grigg, Thelonious Filth, Tom Fisher and Eric Dahms.

tehTrunk - Someone like 'arry

tehTrunk TV

thefightingcock.co.uk

There's glory in it

by Flav (written just after the 1-1 draw at home to Stoke)

You can’t start writing about White Hart Lane without thinking about what happened to Fabrice Muamba only a few days before. I was at the game and saw it happen. It was grim, and I’ll never forget it. I approached this game against Stoke philosophically. Whatever happened wouldn’t really matter, not really in the grand scheme of things, not when a player’s life is in the balance…but then the whistle went. And I realised, as much as Fabrice was in my mind, there’s was enough left to once again become entangled in 90mins of Tottenham Hotspur. I kind of wish there wasn’t. At points I thought the left side of my skull was going to cave in.

I’d imagine being a Spurs fan is slightly different from being a supporter of other teams. Mostly it’s unrivalled agony and heartbreak. Obviously there are moments of joy and delusion, that maybe we’ve turned the corner, maybe this season, after so many false dawns, will be the one when Tottenham’s quality shows through. We know that it won’t, but we hope and believe none-the-less. This season is different in one way, we kept believing until February, rather than giving up all hope in early September.

The problem that most Spurs fans have is that once we start playing well they fall in love with the idea of being successful. It’s those fans who were gloating when we were 10 points ahead of Woolwich. And it’s those fans that expect victories at home against teams like Stoke, despite being well versed in Tottenham tradition. To be fair, they got what they wanted, except the goals. We hit the bar and post, we created plus twenty chances; Stoke were dull and scored a sh*t goal. But that is what Spurs are about, and really, what Stoke are about.

When Cameron Jerome made it 1-0 on 75mins, a tap in from 3 yards, it was a feeling of inevitability rather than injustice. When Van der Vaart scored a sublime header from Bale’s pitch perfect cross from the left it wasn’t jubilation, it was…what we deserved. The celebration was muted in desperation for a second goal with all but three minutes to grab it. We didn’t, obviously. It ended 1-1, as Woolwich held on to beat Everton at Goodison. They leapfrogged us into third to finally overhaul the ten-point gap we’d lauded over them for so long. I’ve done my best to avoid them, but the digs are coming through, and another droplet of blood forms on my forehead whenever I read a goading tweet or text message.

It could have been different. We could have easily won last night. And to be fair, Stoke deserve credit. As much as Sky Sports would have you believe it, football isn’t all about wild attacking football, and stupendous goals, the large majority of football is organisation and perspiration. Stoke were dogged like no other team I’ve seen at the Lane this season. They harried, and fought, and blocked our one hundred and forty eight shots at goal, and probably, if I was being extremely generous, deserved their point. But bollocks to being a Stoke fan.

As the game ended I began to ruminate. We’ve got Chelsea away next Saturday, and the Scum are at home to Villa. Depressing though it may sound, we could easily be four points behind them and I’m sure we’ll get dog’s abuse if it does happen, but I don’t really care. Being Spurs is more than living your life vicariously through millionaire football players who, despite what they say on twitter, really don’t care about you. It’s about loving the football club, and the cockerel on the breast. Which is why it’s easy to deal with disappointment, the pain, and obnoxious neighbours, because we’re Tottenham Hotspur and we’re built for misery and live for the hope. It’s the way it is.

There’s nine games left. We could win every one and finish above Woolwich, sign Eden Hazard and win the league next season. We could lose them all and sell Bale, Modric and Van der Vaart and return to mid-table mediocrity that was the mainstay of my adolescent years, but that’s what Spurs is all about, and there’s glory in that.

tehTrunk – Someone Like Arry

Will he stay? Will he go? Either way he’s done a triffic job…

Co-written and produced by tehTrunk and Charlotte ‘Peachy’ Hamilton 2012.

facebook.com/tehtrunk

Twitter:

@tehtrunk
@charlottepeachy

Hello, Hello, we are the Tottenham boys

This is The Fighting Cock.

THE PODCAST

Episode 34 - "Unleashing hell...blindfolded"

Oh look, it's us again. Big whoop for ep 34. O drum, drum! Wherefore art thou drum? We talk up the crusade to get the Shelf Side drummer back in the stands. An update on another crusade, this one to get the Fighting Cock emblem tattooed on Chicago Dan's bum to raise money for a new mic. We do football as well. Our third successive sobbing on the trot (wherefore art thou three points?). Bolton in the cup for Tottingham. Stoke under the lights. We then tackle knee-jerking with two feet, studs up. We've also got questions via the forum along with Rickipedia, Windy blowing sh*t up, ZoC with an exclusive interview with Arsene Wenger and a Meat Men update.

Round the table today: Flav, Spooky, tehTrunk, Ricky, Thelonious, engineer Al and some bloke called Richard with a beard and a camera crew that plan to follow us around for a while. The stalkers.

 

Click on above image for the podcast or use itunes to subscribe/download.

FEATURE OF THE WEEK

International Spurs fans of Mystery

via Ricky (from the podcast)

The Fighting Cock has a new feature that needs the help of you! We all, as fans, go to ridiculous lengths to watch or listen to Tottenham. Whether you live in Tottenham or Thailand, we all have one thing in common, our love for TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR! We want to hear how much effort it takes you to catch the game.

Tottenham have a lot of fans around the world and a number of you tune into The Fighting Cock podcast every week, so this is your chance to have your voice heard as an international Tottenham fan. We are truly taken back with the amount of fans that listen to The Fighting Cock on foreign land ranging from America; China, Germany, South Africa, Norway, Ireland, Canada, Singapore, Nepal, Djibouti, Bermuda, Vietnam etc!

What do we want you may ask? Either a recording of yourself or an email, simple!

We want to hear and experience your journey which can include your town/country, time difference, chosen bar, your superstitions, if you snuck in a crafty ***k before the game, what transport you took, the whole lot.

For a three O’clock kick off, I roll off tehTrunk’s mum four times, watch Sky Sports News until 11 and whilst popping in and out of the kitchen I make myself a fry up and get changed. I meet Flav for 11:30 (but it always ends up being 12 because I’m late for everything), get the W3 bus from Crouch End to WHL station and go straight to the Bell & Hare pub for a beer.

Not very exciting I know, but we want to hear what YOU DO, whilst we’re doing that. I literally have sleepless nights thinking of your routine as I carry out my routine from across the globe.

Love, Ricky

“Love the shirt” (and the lengths you go to watch that shirt)

Email your stories to thefightingcock@gmail.com

Updates will be appearing here (as well as features on future pods).

THE PROJECT

Project tattoo Chicago Dan's arse

Hello one and all.

We’ve got another appeal. Now we know we’ve asked for money before, and we’re very grateful for everything that has been donated so far this season. There was the Botswana Christmas Appeal. And there was the drum that the FC forumites clubbed together to sort for the Ultras event. And lets not forget that we raised over £600 for Movember last year.

We need a new mic to record the show. What we use currently, although sounds alright, isn’t fit for purpose. Plus it’s Engineer Al’s personal Mic and he doesn’t really like carting it about all over the place, he gets angry, and well, he isn’t a very nice person at the best of times so, and he is very ugly even when he’s happy.

The cost of the mic we’re looking at is £340. That’s a lot of dough. We’re looking to raise £250 of this through your donation. The rest we’ll raise ourselves.

Now, we don’t just simply expect you to give us the money. We want to give you something in return, more than just the podcast each week. For your donation, Chicago Dan has agreed to get The Fighting Cock emblem tattooed on his arse. We’re talking as much of the cheek as possible. We will film the event, and edit it, and stick it on the website.

One day The Fighting Cock will cease to exist, but we will live on, immortal, by way of Dan’s arse tattoo.

To make a donation send it sibsthfc@gmail.com via paypal or use the following link: https://www.paypal.com/uk/sendmoney

More discussion on this here.

60% thus far so ta muchly for that.

THE FORUM - TOP THREADS

Top threads this week from the message board...

When is Harry going to STFU about England?

The squirrel chaser - (Berbatov anyone?)

I'll be happy with fourth

Polish Under-8's Game Abandoned (Ultras Style)

Your most akward moment

FORUM CONTROVERSY

By any means necessary (cheering for Woolwich)

THREAD OF THE WEEK

Éperons and Belgian Spurs travelled from the continent to the Valley to join in with the Tottenham Ultras supporting the youth team in the FA Cup.

Here's their photo-diary of the journey. Essential stuff.

#TottenhamUltras Travel Diary

Love the shirt.

Tottenham Ultras official video

On the 16th February 2012, The Fighting Cock invited Spurs fans to come and support the youth team in their FA Youth Cup game at Charlton Athletic. Here's the video...

Note: Once the video starts, use the settings control in the bottom right to switch to High Definition (HD).

You can find photos and other videos from the away day in the forum here.

Let's pretend we scored a goal

Thanks to everyone that turned out at the Valley yesterday evening for the Charlton v Spurs FA Youth Cup game as part of the #tottenhamultras project. Disappointing we lost to a last minute goal, but the night was a fantastic celebration in supporting our club. Tottenham fans singing relentlessly for ninety minutes in a boisterous impromptu mess as opposed to the more colourful spectacle of the South Americans and more serious synchronised madness of our continental counterparts. We're never going to quite match that. Although we did have a man in an elephant mask.

Beer. Song. Love for Spurs. No constraints or pressure of expectation. It's that simple. From London Bridge to the Valley and back, its all been recorded so looking forward to sharing the short film when it's edited and available on online.

We had our drum taken off us along with various banners. Apparently you have to inform the club in advance that you're bringing a drum. I struggled to understand this even more so when the stewards told us that it's not permitted due to the home fans not being aware of the drums impending visit and that the noise might offend them. Going with the same logic they should have confiscated our voices at the turnstiles (I'm bringing the comedy). However, all in good banter, the stewards were great hosts and we just go on with it. We had cow bells and a baby drum in reserve. We are minimalistic ultras, size doesn't matter.

The Fighting Cock team would like to thank you all for the support of #TottenhamUltras, a brilliant night that even a defeat couldn't ruin.

Special mention to @Teflon6 and @eperons for their road-trip (driving) from Belgium through to France to Charlton and the 8% bottled beer + Eden Hazard inside knowledge that would make the head spin off the ITK community. Tremendous effort made by both to travel into London for a youth match. Also meet a lot of people yesterday (Twitter folk, forum dwellers, WHL regulars), it's all very blurry looking back on it but honoured to finally shake the hands of @WindyCOYS and @SpursBlogger - both essential for your on-line THFC consumption. Only regret is not having more time to speak to the both of them along with a number of other Spurs folk I had the pleasure of hugging (including @jodmitchell our iphone app developer).

Great feedback from the players themselves via Twitter, all very appreciative of the noise being made and experience given, something that John McDermott (“I’ve got to say I thought the number of Spurs fans was amazing. It was like a little White Hart Lane. To be able to play in at atmosphere like this is a fantastic experience, but it’s just a tough pill to take at the moment”) cited in the official Spurs match report. Charlton even used our Ultras tag in their write-up when mentioning our support. Nice touch. Some quality chanting at the game (Stretch ! Stretch ! Stretch!) all in good humour.

So again, thank you to all that turned up for this. Going forward into next season we're hoping to organise more youth team/friendly away trips to complement the first teams support on the road and offer an escape from the more controlled environment at football matches where we are sometimes made to feel guilty for standing up and singing.

Altogether now..."This isn't our train, this isn't our traaaaaaaaain, let's not get on it, this isn't our train".

Love the shirt.

-

For the brand spanking new-look Fighting Cock website click on the below image.

You can access the forums by clicking here.

For the podcast archive click here. For the latest one click on the image below.

Deserve Victory !

The Fighting Cock forum is a hub of creative juice, bubbling over all vibrant and maddening. Don't make the mistake of missing out. Get involved. Recruitment is permanent. Membership is eternal.

This is Tottenham Propaganda.

The forum propaganda thread you're looking for is this.

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