The Old Rivalry Still Stirs The Blood
Sep 11th, 2007 by 'holic
A brief history lesson is in order to put what follows into context. The ‘holic family settled in North London sometime in the middle of the nineteenth century. Great grandfather ‘holic was a baker, an economic migrant, in the days when people really believed the streets of London were paved with gold.
By the time my grandfather was born football was growing in popularity. Just up the road the Hotspur club had been formed and not surprisingly it was to them that he gave his allegiance.
My father, the eldest of four boys, was born nine years after Arsenal had moved into the manor. When he was eight they won the FA Cup for the first time, and a year later their first Championship. Who would you have supported under the circumstances? By the time he went to war he had seen four more titles and another Cup Final won, and he had met the Arsenal stars of the day and Herbert Chapman.
Funnily enough the youngest of the four boys followed in his dad’s footsteps and supported ‘that other mob’. So not surprisingly my earliest memory of being taken to White Hart Lane was with my uncle around 1964 or thereabouts.
By 1970 the barely teenage ‘holic was deemed old enough to travel to London matches alone, or with my mates. So days after witnessing the Gunners lift the first trophy of my lifetime, the European Fairs Cup, I made my way to Tottenham for an end of season encounter.
I feel for young fans today who cannot understand what derby matches used to be about, and why the rivalries are so deep rooted. In 1970 there was no all-ticket requirement. Fifty thousand fans plus converged on the Lane and nearly half were of a red persuasion.
A year later I was there again, and enjoyed the celebrations after Ray Kennedy had headed the late winner that clinched the first leg of the double. Again it wasn’t all-ticket. Estimates of the number locked-out that night varied from 50,000 to 200,000.
December 1978 will always be a special memory, and ‘that’ goal from Liam Brady was one fifth of the damage we inflicted on them. A special present indeed.
Funnily enough it was probably safer to be at the Lane in those days than it will be on Saturday. When two massed hordes of support opposed each other there was an element of safety in numbers that doesn’t apply to the couple of thousand or so holders of the away tickets this weekend. Tottenham ‘fans’ have become very brave in the era of restricted visitors allocations!
I provoked quite a response last season when I penned a piece that suggested Manchester United had become our biggest rivals in recent years. The older among you knew what I meant. These days all games are played out in front of hugely partisan crowds. The restricted visiting allocations make for a poorer atmosphere just about everywhere. The United games have retained an intensity because during the last decade we have been the only two sides to consistently challenge for the major honours. Tottenham remain the old enemy, but rivals? Please!
Having put that piece into context let me now confess that no games quite get the anticipation levels up though like the North London derbies. This next one promises to be the closest for a while. Our friends up the road came into the season confident they could pip the depleted Arsenal for fourth place. Four points from five games later they are less certain!
You can be sure I will be returning to this subject as the week progresses!
11 Responses to “The Old Rivalry Still Stirs The Blood”
Well that’s got the juices flowing! I was planning to make my way to London to watch the game, but after a colleague walked out, I’ll be forced to spend the day at work, listening to the game on 5 live….with a lifelong Spurs fan. So saturday will either be bliss as I dish out the jibes, or torture as I endure 3 or 4 hours of shit. Or just 4 hours arguing about refereeing decisions.
Will you be going to the game ‘Holic?
Mrs ‘h was rushed to hospital today Simmo, so the chances of me getting to see it live are much reduced. Now I need two big results this week.
But thanks for asking, and sorry to hear you won’t make it either.
When you say lifelong Spurs fan, do you mean over 50? Can he remember as a small boy seeing the Pathe News reel of them winning a title in black and white?
😉
I hope Mrs `h is ok.
Our best to Mrs ‘h.
Sorry to hear that all is not well in the house.. The wish the wife well and good luck wit the hospital.. I will save my wind ups for another time.
Sorry to hear about Mrs ‘Holic, I hope it’s not too serious and she get’s well soon.
My boss was born in 61, the last time Spurs did anything, that’s why he follows the dark side!
Sorry to hear about the Mrs being unwell. Hope she gets well soon.
Thank you all. She’s been transferred to neurology today and hopefully tomorrow we will know more.
Now get your thoughts back on the game. For all of you that has to be the most important thing this weekend.
Cus, appreciated, but never be afraid to wind-up fella. When it gets serious, something is wrong!
The fact is family always take presidence over everything else. Ive just said my prayers and aint for spurs to win. On a lighter note my trouble and strife is a massive Liverpool supporter and she has demanded first rights to watch her game on the plasma tv.. So I shall be relegated to the 64 inch projector job in the basement. I am very superstitious about these games.. Who ever wrote on the Vital site .. spurs will score in the first 7 minutes and then all the spurs fans will be be bricking it for the next 83 minutes has got it right!!.. I run everyday and I truly believe if I do not complete the the course spurs will lose..
I bloody rolled my ankle this morning .. But I still ran through the pain just to give my boys a chance!! .. If there is a hurricane tomorrow I will still go !! SPURS NEEDS all the luck for saturday.. Clattenburgs the referee he still owes us big time for the Mendes screw up!! The stars are all in the right place .. All we need is Wenger to do is choose Jens Lehmann in goal.. and every thing to be alright for you guys..
(A draw is not an option this year!!)
I don’t want a draw either, but I certainly don’t want a loss to Spurs. Hard luck Cusop, despite your best efforts, I don’t think it’ll be your day. For a back-up television system, that projector sounds nice.
Dreading this game. Completely totally and utterly!!
And cusop, you are human after all…..if not a bit of a soft one!! 😉