Spurs fans. Deluded the lot of them. Always wearing their hearts on their sleeves. We tend to mug ourselves off far too often thanks mainly to the giddy excitement and endless dreams of glory. But that’s fine. We have a standing and purpose in football. For a club that isn’t quite big but is definitely not small, we do our bit in the entertainment stakes. If it’s aiming high pre-season, lapping up the tabloid hype, only to once more fail epically and end up in a transitional season (isn’t that every year?) or over-spending on players not worth a quarter of their price tag, we always make someone smile.
Be honest, I bet you neutrals can’t wait to email your mates that ‘Tottenham 3 Walthamstow 1’ picture again and post a joke in the Facebook Tottenham Relegation Party group. But it’s fine. No really it is. We’ve still managed to win silverware in every decade since the 50’s. Still sign top class players. Still play (attempt to) attacking football. And few English clubs have been earmarked for an Opus release. Not bad going I guess.
Was I just displaying that trait that we're hated for? Delusions of grandeur? Nope. It's called pride. Yes, it's actually ok to be proud even if its limited to a Milk Cup every now and again.
We are Spurs. We are not afraid to dream. And at least there’s never a second of boredom supporting them.
But what about West Ham United? Personally, I’ve never been one to dislike them and their tradition. They have an identity unlike the Charltons and Fulhams of this world. They always try to play free-flowing attractive football and have possessed some sublime flair players over the years. But apart from winning the World Cup, the only other thing of note they have achieved is that they stopped Spurs from claiming Champs League football. And the 1980 FA Cup win. But beating Spurs was better. The difference between the two clubs is that we actually manage an open bus parade now and again. Relegation and promotion litters their history far more than trophies.
It’s their fans I’ve always been unsure of. Hate Spurs first, support West Ham second. It’s no exaggeration. Main reason given is because we think we are bigger than they are. Well of course we are. They also love to laugh at our soap opera antics concerning chairman and managers. Spurs always good for a laugh, innit? But they always manage to out-do us when it comes to the wrong type of headlines (Tevez affair). That doesn't warrant an open bus parade by the way.
Set to be re-released by West Ham United, with Carlton Cole on vocals
Geographically, you could argue there’s a rivalry, but in terms of importance Arsenal and Chelsea are by far bigger rivals. Ok, so you’re going to point out to me that Arsenal and Chelsea have bigger fish to fry. They do. But take a seat in one of those games and tell me it doesn’t matter to both sets of fans. West Ham, home or away, always feels like the appetiser or dessert to the main course that is the NLD or bantering with those delightful Chelsea fans. Do we hate losing to them? Of course we do. But not half as much as losing to the goons or the celery waving lot.
So, when Scott Duxbury (chief executive at West Ham) tells everyone that he refuses to sell any of his players to Spurs ever again because we are local rivals, that’s fine. Yes, I said it’s fine. Why should he not protect his club from poachers? But the very act of standing up to us and saying 'NO' speaks volumes for the stature of both clubs. Wouldn't happen the other way round, would it? We are always happy to sell to West Ham.
We are of far more important significance to them than they are to us. Have you ever heard anyone from Spurs proclaiming that we must finish above West Ham? It’s a bit like saying we must finish above Boro. Although this season, I could do with just finishing above Stoke, WBA and Newcastle.
Maybe if West Ham concentrated on a higher objective rather than ‘finishing above Tottenham’ they might actually progress and improve as a club rather than being that team that sometimes ends up with more points than Spurs.
Fingers crossed Duxbury doesn’t suffer the indignity of administration or point’s deduction.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank him so very much for not allowing us to buy Bellamy. You've done the Spurs faithful a massive massive favour there. Gives me yet another reason to not hate West Ham, to sit alongside that Brooking Cup final header.
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38 comments:
Blatant attempt by Duxbury to work on his image with the West Ham fans. No surprise this piece of PR has appeared a day after selling Bellamy to City.
Still a selling club with no money and a poor profile. The fact is Spurs don't want any of their players. They are all rubbish.
Duxbury is talking out of his whistler. We have done nothing wrong, in fact he has done us a favour.
Will he be smiling on the other side of his face when they get fined, and deducted points? Will he be blowing bubbles when they sink to the championship
Agree with that. Shocking we were after Bellamy. 29 year old injury prone player, yet Levy shows some faith in Redknapp for making the bid. No DoF in the way, not sure which system I prefer.
I am a West Ham supporter. Great blog entry.
They will always be a selling club, its in their nature.
An excellent unbias post from yet another "we don't care no really we don't" Spurs fan.
Fact is if you never need our players because they are crap why do we always recieve bids from you?
Fact is because Spurs have come in and taken our talent when we've been in trouble in the past it has left a sour taste in our mouths. I don't view you as a bigger club everyday I hear you bang on about what was dubbed "The Worthless Cup" but rightly so you've won a piece of silverware every decade and your club still has zero credibility.
Everyone remembers West Ham for their achievements in football before we even saw Carlos Tevez grace the Upton Park turf. Spurs... well you win 1 trophy every 10 years and you're still not even in Arsenal's shadow.
It must be hard for you. Yet for any of you that read the London Lite of the evening will read the banter section and realise how sad your fans really are.
All Duxbury has done today is win over fans. We do hate Spurs not as much as Millwall but we do hate you and it's not because you are better than us it's because you have the most up your own arsehole fans in the country.
Sink into the championship? the only bubble mate is the fact you think we're in any financial trouble! haha Yes! because those who need money turn down £10m bids for players.
I hope 'arry finishes the job that Ramos started.
Have fun next season you'll have Bent and Lita firing you to the Championship trophy
You've got the worse one of the lot anyway in Redcrapp. We didn't want to inflict more damage.
Watch your money disappear along with your best players, replaced by old Africans and a couple of East Europeans he's seen on grainy video. Of course there'll be a couple of flashy results along the way, but ...... he's only ever won an FA Cup in how long 25 years. And that was more by luck than judgement.
WHU supporter here, only popped in because the article was in my NewsNow West Ham page...I don't know a single West Ham fan who worries about Spurs beyond our own club. This is the kind of deluded nonsense you tend to read when a supporter tries to reassure himself of his club's own importance. Hence the list of achievements to justify your article. Why bother? It's only Scott Duxbury, we don't bloody listen to him, why do you?
Ok, I am probably in the minority amongst West Ham fans here but I was actually highly embarrased by Duxbury's comments yesterday. I will get slaughtered by WHU fans for this (and yes, that's why I am posting anonomosly) but it really is such a back handed compliment. It's one thing supporters coming out with stuff like that, but the club CEO making that statement.. it might make a few teenage supporters feel proud but it makes the club look like a bunch of ****s.
Having said all that, if you re-read your post from the point of view of a Chelsea fan or a Gooner you might 'get it'. I think you might find, despite what you may believe, they feel the same about your feelings towards them as you do towards us. That's the way of the world.
I would argue your point about the main difference between between the two clubs... the real difference between WHU and spurs.... you really do have no idea, regardless of any 'history' your club may boast (mainly from 30 odd years ago), what an average team you are and have been since ooohh... Ardilles and Villa days....
WHU supporter...I don't hate Spurs, only during our twice-yearly games, but that is normal isn't it? You seem obsessed that you are so important to us, when in reality you're not. You are Spurs, therefore you have some prestige above the likes of Charlton and Fulham, but you're just another club to me. I don't wanna see you relegated, becasue I enjoy our games, at least there's always an atmosphere. You shouldn't worry about us, you should worry about yourself. Harry is not to be trusted. He will keep you up and perhaps to the lofty heights of 10th place, but when you eventually see the light and sack him, you'll have the biggest wage bill in the Premiership. How many more expensive failures can Spurs finance? Oh, and he's not Spurs, he's not West Ham, he was an Arsenal fanatic as a kid...check the records.
Bellamy would have done well for you boys but as Duxbury said we aint gonna do business with you boys. Redknapp is a complete crook and the way he talks about other teams players is disgrace. Zola is a proper gentleman and would never stoop to redknapps level. Ironsssssssssss
Spurs have to many black players. Cmon Levy sort it out COYS
Top, top article Spookster. Now where's my copy of London Lite, I've got some texting in to do.
To put some balance on Duxbury's comments, I sensed that what he meant was that West Ham aim to be a better team than Spurs, and no team would ever want to be selling their best players to any team they feel they are better than, I would imagine that would be the same view of any fan of any club in the world.
He used Spurs because of transfer history and the bellamy transfer, if anything Spurs fans should take it as a compliment as he intimates it is a goal to finish higher than Spurs.
Im sorry to say but that is football i am proud of my club and spurs will always be bigger than west ham. we achieve more and want to achieve more regardless of position or strength in squad and as fans we want to be a part of that. but west ham are shit and the fans want nothing more than survival. at the beginning of ach season there is you guys have nothing to look forward to (EUROPE, FA CUP, CARLING CUP) you guys have one 1 cup in how many years please tell me what will you guys be remembered for our history will never be forgotten and our future is yet to be written!!!!COYS!!!!!
HOW CAQN YOU COMPARE WESTHAM WITH SPURS,HOW MANY TROPHYS WESTHAM WON,WESTHAM CAN ONLY COMPARE WITH THE LIKES OF CHARLTON OR SOUTHAMPTON, NOT WITH SPURS,WESTHAM WON ONLY THREE TROPHYS IN THEIR HISTORY, WHILE SPURS WON 17 TROPHYS, WHAT FINACIALLY, SPURS ALLWAYS HAVE MONEY TO SPENT UNLIKE WESTHAM THEY ARE SKINT.
West Stand Bagel aren't we all selling clubs or are you forgetting the likes of Keano, Berba, Carrick etc
The more I keep seeing these stories about us talking down a rivalry with West Ham, the more I feel that there is.
I'm a reasonable West ham supporter up for the usual football banter etc but I hate Spurs with an obsession - most West hams fans do.
Of Course Spurs are a bigger club but thats not why we hate you. Of course Spurs have won more trophies but thats not why we hate you.
I, and every West Ham fan that I can think of, has/does work with Spurs fans and there is no doubt that they have grand delusions of grandeur - they always have done.
Its not pride in their team or normal football banter - its their big loud mouths regardless if they are the sovereign wearers from Harringay or Edmonton to the wealthier non attendees from Hertfordshire.
Glory glory days we get thrown our way? oh yeah, when was that then? I relate glory glory days to a constant period of time eg 5+ years where a club is always winning ie Liverpool of old, ManU now. Spurs, like most clubs, have never had glory glory days.
We've had 'we've got our spurs back' thrown our way for as long as I can remember and you're always wrong and still continue with the loud mouths.
As for Spurs fans don't care about West Ham - who are you kidding. All Spurs fans that I know hate West Ham just as much as we hate Spurs. The difference is that we know our place but you think you are at the table with Chelsea and Arsenal.
I'm with most other West Ham fans here, in the fact that I don't hate Tottenham. I think of them as rivals, but "hate", nahhh. I'll leave that emotion for Chelsea.
I did like your piece, it was well-written and amusing, but there is a sense of insecurity about the West Ham/Tottenham debate. Both clubs sell out every home match (practically), our grounds hold a similar number. We don't tend to win much, that's true, but who does outside the top four these days?
Our Academy is the best in the country. What other team can boast the likes of Glen Johnson, Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole, Jermaine Defoe, Michael Carrick, not to mention that unmentionable son of Frank Lampard, whatever his name is.
Yes we lose these players, to "bigger" clubs, or similar sized ones when our managers cock it up, as in the case of Glen Roeder, but thankfully we're managing to hold on to the current crop and with the likes of Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Scott Parker and Carlton Cole, have a great spine to the team, supplementing the kids.
SPURS HAVE GOT ONE OF THE BESWT RECORDS IN ENGLISH FOOTBALL, AND IF THEY HAD A MANAGER LIKE FERGIE OR MAURINHIO, OR BENETEZ THEY WILL BE WITH THE LIKES LIKE UNT,CHEL AND POOL.WHEN NICKOLSON WAS INCHARGE HE WON THEM THE DOUBLE,TWO FA CUPS,EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS CUP,EUFA CUP AND TWO LEAGUS CUPS,JUST SHOWS YOU WHAT A GOOD MANAGER CAN WIN.HOW MANY TROPHYS DID WESTHAM WIN IN THEIR HISTORY.
I see that you have a link section on this site titled 'THE ENEMY' ie links to other clubs web sites. One for Arsenal, one for ManU yet two for West Ham.... but we're nothing to Spurs eh? yeah ok
typical spuds responses ... we won more silverware than you etc etc.. suppose then that Nottingham forest must be a bigger club than you.. after all around 25 pieces of the silver stuff including european.. records galore...
As a hammers fan i could not give a toss about the spuds - every year we hear the "we are champions league" material from you lot and yes every year we are more concerned with staying in the prem but at least we achive it most of the time unlike your expectations and that is with out spending £30 -40M a year
will the dude that keeps writing in caps lock please go back to school, lunchtime is over
"Having said all that, if you re-read your post from the point of view of a Chelsea fan or a Gooner you might 'get it'. I think you might find, despite what you may believe, they feel the same about your feelings towards them as you do towards us. That's the way of the world"
- Yep, my point exactly, if a bit too subtle. I was actually going to state in the original blog post that we are in a similar position with Arsenal that you guys (allegedly) are to us.
For the record, and you wont stay around to find out because, well, this is a Spurs blog, is that I'm one of the most anti-Spurs Spurs fans you'll find. And it's best to read everything with a hint of irony.
If write something that gets people discussing (rather than shouting and calling names) then I've done my job.
Some decent comments from the Hammers who have posted.
Just remember, its banter. Some close mates are West Ham fans, and unlike say Chelsea supporters, I know I can always have a laugh with them.
For the record.......do you lot really hate Millwall THAT much?
I don't hate S***s, I laugh at them. The one who joined our office two years ago and bet me that they would finish a "million miles" ahead of West Ham last season didn;t even learn a harsh financial lesson. After watching his team play (I think) Norwich(?) in pre-season, he declared "this is our year" again and offered me kind odds of 3/1 for my £50 that says West Ham will once again finish above your over-priced and deluded team. I cannot hate such a cash-cow, I just keep laughing...............
As for the trophies, well you wouldn't find the likes of Blackpool and Preston fans claiming today to be bigger than Spurs because they won more league titles back in black and white days would you?
We now our place, you need to learn yours (no top four finish in the history of the Premier League is hardly going to send the rest of the division into a worried frenzy right?)
Caps Lock dude. We get it 'mate'. We get it.
Im pretty sure when West Ham need to flog some of their talented young players because they are skint, Spurs will be there to take them on. Duxberry can make all the PR gestures he wants: Bellendamy wanted to come to us, and fortunately City are in a mental phase right now and want to sign everyone in sight. No City? Bellendamy goes to Spurs. Thank You Mr Hughes!
Spooky behave yourself, otherwise I'll get the boys to pay you a visit.
I love the games against Spurs. Cracking atmosphere, loads of norty banter. Its a rivalry based on a number of different things. But I guess I do agree that Arsenal games are different for Spurs fans much like I believe our games against Chelsea are.
Millwall are just scum plain and simple.
Spooky, i'm a West Ham fan and in reply to your question about us really hating Millwall, the answer is yes. We really do.
But it is very similiar to the rivalry of yourselves and Arsenal. It seems like Millwall are more worried about us than them, and like where Arsenal have bigger fish to fry than Tottenham, West Ham have bigger fish to fry than Millwall. But if someone hates you then you are obviously going to hate them back.
The actual rivalry between West Ham and Millwall goes back years to the days where dockers used to compete for work on the Thames, this is where the fierce rivalry between West Ham and Millwall intially started and has since continued.
By the way, the more Spurs fans that say West Ham are not big rivals, the more I believe we are.
I think Tottenham have a huge expectation every year. I think it stems from your history, Push and Run, The Double etc.
My theory is that the press and media build you up to bigger than what you actually are, in my experience a sizeable amount of your support buy in to it.
I actually remember one of your supporters saying on SSN that you would get a place in the Champions League this season. That was after a pre season win at Norwich.
That in my view is where a lot of the riducle comes from, you, like us, are a selling club. In fact I would say six in the league aren`t currently. But you and us are in the majority.
I don`t want to bore you with our feelings towards your current boss. I`ll credit you some intelligence and I `ll ask you to notice what was the states of Bournemouth, WHU and Pompey when he left!
I have really good mates that are Spurs, you, like us, want football to be played properly. I grew up in the 80`s. Only the one eyed couldn`t appreciate the loyalty of Perryman, the bravery of Mabbutt and the sheer skill of Hoddle.
But some of you really need to get need to get a reality check.
Cheers for the Millwall/WHU backstory, forgot all about that.
As for getting a reality check, can't disagree. Some of our fans are just way way too excitable and also knee-jerk to the point where I want to hit people. Obviously I don't, because there would be legal ramifications.
I think its fine that we have lofty ambitions and that its also fine that we look forward to each season thinking we might actually 'make it'. And I agree the media play a massive part in it, as they build us up and know full well they will knock us back down. But thats how they work with most.
I do think there however a fallacy that all of us deluded nutters. I'm glad to say theres a minority (or majority possible) that dont mug themselves off.
Millwall are West Ham's main rivals. Always have been. Always will be. We have similar fans as them who share a unique passion for their respective clubs. That's probably why we dislike one another so intensely. Both are traditional working-class clubs.
Each time we play, the largest police-force in British Football is required to try and prevent large-scale violence (this is including the Old Firm derby).
So believe me, Spurs (and Chelsea for that matter) are nothing to West Ham compared to Millwall. If Millwall were a regular top-flight fixture, then you'd see the intense hatred we share for one another for yourselves...
"Have you ever heard anyone from Spurs proclaiming that we must finish above West Ham? It’s a bit like saying we must finish above Boro." - HA HA If you really believe there's no difference you don't know football.
AND......
"I'd like to take this opportunity to thank him so very much for not allowing us to buy Bellamy. You've done the Spurs faithful a massive massive favour there." - HA HA because that 16 million donkey Darren Bent is so-o-o-o-o much better!
AND
"We are of far more important significance to them than they are to us." PARDON? Learn some grammar mate. And you were doing so well....
/\ Grammar nazi in the house. Today this blog, tomorrow the interwebz /\
Spooky, stop selling out and writing NewsNow safe articles. You've changed man. Get back to slagging off Spurs.
Oh noes, I made a boo-boo with my grammaticals.
The article was an experiment.
I'm back to slagging off Spurs from tomorrow. As soon as Burnley knock us out of the Cup.
re:
- PARDON? Learn some grammar mate. And you were doing so well....
Honestly, wasn't worth pointing out, was it?
- HA HA If you really believe there's no difference you don't know football.
I don't have a clue. I support Tottenham.
- HA HA because that 16 million donkey Darren Bent is so-o-o-o-o much better!
Yes, because signing another useless forward is EXACTLY what we need. Bad enough have 'arry as manager who saw Bellamy as the answer, actually signing him would have had.....I dont want to think about it.
Spurs paid £16M for Bent because we bid that amount for him. Thank God he joined them rather than us.
Can't believe we had that money to spunk in the first place.
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