Games against Arsenal are my favourite. Yes, the circumstances aren't the best for this one but I always look forward to the games we play against them. I think it's the best derby in the Premier League, the Merseyside Derby has turned soft over the years and they actually seem to respect and like eachother these days but thank God that hasn't happened these days with ours. It's not one that goes too far either, like West Ham and Chelsea games which always have an undertone of anti-semitism with their scum fans.
NLD's are a bit like a Class A drug, you know that you shouldn't get involved but you have to, you hate them, you love them. Winning is like snorting a large line of Coke, losing is like snorting something cut with Vim.
I'm usually pretty chilled with these. It's stressful during the game (which Spurs games aren't?) but after i'll either be bouncing around in a happy mood or i'll just shrug my shoulders, say "meh", and get on with my life. Often work the next day is worse with the "banter" but i've found just being the bigger man works really well at deflecting any bullshit.
There are no bragging rights in football greater than those earned from winning the NLD. 'Pool fans can no longer take any pride in beating United - if they ever do - since (a) we've done that, now, twice in successive seasons, in their own backyard - what other team can boast that? (b) what's so big about beating United these days, when they are a spent force?
Despite having been a Spurs fan for some 70 years, I can't share the clearly intense feelings I read about on here regarding the NLD. Because I enjoy football, I can't bring myself to hate any other team, or to go through the kind of pre- and post-match emotional agonies that some of my fellow-fans clearly experience. Of course I still want us to win our matches, and of course I especially want us to beat our North(-ish) London rivals - because that is a rivalry that has been built up to enhance the atmosphere and increase the intensity of the efforts of both teams. And this week it's not the most important fixture for us, anyway. If I had to choose between getting 3 points off Trafford Rovers in the League, and beating Woolwich Wanderers in the FA Cup, I know where my vote would go. And that's not because I despise or undervalue the Cup. It's just that the league game was a massively important one, and it is brilliant for Spurs to have won it. I can't see that the game tomorrow is in the same category. (Although I want us to win - and comfortably, of course!). I know there will be people who disagree with my point of view, but I hope you can see where I'm coming from and at least accept that mine is a valid viewpoint, even if you don't share it. That's how I feel about your opinion, anyway. And I suspect there are quite a lot of Spurs supporters who do share my view. COYS!
I agree with you audrey, certainly about the 'not hating' bit and the enjoyment of football, but there is always an extra edge with the Arsenal game simply because of all the banter that there is surrounding it. Most is banter and anyone who develops a serious hatred needs to look at themselves. Good natured banter is part of the fun and it's always more enjoyable to beat one of the so called top teams just like the extra buzz of going to OT and beating them for the second season running. Ridicule, sarcasm, put downs, brag away but let's ditch the hating.
I agree with you Audrey. I think it is a generation thing. In 'our day' everyone was so thankful to have survived WW2 they were only to grateful to be back watching footie every week. So many of the men had been in the services, mixing with others from all over the UK that there was no hatred for other cities, towns or people therein. In days of yore I had many Arsenal friends who always came to our home matches when their team were away. As I went to all our away games in those days I did not go to theirs! My love for Spurs is embedded in me from babyhood thanks to my Spurs loving Dad & will never leave me and I ALWAYS want them to win, but hate other clubs & there fans - NEVER. Wonderful win on Wednesday, Happy New Year everyone, COYS.
When I was a boy our rental house in Lordship Lane was occupied by mum,stepdad,sister,uncle aunts and cousins.Spurs fans all. Now,two generations later,whats happened.We now have an Arsenal and Man U armchair fan! Sacriligeous I call it!!!!!! I tell my sister she married wrong and brought her kids up wrong! Sometimes she doesn't talk to me.........
I can't watch any Spurs game on TV. I just sit and twitch, trying to kick every ball, especially when the action is in our penalty area. We can be 4-0 up with two minutes to go and I still think something catastrophic is going to screw it up for us.
I agree about hating...I don't hate any team or fans It is a mystery to me how fans fight eachother...and how abusive some are to each other on not 606 but boy do i hate the NLD days!!!!!!
I agree with Maggie about the Man U win being the bigger game than an NLD FA Cup game. Much as I'd like to see us win, it doesn't strike me as a crucial game the way a PL NLD would. If it were an FA semifinal or final I'd feel very differently. As it is, the football gods seem to be tempting both sides to take a few more digs in a long row to hoe. Maybe I shouldn't think this way (and I know I won't while the game is going on), but the fact is that a win in this game might be the difference for Arsenal in losing the league. It may be close at the end. An extra game or three might cost them the points they need.
