tribal chants

I haven't had time to comment on the 5-2 defeat at Old Trafford nor the limp win at the Lane against the Baggies nor today's even limper 0-0 versus the Toffees. Suffice to say that we'll just miss out on that Europa league spot and that's probably a good thing. I hope Fulham get it and we can finish above West Sham. As I said much earlier in the season, I'd have taken one place above the relegation zone after the start we had so wherever we finish will be a bonus. I could have gone on about Howard Webb's pathetic decision at Old Trafford or I could have ranted about Drogba's outburst on Wednesday night and the likelihood of his getting away without much punishment but, you know, it doesn't seem worth it. The season's over for me now and I'm already getting those close season blues. To try to cheer myself up I looked at some football chants and found this great video entitled Die besten Fangesänge der Welt. It's gratifying to see the Spurs in this random German top ten with the spine tingling 'Oh when the Spurs...' but the best is the first one from a bunch of nutty Japanese supporters who follow Yamagata. It's a shame they rip off a Chelski song but it's forgivable when you see the choreography and realise that the words are only a vague approximation of English.

I've been on a bit of a downer this week (and I am sorry for being moody and intolerable- this is my public apology honey) but things like this definitely help raise the spirits.


Yamagata are now my second club.

Don't be a plastic fan

Despite the self destruct button being stuck firmly in the 'on' position and despite our relative lack of success in the last 20 odd years compared to Woolwich Wanderers, Spurs still manage to come third, above the Woolwich, in a poll on best supported clubs. A 30,000 waiting list for season tickets on top of the 22,000 that already exist is a further testament to this support. It's re-assuring in a way. "Plastic" Liverpool fans were everywhere when I was a kid and used to really get up my nose. The same thing happened with Man Yoo; most of their fans have less distance to travel when they play us at White Hart lane than when we play them at Old Trafford. The lack of noise at the New Library suggests that a lot of those plastic seats have plastic arses sitting on them. However, Chelsea still have a teeny fan base by comparison. Most people searching for a glory club realising that Abramovich and his cash won't be there for ever(sorry grandad!). I'm looking forward to the day that they re-join us in mid table mediocrity so that future brother in law has to change his club again

Percentage support by club
1. Liverpool – 14.3

2. Manchester United – 11.8

3. Tottenham Hotspur – 9.7

4. Arsenal – 9.6

5. Newcastle United – 5.8

6. Manchester City – 5.3

7. West Ham United – 4.9

8. Aston Villa – 4.4

9. Chelsea FC – 3.6

10. Everton FC – 3.1

This was taken from this article

Another interesting thing in it is that 6% say they support a club because they were attracted to one of the players. I'm guessing that's mostly women but who knows? They do say that Arsenal have the biggest gay following in the country. Maybe it's more to do with the gorgeous Theo than the name of the club or the manager.

I know someone who took a shine to Dimitar Buggerov. Her eyes would go all misty when he came down our end of the pitch. Did she switch her allegiance when he switched to man Yoo? No, of course not. She switched her allegiance to Frazier Campbell. Not a glory hunter, just a cradle snatcher.

Re: post below

...just in case you're thinking that this noise thing (in the post below) is a new phenomenon and Spurs position is a one off : http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/article.html?in_article_id=73059&in_page_id=43

Post script 28th Oct: Just seen this in the Mirror. Wenger's been having a go at the Asenal fans again. Seems he's blaming it on the recession this time! http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2008/10/24/arsene-wenger-attacks-quiet-arsenal-fans-for-making-emirates-new-library-115875-20834046/

Normally I'd hide a long URL like that but there's something poetic about the wording of it. Can you hear the Arsenal sing? No! No.... etc.

Bantam Wet

Feeling a bit down and nothing but work on my to do list I impulsively decided to take myself down to Valley Parade yesterday to see Bradford City play -second from bottom of league two-Mansfield. I don't know why Bradford are called the Bantams but I do know that they were the first winners of the current FA cup trophy (1911) and that the trophy itself was made in Bradford. I also know that Valley Parade was the venue of the Premier League's fastest ever goal scored by...Ledley King of all people in only 10 seconds.

I was soaked from fine, extra wet rain by the time I'd got there and installed myself in the 'noisy bit'. A dour performance and a 2-1 defeat didn't cheer me up much I have to say. However, a few other things caught my bar room anthropologist's eye and they made me glad I was there.

The first thing you might just be able to make out if you look over the shoulders of the teeming hoards of Mansfield fans in the TL Dallas stand is the dome of a mosque which, set as it is amongst the old mill buildings and workers' cottages, provides a stunning contrast and hints at all sorts of things about geography and history.

This notice I saw at half time whilst trying to put scalding mince in my mouth. If you can't read it all, under the actual vacancies advertised some Bradford wag has put 'fans'. To be fair, Bradford have the best support in League 2 and yesterday's attendance was around 13,500 which isn't far off the likes of Blackburn, Wigan and Boro. The buoyant attendances are in no small part due to the special offer of £110 season tickets (if 10,000 were sold). Next season it's buy one, get one free at £150(if 9,000 are sold. These season tickets are transferable so I may well get one. The only thing holding me back at the moment is what is Spurs got Bradford in the cup?

The final thing that really made me smile was the way all the people at the far end of the stand on the right of this picture. The rain teemed down at around 45 degree right in their faces but they all stayed where they were and wore these daft rain mac things. That would be fair enough if it was packed out but there were 10,000 spare seats and at least half of them were accessible and under cover. It's funny how compliant we are- their ticket had a seat number on it so that's where they were going to sit.

The only other game I saw at Valley Parade was 0-0. Maybe I should avoid the place; I could be their source of bad luck. They might just be crap but I hope not- they're a good honest Yorkshire club and I'm already beginning to see them as my second club.