Support
Tottenham have a large fanbase in the United Kingdom, drawn largely from North London and the Home counties. Five times between 1946 and 1969, Tottenham had the highest average attendance in England. There are also Tottenham supporters' clubs located all over the world. Tottenham were 9th in average attendances for the 2008/9 Premier League season, and 11th for all Premier League seasons. Historical supporters of the club have included such figures as A.J. Ayer. Tottenham supporters have rivalries with several clubs, mainly within the London area. The fiercest of these is with North London rivals Arsenal. They also share notable rivalries with fellow London clubs Chelsea and West Ham United.
The club, as with many clubs in London, has a large Jewish following and this has led to much antisemitic provocation against Tottenham supporters. Tottenham supporters, Jewish and non-Jewish, united against this and adopted the nickname "Yids", developing chants to support this. Many fans view adopting "Yid" as a badge of pride, helping defuse its power as an insult. Today it is mainly used to distinguish Tottenham fans from other football supporters. Many fans, however, disagree with the use of the name "Yid", and believe it will only attract more racism. In April 2011, Jewish comedian, author and Chelsea-supporter David Baddiel produced a short film stating that the anti-semitic chanting is as unacceptable as the abuse still suffered by black footballers, and must be stamped out accordingly. A similar situation exists in Amsterdam with regards to Ajax fans.
Read more about this topic: Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Famous quotes containing the word support:
“American families, however, without exception, experience a double message in our society, one that claims a commitment to families and stresses the importance of raising bright, stable, productive citizens, yet remains so bound by an ideal of “rugged individualism” that parents receive little support in their task from the public or private sectors.”
—Bernice Weissbourd (20th century)
“The community and family networks which helped sustain earlier generations have become scarcer for growing numbers of young parents. Those who lack links to these traditional sources of support are hard-pressed to find other resources, given the emphasis in our society on providing treatment services, rather than preventive services and support for health maintenance and well-being.”
—Bernice Weissbourd (20th century)
“There is a period near the beginning of every man’s life when he has little to cling to except his unmanageable dream, little to support him except good health, and nowhere to go but all over the place.”
—E.B. (Elwyn Brooks)