Falling for the yellow wall

In the last week I’ve spent quite a lot of money and time watching the team I love come up against a formidable opponent. When we weren’t being held at arm’s-length, we were getting spanked, before being led in for a quick cuddle and then spanked again.

The levels at which Borussia Dortmund operates are far beyond where we currently find ourselves, but it does offer us a map which can guide us in the right direction, not just on the pitch but off it. Their starting eleven is full of stars, but it is their ability to work as a unit that makes it such a ferocious team.

With the ball or without it, there is poise and power in all areas. They defend, attack, win the ball and keep the ball as a team. We see moments of it in our play, but they have 93 minutes of it. Dortmund may not be the best team I have ever seen, but they are the most beautiful.

Then there are their fans, some of what they do may be deemed ‘cheesy’ when judged with English eyes and culture, but there can be no question that they enjoy their football, love their team and they get back what they put in.

At Spurs we are proud of our young team, we boast about the connection we have with individuals such as Harry Kane and Ryan Mason, players that if they weren’t out there would’ve been in here, but last night I saw the Dortmund players step forward and bridge that divide. They stepped in amongst the away support.

.@BVB players climb into the White Hart Lane stands to celebrate with their travelling fans.👏#UEL https://t.co/TRWeZoHz4k

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 17, 2016

The thought of any group of players being able to calmly enter their supporter’s area after an away win is unbelievable, but they did. No fanfare, no cameras, no PR stunt, they walked into their support without batting an eyelid. At full-time at White Hart Lane we worship the players that clap us home, but they are safe in the centre circle, stepping into the fold would never happen, it just doesn’t happen.

The level of trust, respect and understanding between two different facets of their football club is incredible. We often talk about how players are the custodians of the shirt, but that is little more than a wish, at White Hart Lane last night I saw this happen. Their fans are organised, loud, passionate but understanding. They win and lose as one.

[linequote]Players come and go, but those that are there must understand who and what they represent[/linequote]

Life hasn’t always been easy for the Dortmund fans, last season for example, with the club bottom of the Bundesliga after 19 games, senior players had to answer to the fans. After losing at home to a 10-man Augsburg, goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller scaled the perimeter wall, apologised and spoke to a group of supporters. Mats Hummels also approached to speak to the fans and said later: “If one is in this position after 19 games then it would be unacceptable not to have understanding of the fans.”

The team turned their season around, but that bond between the supporter and the player is clear. Both are accountable to each other. Both have a responsibility to the club. Players come and go, but those that are there must understand who and what they represent.

Last weekend an 80 year old Dortmund fan suffered a heart attack at the Westfalenstadion, news spread across the stadium and within minutes and the crowd stopped its usual chorus of noise and fell silent.  The yellow wall broke into a rendition of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone,’ in memory of their fallen member. The players upon learning of the news came out at full time to join in the rendition.

.@BVB fans and players pay tribute to a fan who sadly passed away during their match against @Mainz05en. https://t.co/j4IEXLGN8w

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 13, 2016

Reinhard Rauball, the German FA’s interim president, told Sky: “I have never experienced something like that, where the supporters were united in expressing their grief and respect.”

Dortmund aren’t the first and unfortunately won’t be the last set of supporters who unite over a death or serious incident, but it was the speed in which they managed to organise it that was impressive. I’ve seen with my own eyes Spurs fans fail to grasp why people were clapping on 61 minutes versus Newcastle at home last season, but then in defence of our support, I saw us unite for Fabrice Muamba.

Tottenham Hotspur the club and us the supporters need to take on-board this whole experience. We need to mobilise, we need people to step forward, but most importantly of all we need those who don’t step up to not try and block the move towards a more organised and cohesive supporter movement.

Every time somebody tries to do something, a surfer flag (too small), a song (small club), a supporter movement (shoe waving divs,) or a LGBT flag (not inclusive enough) it gets shot down and branded ridiculous. Yet not one alternative, or idea is offered.

Last night the Dortmund fans brought a megaphone, a drum and flags. It was a joyous sight. With the tie pretty much ended and the game meandering away from Spurs there was little else to watch other than their show. However, this has only stirred up criticism for the THST and the club:

“Why did they have flags?”

“Why can they have them and we can’t?”

“How can they have a megaphone?”

The reason?

Organisation.

Out fans scream and shout about other clubs bringing flags and drums yet the @THSTOfficial couldn't get enough volunteers to do surfer flag

— Lilywhite Rose (@Lilywhite_Rose) March 18, 2016

One guy with a 1m metre long flag is a nuisance, but get that one person mobilised, organised with other like-minded people and you create a zone where an individual doesn’t care if a piece of fabric obscures their view of the pitch for the time it takes for it to pass in front of their face.

One guy with a megaphone on his own is annoyance, but mobilise him with like-minded people in the right place and he creates an atmosphere.

[linequote]We need to do better. We need to create an atmosphere at Spurs, and if the first shoots of a supporter movement that spans a generation can be labelled a bit ‘cheesy’ or artificial then so what?[/linequote]

What we need to learn from Dortmund is that nothing can or will be achieved without a complete revaluation of what we want from our support. The new stadium is our chance to do something special, to create an atmosphere and experience unique in this country. We need people to be open and willing to listen to ideas without immediately defaulting to the “rejected” mode.

We need to do better. We need more. We need to create an atmosphere at Spurs, and if the first shoots of a supporter movement that spans a generation can be labelled a bit ‘cheesy’ or artificial then so what?

I want us to be at a level where the players know that wearing our shirt is an honour and not just a well-paid job.