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It’s happened again – Is it time we dropped the Y-word?

3 min read
by Editor
Is it ours? Is it theirs? Should we stop using the word to describe ourselves as yids... and if not, why?

It’s happened again; like leap years or lunar eclipses, the debate about Tottenham Hotspur fans using the Y-word has re-surfaced. Four years after three Spurs fans were arrested, only for the prosecution to be dropped, the World Jewish Congress and the Board of Deputies of British Jews have once again raised the issue.

This comes at a time where racism is sadly still finding its way into the stands and onto the pitch, from London to Moscow. While there is no argument about the need to stamp racism out, the Y-word debate is complicated by our historic re-claiming of the word from those who used it against us. The arguments on both sides have been rehearsed a hundred times. Those in favour say it is a positive appropriation, a defence against historic anti-semitic abuse from other fans. Those against counter that even if we wear it as a badge of pride, it gives license to fans of rival teams to use it pejoratively. Those in favour reply that our historic Jewish associations will be used as fodder for antisemitic chants whether we censor the term or not. And so it goes, on and on.

If a group that’s being discriminated against says a word is damaging, then it seems reasonable to accept that and move on. The problem here is that those opposed to the use of the term are at odds with the majority of Jewish Spurs fans. Back in 2013, the club commissioned some research into supporters’ opinions, both Jewish and non-Jewish. Roughly the same number of Jewish (73%) and non-Jewish (74%) fans were in favour of allowing the word, while 8% of Jewish and 12% of non-Jewish fans were ‘unsure or held a neutral position’. I don’t know what the figures would be among Jewish fans of other teams, or those who have no interest in football. I’ve heard good arguments from those in favour of us using the word, and those who want to ban it. In my head, I can see both sides.

But from a personal, emotional perspective, I’d be sad to see the word go out of circulation. My relationship to Spurs, and my Jewish heritage, and the relationship between the two, creates a powerful emotional connection which I’m reminded of every time thousands of our fans sing in proud unison.

When it comes to football teams and cultural heritage, most of us don’t really have a choice; they’re markers of identity that get handed down to you. Growing up, I didn’t really embrace either of them. Partly because I wasn’t sure if I really belonged; what does it mean to be only a bit Jewish, alongside various other ethnicities, (not to mention being an atheist)? And could I really a call myself a true Spurs fan, born in London but growing up in the Midlands, going to a few games undercover in the home stands at Villa Park or the Hawthorns?

So what does being Spurs and being Jew(ish) mean to me in adulthood? In both cases, it’s about family. After moving back down to the capital, nights under the lights at White Hart Lane were a way to reconnect with the Spurs side of the family who live in London. Similarly, with the passing away of my grandma, a Yiddish-speaking North Londoner, the occasional reminder of the imprints her community have left on the social fabric of the city are a nostalgic reminder of that part of my heritage.

We can’t predict or control the kind of cultural alchemy that leads a football team to become associated with a nearby minority group. When my grandmother left Poland for Britain as a young girl, she had to figure out how to forge a British and Jewish identity. I never asked her what she thought about it, but I’m sure she would have been intrigued, confused, and probably amused, at the unique melding of Jewish identity and working class solidarity at Tottenham.

Maybe it’s an anachronism, maybe it’s time we retired it, or maybe we just need to do more to educate younger fans about the history and context behind it. But for me, when the crowd at White Hart Lane sing about the thing they love being most, it’s a beautiful collision of family connections past and present.

All views and opinions expressed in this article are the views and opinions of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of The Fighting Cock. We offer a platform for fans to commit their views to text and voice their thoughts. Football is a passionate game and as long as the views stay within the parameters of what is acceptable, we encourage people to write, get involved and share their thoughts on the mighty Tottenham Hotspur.

4 Comments

  1. PaulieR
    10/01/2019 @ 8:52 pm

    Nice piece! And of course….Yid Army!

  2. Kennie H
    10/01/2019 @ 9:49 pm

    Totally agree with Paulie, excellent piece. This debate goes on and on, driven by those who have no idea of either the history or reasons why, in particular the Baddiel brother’s, who have yet to step up and condemn the behaviour of the fans of the club they support, who needs to worry about anti semitic rhetoric from non Jew’s, when supposed members of the faith are do the job for them.

    Now the threat of arrest yet again raises it’s head for using the Y-word, if so, let’s see some action against those using the N-word, or would the drop in sales revenue from rap music negate any pursuit of the guilty!!

    As a member of the faith and a Spurs fan for 56 years, I have witnessed the reasons we call ourselves Yids, and in all that time attitudes have not changed, anti-semitism still remains, despite the fact that if it wasn’t for Jesus and Mohammed, almost everyone would be Jewish. As a Spurs fan and a Jew, I always have and always will be a Yid, singing that fact both loud and proud.
    COYS

  3. Hootspur
    10/01/2019 @ 10:00 pm

    Well done Reubs – a very thoughtful piece. It really gets my back up when some scruff from Islington, who claims to be an MP, tells us what we can and cannot sing. However I was appalled by the throwing of a banana skin onto the pitch by a Spurs fan. In my years as a fan the population of Tottenham has changed dramatically. For a long time it was a black and white story; white inside and black outside the stadium. Now the locals support us whatever their colour and they are very welcome too. But how did they feel with the banana skin incident? I was appalled, disgusted and ashamed .

    I cherish our Jewish heritage and for me turning an insult into a badge of honour is something that I am proud of. But if a significant minority of Spurs Jewish fans were to be shown to be offended, then that’s the end of it. We are one, black, white (and everything in between) Jewish, Christian (all faiths and no faith poor souls) even Korean now thanks to Sonny.

    More views should be welcome from this thoughtful, caring article. Nice one son!

  4. David
    11/01/2019 @ 7:05 am

    Let me copy her a letter I wrote back in 2013 in the matter, I think it really gives a special point of view:

    Dear Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust!

    I am a Spurs fan living in Hungary, Budapest. I have read your current statement regarding the use of the “Yid” word, and I have a suggestion in the matter:

    Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust, or even the club itself should contact the organizations of the Jewish Community in London and try to have their approval and backing of using the term in such a positive way of self-identification and with absolutely no offensive intention.

    The reason why I think, that this could be the solution is that I am Jewish myself, and I live in a country that has a pretty big Jewish community (approx. 80.000) but where the situation regarding anti-Semitism is probably the worst within the EU. We also have a so called “Jewish” football team, called MTK. It is not a little club, and to illustrate this it is enough to mention that MTK has won the Hungarian Championship 23 times, and with that the club is second in the all times winners list.

    Anyway, the social background of MTK is kind of similar to Tottenham regarding the Jewish connection, but in their actual situation there is an immense difference, and that is why I am writing this letter. MTK and their supporters always have been subject of anti-Semitic abuse – actually much more and worse than Tottenham – and mainly because of that (and because of the present level of Hungarian football, which is another story) the attendance of the home matches has dropped to about 500-800 (!), while, when I was a child in the eighties, it was still 6-8.000.

    I wrote all this, because I hope it helps to understand why I think as a Spurs fan, but regarding the current issue much more importantly as a Jew, that the use of the “Yid” word – whatever connotation it has otherwise – as a self-identification by non-Jews is one of the most positive, moreover uplifting and touching things that can happen in a football stadium.

    To emphasis this it is enough to compare the actual situation of MTK and Tottenham. MTK has only a ridiculous couple of hundreds of supporters (almost exclusively Jews) who are still going to the matches despite the anti-Semitic abuses, while at White Hart Lane there is a stadium full of supporters of whom the vast majority are non-Jewish, yet they call themselves Yids. As a Jew I am extremely proud of all these people, and in the same time I am completely sure that in 2013 this is a much better way to fight against anti-Semitism than the usual and boring Holocaust memorials.

    Had Tottenham supporters have some backing from the English Jewish Community itself in the matter, it surely would help to convince the FA, the police and other authorities blinded by the completely inadequate and misunderstood implementation of political correctness to reassess their opinion. If I lived in England I would contact directly the Jewish Organizations, but it would be pretty difficult from here, so I can only suggest that you do that.

    Best regards,
    David Deak
    Hungary, Budapest

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