The Non-attending Fan

[Joe Clash]

I think its very cruel to say not attending a match doesnt make you a true fan, especially in recent years where the working man has been priced out of getting tickets, also add on top the small capacity of WHL, which far exceeds our fanbase, meaning it is impossible for every true Spurs fan to get a ticket

I don't think anyone's saying that mate.

 

[mickdale]

Being in the US and not having the disposable income to bring the family on a trip to London, I haven't been able to attend a game. Assuming all things line up I will be going to the Roma game this summer which, even though it is only a pre-season match, will be great. I have a drawer full of Spurs t-shirts, a Spurs keyring, a couple of the UA training pullovers, my 3 youngest and I all have player shirts and I even was lucky enough to win one of the auctions for the Get Well Soon Ryan warmup shirts worn before the Wycombe game signed by the team. So yes I have "given" money to the team.

I can not however agree that the team has not given me anything.

One upside of living in the US is the fact that every game is available to watch on TV. Following Spurs has given me the entire range of emotions; joy, happiness, sadness, frustration... but it also allows me to spend time with and bond with my daughters over something we both love.

great post, well said

 

[palmers_green_yid]

Out of interest, how many LPs are you on?

I'm in the low 400s.

Didn't get a ticket for Bournemouth or Gent, but got all the other recent away games. Which means there are at least 1,300 more loyal fans than me (unless they're farming out their tickets), though to be fair I only just realised that if you renew as a gold member you get an extra 10 points per year...so with that extra 50 points I would've got them.

Used to go to more midweek aways outside London, that was back when I was a student and the period just after, which was over 5 years ago now so doesn't count for LPs. To be fair though I did less weekend aways then.

 

[PTW48]

I feel like this argument exists solely on Twitter...the majority of my friends in London have said they're happy with their teams becoming bigger and welcome new fans. I live abroad but have visited twice in the last five years, have family and friends in London, and have spent a lot of £ on the team over the years.

Never feel the need to justify myself as a real supporter to those who say you can't be a fan if you're not there. Don't feel like anyone else should either.

 

[Mrs Perryman]

You know in your heart whether you're a true supporter or not. The first thing that people find out about me is that I'm a Spurs supporter, it's as much part of me as my nationality and my faith, that's how deep it goes for me. I've always said that if I loved my exes as much as I love Spurs, they wouldn't be exes! I've paid my dues going to Sunderland mid week, etc, back in the day. I don't go to away games now, apart from the odd one or two, but I haven't missed many at home since the early 80s (apart from a couple of seasons break due to budget restrictions). However, it's not the amount of games you go to/see that qualify you as a real fan, it's the emotion that you feel after a game that does that. When you feel nothing, that's when you know that you're done.

 

[palmers_green_yid]

There's been years in my life where I've manged to attend 60+ games per season, and there's been years when I've managed to attend 5-10 games per season.

My love and passion for Spurs have been pretty equal throughout those years.

From Norway that is a phenomenal record! I know you came and lived here for a time, but if I remember correctly that was partly Spurs motivated, and you lived in Tottenham too...to me that makes you a local lad.

 

[muley]

Obviously it's very different for global fans who have to stay up or wake up at all hours just to see the games on telly. I grew up in Australia and remember listening to Spurs games on the BBC World Service at 3am in the morning (that was before cable TV kids). So I went 25 years before I got to see Spurs at the Lane and have been very lucky to travel for London for work recently so have now been to 3 matches at the Lane.

So my advice for other global fans would be to join a local fan group, convince some like minded fans to get to WHL and just go for it. I wish I had done it earlier and guarantee you won't regret it or the money you spent!

 

[palmers_green_yid]

Look, we're all Tottenham, end of...just that we all have different experiences of supporting the club. No one is saying you're not worthy if you can't get to games.

Now must rush, I'm off to Burnley unlike all you plastics...

 

[TottenhamAberdeen]

I go most of domestic games and all european homes, but couldn't afford today as doing two nights in swansea midweek.

 

[Norwegian_Yid]

From Norway that is a phenomenal record! I know you came and lived here for a time, but if I remember correctly that was partly Spurs motivated, and you lived in Tottenham too...to me that makes you a local lad.

Partly Spurs motivated? That's an understatement I moved to Tottenham when I was 18. Didn't have a job or a place to live, but what I did have was a home and away season ticket. Best years of my life, made several new friends on pretty much every single matchday.

Now I'm married with a little baby and live back in Oslo. Life circumstances change and it affects the opportunity to attend matches, but the passion for Spurs remains. I'm sure it's like that for a lot of people who can't go every week.

And also to be fair, some of the people who do attend games every week looks like they're bored shitless.