The Hornsey Road Baths and Laundry,Holloway Rd n Arsenal footie

the northern heights

Football fan etiquette: Chelsea fan comedian David Baddiel whose brother Ivor is a columnist on the local rag (Ivor had a plant pot stolen from outside his home he tells us this week in his column) ... er... David Baddiel is Jewish and I think he said on telly that when he went to watch Chelsea at stamford bridge he used to feel mildly uncomfortable because Chelsea fans don't like spurs and Chelsea fans sing "we hate Tottenham and we hate Tottenham we are the Tottenham haters,yiddos,yiddos,yiddos." The Chelsea fans snarled out the chanted words "yiddos" with some malice. As a Jewish man David Baddiel was midly discombobulated with fans chants "yiddos." I suppose the Tottenham fans call themselves the yid army.So they don't mind if people call them yids. Tottenham fans chant "yid army" But it does beg the question of football fan etiquette: I mean I am not sure I would be comfortable with Chelsea fans chanting "yiddos" when watching say cfc v spurs. Especially if with a jewish companion. Tottenham is an area that traditionally has alot of jewish people living there hence Chelsea fans singing "yiddos" at the Tottenham fans. A serious point about words that can be seen as racist. Gooners - gunners because of guns in woolwich Arsenal when the Arsenal club was based in South London I suppose...The gun badge on the Arsenal shirt and the cannon guns on pavement outside the Emirates stadium. Arsenal fans say "I'm a gooner" Arsenal fan.

chuckles

Yeah let's have a ding-dong. It's long overdue!

Tallboy

@Chuckles. What makes you think there are more Tottenham fans than Arsenal fans?

miss annie

From a THFC blog
"I follow the vast majority of Spurs fans in believing that term, when used in context, is affectionate, is a way of identifying ourselves in unison against opposing fans. It’s not said, chanted, sung with a hint of aggression. In fact, the only time the word ‘Yid’ is used with any kind of vitriol is when West Ham and Chelsea come to visit".

Every Spurs fan that I know, Jewish or otherwise refers to themselves as part of the Yid army. This has apparently been the case for well over 40 years.

African Americans and particularly hip hop artists have taken to reclaiming words that were previously used to insult them. Perhaps by using the word in a unifying and non aggresive manner Tottenham fans were early adopters of this trend?

An interesting point that it's only used aggressively by West Ham and Chelsea fans.... who are uncouth yobbos. No offence intended like.

chuckles

It's really just a feeling I have Tallboy. And when I refer to fans I mean real supporters, not just people who claim to be a fan because a team has had some recent success

ADGS

I find it endlessly amusing that Ivor Baddiel is now a semi-famous and respectable local journalist. Back in the Mary Whitehouse Experience days he would only ever crop up as part of David's running joke about a porn film Ivor once saw, titled 'Spunky Birthday'.

N4_bandit

@chuckLes
Why are Tottenham a better class of fan? Any time I have been to White Hart Lane I have never come across a more violent bunch.
Spurs are very famous for having a big Firm that likes to get involved in organised football violence.

I guess these are the "real football fans" you talk about.
I think the number of arrests and general feeling of most football fans will back this us.

chuckles

Tottenham fans tend to be violent because they are passionate and also because they have been forced to grow up in Tottenham

N4_bandit

Well I belive in supporting my local team as all real fans do.
So as we are on stroudgreen.org and in Islington you should support Arsenal.

Or do Tottenham fans move to Islington when they have done better for themselves?

ADGS

I'm pretty much the reverse. Given I dislike professional football full stop, they're much of a muchness in most respects - so the team I dislike most at any point is the one to which I live closest, because they're the one who most inconvenience me. This means that if Arsenal did move back to Arsenal, where they belong, Spurs would then become my least favourite team. And so forth.

N4_bandit

Well, be preparted tomorow Night as the Arsenal party rolls into town.........There's a big Champions League game on against Porto.

You will be happy to know Spurs have not inconvenienced their fans by qualifying for this tournament.

miss annie

Marvellous. I'm already looking forward to the five hour journey on the 29 in the horrendous traffic that occurs whenever there's an international match. Of course that doesn't even compare to the delights of getting off the bus and straight into the crowd of football fans. Hurrah.

the northern heights

The yid army have gone a bit quiet,maybe it's a Jewish holiday or something? What cafe/resturant near Highbury has got the most Arsenal memorabilia on the walls from days gone by,team photos n the like. My favourite was the donkey Tony Adams - he might have rammed his car into the garden wall of someone's house when he was off his trolley on booze but him n Butcher n Pearce were good defenders. My England team of all time: Shearer and Lineker up front Joe Cole left midfield,Hoddle and Gazza centre midfield,Trevor Francis right midfield Pearce the psyco left back he used to enjoy kicking spurs into the stands ,Butcher and Adams centre back John Barnes right back - not a natural defender but he was good n could run up the wings when he wasnt rapping on novelty world cup england records. in goal - shilton on the bench - kevin keegan,Ray Clemence,Robson,Ray Wilkins,Rooney,Crouch because hes tall,Terry before he turned into a love cheat. Quiz Question: how many premiership football teams are their in Fulham?

chuckles

You seem to have five Tottenham players in your all time England squad and only one Arsenal player. Very interesting

ActionVerb

Pffft. Joe Cole? He's about effective as Jason Wilcox.

N4_bandit

Yes Stuart Pearce was a legend, he does a lot of good non-league work for Wealdstone as well as thats where his roots lie.

I Like the Arsenal Fish bar for memorabilia. There is pictures of David Platt from 1998! He was a good England player.

What about Sol Campbell? He should be in there....Arsenal saved him from the Lane......