Tottenham fans have been criticised for ‘offensive’ chants sung at their Premier League game against Liverpool over the weekend.
Tottenham Supporters’ Trust has condemned a song about poverty and joblessness aimed at Liverpool fans with some of Spurs’ fans were heard singing ‘sign on’, a chant about unemployment levels rather than all things football.
Liverpool fans’ group Spirit of Shankly responded to the statement by posting a tweet which read: “well said”.
The Tottenham Supporters’ Trust said: “Singing about the opposition has long been a feature of English football, and we are reluctant to tell fans how they should support the team. Nevertheless, we were disappointed to hear the “Sign on” chant at Saturday’s away match at Anfield.
“Poverty and joblessness are not fair game for banter. There is a cost of living crisis throughout England, including in London. Our Club represents an area and community with the fastest growing rate of unemployment in the country.
“We are rightly proud of our away support, and we want it to be noticed for positive reasons. For most of the game at Anfield our fans gave superb backing to a great team performance. Spurs fans have provided financial backing to Marine FC on Merseyside, and regularly contribute to foodbanks and community initiatives in London. This is what we are about.
“The “Sign on” chant is not what we are about. We’re Tottenham Hotspur. We’re better than that.”
Five months ago, Arsenal fans mocked Everton and Liverpool with chants.
‘Feed the Scousers’ were the words sung by those in the away end and it’s reportedly becoming increasingly uncomfortable while many claim it to be just banter.
This is a chant that has been going on for years just like many others that nowadays seem to be not sitting right with those hearing it whether sung at them or not.
Alan Smith, chief football writer for football.london wrote a piece claiming that ‘Arsenal fans must look closer to home’ when aiming the chants at the Merseyside outfits’ supporters during a Premier League fixture a while back.
He said in a heartfelt article: “It takes about five minutes at a gentle walking pace to get from the Emirates Stadium to the Islington foodbank that provided essential goods to 2,710 people between August 2020 and March 2021.
“More than 800 were children.
“And listening to a not insignificant number of Arsenal fans thoughtlessly singing “Feed the scousers” during last night’s tepid defeat away to Everton, it was hard not to wonder how many are totally oblivious to the hardship and poverty that is right under their noses.
“Their club and many of their fellow fans have contributed to supplying the foodbank, which is run by The Trussell Trust, and demand looks certain to increase as the pandemic wears on and hardship spreads.
“A section of almost every fanbase around the country is doing similar, depressingly necessary, work.
“Across the road from Fulham Broadway station before Chelsea games you will find a stall run by the supporters’ trust, at West Ham you will often find a group accepting donations on the bridge near the Aquatics Centre and Tottenham fans contribute to two different banks in their area.
“The targeting of Merseyside is decades old and, historians argue, wrapped in anti-Irish sentiment. That the original Band Aid song was released in 1984 when Liverpool were the country’s best team was a factor born from envy but to keep it going in 2021 is distasteful, disrespectful and, well, just a bit stupid.
“More than 2.5 million required assistance from a foodbank in The Trussell Trust’s past financial year and they estimate that a fifth of the population lives below the poverty line.
“This is an epidemic that affects every corner of this island and for all the tired impressions of Islington being the centre of a so-called metropolitan elite, the stadium is surrounded by people without sufficient resources to put food on the table.
“So when those who will inevitably argue that singing about people in Liverpool going hungry – or indeed their supposed desire to “sign on” – is merely banter it may be an opportune moment to consider their own privilege, their own communities and next time they hear it being sung remind those around them of the reality.
“Perhaps those guilty of singing it last night could even make that short walk before the next Saturday home game and offer a donation of their own.”
Twitters users had their say with Tottenham fans being criticised for ‘offensive’ chants at Liverpool…
@BigGravySweeney: As a scouse Liverpool fan who lived in Tottenham for almost 10 years and Walthamstow for 4 I can say unemployment is as high in London as anywhere else. These chants seem out of touch when it’s happening on your own doorstep and is only praising the tories when sung.
@JaiP72: That chant is from the 80s and deserves to stay there. We need more songs, innovative song writers to bring new songs to the terraces. Our songs are tired. Surely the Trust can work with talented song writers to bring some new songs that are fun, intimidating and joyous
@darrensuperspur: This chant should go in the bin along with 10 German bombers, it is irrelevant to football and has no place there (it is also hugely inaccurate)
@frankmajor_: It’s embarrassing, to be honest.
@scottmcd83: Rich ain’t it…. Talking about cost of living crisis but ignore it when it comes to ticket pricing…. Lack of value for money provided but the club, constant price hikes of kits, memorabilia, food and drink
@cosmicdirtbag81: Fully agree. Laughing about poverty when the harringey area is the poorest in London is not on. Not something I’ll partake in ever
@shaggy1712: I’ve had my disagreements with the trust over what I consider some ill considered and thought out strategies but they are right on the money with this.
@1961Coys: Yup. Chanting about unemployment as a stigma is a nasty form of victim-blaming. Regions like Merseyside (& Tottenham) have suffered from decades of economic policy causing deprivation & misery. We should be better.
@ZCP24: I felt a bit embarrassed when the chant came out Saturday. It’s old and tired. Pretty sure the home support hear it from most away supporters and likely just laugh it off nowadays though.
@FlyingSikh2: 💯 agree. That chant is chillingly too relevant to more than just Merseyside given the current climate. It’s incredibly distasteful given how many people are struggling to pay bills, earn good wages, etc.
@Sean_Spurs2021: Totally agree, it’s embarrassing really
@williamevans123: I’m just glad this is the most important issue the trust has to deal with at the moment, god forbid (apologies to anyone that may offend) they’d have anything more pressing than a song to worry about. Not sure they would cope.
@STriteos: Can we clarify…. You don’t want us using unemployment as banter due to the cost of living crisis yet Spurs fans are told to pay the highest prices in football for ZERO success, overpriced crap designed Nike kits and increased prices for stadium food & drink and that’s ok?
@JW_Davidson: What’s ridiculous is supporters from a club in a ward with 20% long-term unemployment thinking it’s funny.
@2ndJohnson: Fair play people. The other thing I noticed was the constant chant of the ‘Y’ word. I thought the Spurs fans had packed that in.
@stueya7: Fair play fellas, I don’t normally have an issue with your support but there was more than that sung, the Victims song which was originally about Hillsborough and we pay your benefits, both had an airing, I realise the Saturday 7.45ko didn’t help but you lot are better than that
@DjCaro: Good statement. And while you’re at it, all fans should also be encouraged to stop the Hillsborough songs. 97 football fans went to a football match but didn’t come home. Could’ve been any club. Any fan base. It’s not banter. It’s sick, plain and simple.
Where’s the banter in unemployment? Do you stand outside a job centre and sing it?
— AnneliseJespersen (@AbyssTalks) May 9, 2022
You must be logged in to post a comment Login