American fans tend to be frontrunners—unlike the Brits, perhaps, we derive no sick pleasure from rooting for losers. If our teams aren’t champions, well, we start rooting for teams that are.

Thus, the small crowd of football fans in the US is dominated by supporters of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool. Americans tend to follow the World Cup, select a few favorites—David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Wayne Rooney—and then root for those players’ teams. Generally, the informed American sports fan is aware of the Champions League final and perhaps of the general structure of power in the Premier League. And while the Premier League is growing in popularity—games are now shown once or twice a week on ESPN, for many the only channel for watching sports—the teams outside the (hopefully short-lasted) Top Four labor in a kind of anonymity.

Like most American fans, and perhaps unlike most of the readers of this site, I chose to become a Spurs supporter. I was not born into it, and there was absolutely zero pressure for me to root for Tottenham—or any other team, for that matter.

I became a Tottenham fan the day I asked my friend Ian, who was wearing his Manchester United jacket for what seemed like the 100th day in a row, which Premier League team most closely resembled the Green Bay Packers, the American football (one term) team I root for. The Packers are a team with a storied history, intensely lovable players, devoted, passionate fans, and a connection to the community that is unparalleled in American sports. Ian said Tottenham, and so I became a Tottenham fan.

I know to some this might seem inadequate. I was not born into Spurs; I have not experienced the heartbreak over the years (trust me, the FA Cup loss to Portsmouth hurt plenty enough); I am a bandwagon fan, etc. Though there are some times when I myself, as an American living in America, feel inadequate as a fan—after all, I’ve never been at the Lane for a cup tie, I am far less exposed to Spurs history and lore, and there are few other Spurs fans around with whom I can discuss Aaron Lennon’s fitness or Tom Huddlestone’s trademark rocket-shots into the twentieth row.

But being an American fan has required a devotion of its own. I wake up early on Saturdays to watch games, and I have to dig a great deal to find information about our starting XI because I can’t read about it in the newspaper each morning. This sort of labor (if that’s really the right word, for I derive great pleasure from it) caused me to become increasingly invested in Spurs, because there’s no real point in checking every single daily English paper online if I don’t care about how we’re going to do against the Scum.

This piece is meant to serve as both an introduction and explanation for who I am as a football fan. Hopefully, as an American and a relatively new fan, I will be able to add a different perspective to discussion about our beloved Spurs. And from across the Atlantic, COYS.

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69 COMMENTS

  1. Welcome aboard!
    I support teams that play the American Sports, but haven’t ever really settled on a football team (I liked the Bears as a kid – big Green Bay Rivals right?)
    Anyway whilst I’m not that passionate about those teams (haven’t gained enough passion for the sports I’m afraid), my choices are all down to one arbitrary reason or another.
    Baseball – Baltimore Orioles (Big fan of The Wire, and have fallen in love with Baltimore so….) Baseball is probably my favourite of all US sports.
    Ice Hockey – New Jersey Devils (Quite simply because I wish for Kevin Smith to be happy and if they win I know he is!)
    Basketball – San Antonio Spurs (Guess why!)

  3. Welcome aboard. It’s never dull!

    I’m a Yank who has been Spurs since the League Cup semi win over the Chavs (5-1!). I’ve been disappointed in my team of choice at times but never thought once about turning my back on them.

  4. Funny enough JB when we first got American football over here in the early 80’s i tuned into, an highlights programme, and watched the Packers come back from something like 20 odd points, and although i dont watch it much at all now, the Packers are my team. And when your early hours of the morning, think of my Brother and a couple of mates who live in Aus, and get up at all hours of the morning. Good luck and spread the word.

  5. You are not alone!
    There are many Spurs fans dotted around the world- I live in the deep south of France and whilst I was brought up in and around London during the Glory Days have made the move away for reason of sanity. So like you I have few opertuinties to watch them play.

    Yet every day without fail I ply the internet for the latest news- I listen to the matches on Radio 5 live and once in a while I get to a match. Its difficult when you know you really should have been there last night but keep going and keep up the reporting.

    godblessHarri

  6. Welcome to the pain and heartbreak!

    And welcome to those occasional moments of pure ecstasy and unconditional love which somehow seem to make it all worthwhile.

    And don’t let anyone ever tell you that choosing Spurs is any less legitimate than being born into it. Spurs chose you every bit as much as you chose them. It was meant to be. You belong.

    Enjoy.

  7. Welcome,
    I’m a Packers stockholder who is a massive Spurs fan. I do see similarities between the two teams. Lets hope thier fortunes both improve next year

    • Sorry Bob but I don’t see any similarities between the two, maybe because I’m a Spurs since the age of 8 and a Vikings fan since the age of 25. I have been to The Lane and the Metrodome. I now live in Italy but I don’t care about domestic football.

  8. The club that will break your heart and at times make u feel 10 feet tall .. in the space of a week I screamed in frustration at Wembley and was left devastated to last night walking away from the Lane singing – what will Saturday bring against Chelsea – who knows! – never boring to love the Spurs that’s for sure …

  9. We have about 10-15 Spurs supporters in Milwaukee, WI, who regularly watch games. As an American I wanted nothing to do with the front runners. I didn’t want to pick the “Yankees” of the English Premeir League. For me it was the up & down comback win against West Ham a few seasons ago.

  10. JB,

    Welcome to the world of a Rollercoster ride as a Tottenham fan. I am remote fan from the Westcountry in the UK, only seen Spurs at a few local friendlies in the Westcountry area. I wish to vist WHL/New stadium (if they let it get built) one day . I grew up with my elder brother who was a Liverpool fan. At the age of 10 I decided on Spurs purely on a bit of peer pressure and have stuck with them ever since.

    Enjoy the ride JB as, rollercoaster ride has not stopped yet.

    COYS

    PS – Fav US Sports

    Basketball – Chicago Bulls (MJ days) – Just got the 6 DVD set – One word Awesome
    NFL – 49ers Montanna/Young days

    Don’t like NHL or Baseball

    I will let you guess my age based on the US sports mentioned.

  11. Hi JB
    An informed choice!!!
    Alas, 6 years living in Michigan meant I could not go through the same informed decision making process as you did in choosing Spurs when it came to selecting an NFL team to follow. Excellent pre-game festivities in the Silverdome parking lot wrapped up against the freezing Detroit winter aside, the Detroit Lions have been slim pickings to say the least. Still I was at Tiger Stadium for the ’84 World Series win!
    Now firmly back in the U.K and once again avidly following my childhood idols (courtesy of the 1967 FA Cup win) this has indeed been a season to savour.
    COYS!!!!

    • As a fellow American Yid, I was eager to read this article – having been linked to it by newsnow (another great reply – Spurs fans have such taste…).

      I find it even more interesting that another one of the respondants is (was?) a Detroit fan, as, having grown up in Michigan, I am, as well. There is a certain masochism in being a fan of the Detroit Red Wings, while living in Colorado – I wonder if that’s why I was also drawn to support Spurs. The pain is so frequent, the greatness so fleeting, yet the joy of moments like the goal off Danny Rose’s boot remain so long it makes all of the rest somehow worth it.

  12. maybe crouch meant to sign for the san antonio spurs instead of us? anyahow my da man utd man i chose spurs wen we won that semi final v the scum 3-1 (gazza u beauty) an havnt stopped lovin. Much to my das displeasure bt nw he jus winds me up About it. says im a mug lol coys

  13. Never has there been a team to take you to the far extremes of both ecstasy and depression. OK, maybe a wee bit melodramatic but i think Pete the Greek said it all. I’ve been abused pretty much all my life for being a spurs fan but it was so sweet to scream my pleasure at all the gooners i know after our victory. Welcome my friend, and enjoy!! XD

  14. J.B,
    welcome to the third realm of hell!!! only joking, like most of the other guys have said it doesnt matter how you came to support spurs, all that matters is that you carry on through the good and bad times! C.O.Y.S

    p.s im a big s.f giants fan, top 4 and world series sounds good to me!!!!!

  15. I’m from Atlanta, and I’ve supported Spurs since I watched the 125th anniversary match against Villa. I’ve only missed 2 matches including cup-ties and preseason friendlies since then (thank god for the internet). I’ve been to 2 Spurs matches- our 1-nil win against chelscum at the Lane, and our 3-1 loss at Anfield last season. Of course being an Atlantan I’m a Braves (baseball), Hawks (basketball), Falcons (American football), and Thrashers (hockey) fan. If you know college sports, though, I’d say that Spurs bear an uncanny resemblance to Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in American football. Every year starts with great expectations and ends in some sort of failure, however there is enough success that keeps the programs running. Georgia Bulldogs is basically Arsenal, always near the top and has beaten Tech every year but one. The colors are also quite similar- Georgia Tech is white, gold, and navy, Georgia is red, black, and white- scary isn’t it?

  16. interesting read
    i can relate with your situation as i live in England and have been born and raised as a spurs fan. However i have recently become very interested in american football and for no reason what so ever have choosen to support the Arizona Cardinals. Twitter and fan pages are great ways to keep up to date from across the pond

  17. Hi – welcome to the world of agony and ecstasy! For all things Spurs I suggest you join Spurs Community (www.spurscommunity.co.uk) it is a great forum with loads of Spurs devotees from all over the world. Stacks of opinions, transfer news etc. and a good place to share your highs and lows.

  19. Wow, I could’ve written that exact article, except that I chose Spurs because of how similar they seemed to my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers in culture, fans, lovable players (Roethlisberger aside), etc.

    I live in Goshen, Indiana. Two years ago I was invited to join a group of youngish guys who watch Tivoed EPL games in the attic of one of my neighbors. I was new to the neighborhood at the time and was glad to get to know some friends. These were all guys who caught the football fever during WC 2006 and continued into the EPL the next season. All of them were Americans who chose their teams not because of history or previous fandom, but because… well, just because. We had Man U fans, Liverpool fans, Man City fans… one guy even picked Wigan (for some reason). I was encouraged to “pick a team.” So I did what came naturally to me: I started doing research.

    I landed on Tottenham because they were (1) NOT in the “top four”, (2) had a long, distinguished history in the league, (3) had one of the most toxic rivalries in the EPL (see: Pittsburgh v. Cleveland), and (4) had a fanbase that was positively devoted, despite having won little the past however many years. Whoa, I thought, that sounds a lot like my Steelers (barring the two recent Superbowls).

    We Yanks do love our winners, which I guess explains the disgusting number of Yankee, Red Sox, and Patriots fans these days. Anybody can root for a favorite. There’s a sadistic part of me that loves that agony/ecstasy dichotomy that supporting Spurs provides each season. And of course the fans are phenomenal.

    A trip to see Spurs at the Lane is now permanently on my “bucket list.” Don’t know if I’ll ever make it. Maybe some day they’ll do a preseason tour to Chicago.

  20. Spurs fan for 40 years and a Packers fan sincethe first game was shown on channel4 in the UK (about 1985). Now live in New Zealand. Keep the faith

  21. Spurs fan since i can remember, Vikings fan since the age of 13 when my mum married my stepdad who comes from St Paul, Minn. Funny your a Packers fan as the Vikings/Packers rivalry is a bit intense.

  22. Me too! Spurs fan since my first match in 1966, v.Arsenal (we won 3-1) and Packers fan since 1982 when they started showing NFL on Channel 4 in UK. The game that hooked me to Packers was against LA Rams, they were 20+ points down at halftime, then staged amazing comeback thanks to wide receivers James Lofton and I think the other was called Jefferson? Got to see Packers v.Bears at Lambeau in ’86 – we lost but was awesome experience. My friend in NYC took me see Yankees, so that’s my baseball team. Got to see them again last Summer in new Yankee stadium. But Tottenham is my first and true love. I now live in Limassol, Cyprus, where there are huge number of Spurs fans. The pub was rocking last night after beating the Scum, still feeling high and been walking round all day with a huge smile on my face. Keep the faith!

  24. What a great read, both the original post and the responses. Keep the faith all — next year is our year!! (For the uninitiated, that is the Spurs annual promise …. but next year it’s coming true!!!).

    I found this blog from Newsnow, but only after wading through seemingly hundreds of juvenile posts on you tube from Arsenal supporters who weren’t impressed with Rose’s goal yesterday — feel like my brain’s been polluted, so this site has been a welcome relief.

    Another excellent site is the discussion board on COYS (comeonyouspurs.com). Civilised posters welcome.

  25. I appreciate the devotion of another State side Spurs fan. I have been a fan living in Seattle for the past 10 years when all I could get on the Spurs was info from the net. Like the author of this article I wake up at 4:45 Saturday mornings to put in a strong 6 hours of English soccer watching. When I watch a game at the bars most support those mentioned in this article. The grit and determination showed last night as opposed to the team that took the field Sunday is the emotional roller coaster we all ride every weekend.

  26. Spurs fan from San Francisco here… Lived in London for a few years in 1981 for the FA games aginst Man Shity. I thought mabe if we beat Portsmouth that Chaz & Dave would reunite! EPL games start on the west coast at 5:45 am, so it can ruin your weekend if they don’t play well (but Spurs never do that… right?). Funny your a Packers fan… I love Farve! While its true that everyone in the US is either a ManU, Chelsea or Scum fan, wait a few years when one of those teams aren’t doing so well and try to find their support then. Spurs are a team that gets in your blood which is why it hurts so bad when we have a result like Sunday, but feels so great on days like yesterday.

    COYS!!!

  27. supportin spurs is never boring. whether wer up there or fightin relegation we always hav a bit of class and excitement. yes theyl let ya down and infuriate you but stay with them threw thick n thin cuz the good times b worth it. im an only spur outa a family of utd an livrpool men and absolutely love it. coys bring on the chelsea

  28. How about a different North American perspective? I’m not a “Yank”, but rather a “Canuck” (slang for Canadian).

    I’ve been a die-hard Spurs fan for 20 years now, and have indeed visited London on occasion (at great expense) simply to watch my beloved Tottenham. I’ve not missed a game on TV and the first thing I do each morning is grab my blackberry and call up NewsNow for all the latest Spurs news (and gossip, I’m embarassed to admit).

    I live on the west coast in Vancouver, BC (so I can related to this author’s ordeal in having to wake up at an ungodly hour in order to view matches in real time.

    In Canada, ice hockey is our religion. And in Vancouver, we worship the Vancouver Canucks. A team, not unlike Spurs, in that they are known for playing in an offensive and eye-pleasing way — no “parking the bus” if you will. They’ve also had several “star” players in recent years (a la Gazza, Ginola, Hoddle, Klinsmann). In fact, this year, the Canucks featured the league’s top scorer. Another similarity is that, the Canucks, like Spurs with Ozzie & Villa, were among the first to import stars from abroad (mostly Russians like Igor Larianov, and later Alexander Mogilny and Pavel Bure and Swedes like Markus Naslund and twins Daniel & Henrik Sedin).

    However, the main similarity between the two clubs I love is that it takes someone with patience and a high emotional threshold for frustration to align with either club, for they always seem to (outside of a few inspired runs) come up a little short of the expectations of their rabid fan base. They flatter and tease, but ultimately let you down in the end. The funny thing is I know this. I’ve seen this moveie a thousand times. I know how it ends. Yet, there’s no way on Earth I’d want to support any other team.

    After all anyone could support Manure or Chelski. They’re proven winners. Where’s the fun in that? It would be like supporting the NY Yankees or the Dallas Cowboys or something. Those storied clubs are doing just fine without my support. They don’t need me. Moreover, they’re expected to win, so when they do, what is there to get excited about. Does anyone outside NY really care to see the Yankees win another World Series? No. On the other hand, if the Canucks were to win the Stanley Cup or Spurs were to ever win the Premiership (pauses for laughter) I could only imagine the euphoria myself and my fellow Canuckleheads & Lillywhites (respectively) would experience. And I believe that’s what I identified with as a Canucks fan when as a teenage Canadian boy I chose Spurs.

    My only hope is that I will live long enough to see either club (or God forbid both clubs!) finish top of the heap just once. Meantime, I vow to look on from afar with the unbridled hope and enthusiasm shared by all my fellow Spurs fans and embodied in our voices when we shout “Come on you Spurs!”.

  29. yeah i became an american spurs fan when i was like 15-16 somewhat accidentally when a search for a san antonio spurs score found me the score from tottenham’s latest match. i began looking into the epl more then, and im so happy i did. now im a ridiculously fanatic tottenham fan by american standards at least.

  30. been a spurs fan all my life, took to the packers since american football was shown over here, don’t really know why, maybe there is an efinity between the two in that they’re both capable of doing great thing, and occassionaly do! life is never boring, but is sure full of ups and downs

  31. I’m yet another Spurs fan from the States. After the World Cup in ’98, my cousin (who grew up Spurs in N. London) told me “If I cheer for any team it must be the Tottenham Hotspurs.” It was a few years before I fully committed, as I still had an Arsenal Sega jersey my Dad brought me back from England while I supported Spurs at the same time (I didn’t know the difference then, and I liked the both styles of football).

    When I finally learned of the rivalry and the history behind it in 2000, it made me immediately switch to all Spurs. It was so similar to the rivalry I grew up in, the University of Louisville (Tottenham), vs the University of Kentucky. Arsenal and UK fans seem to have this grand sense of entitlement and want to (and do if l’Arse) kill themselves, while UofL and Tottenham fans have better things to worry about, and just dust themselves off after a loss. Also, both are geographical neighbors, and in the case of UofL and UK, fight for state tax dollars.

    Anyway, moments like last night make it all worth it! What was even more sweet was that Rose’s goal was on every sports show that ESPN had on today (I know bc the TV was in the background while I was studying)!! ESPN giving Spurs and Rose mad props! They even had 2 journalists try calling the play themselves on Around the Horn.

  32. Well put, JB. The slights to United aside, really enjoyed your piece and look forward to many more. Congrats on the North London derby win, good luck on the top four, and thanks for the shout-out.
    IMc, Boston, MA

  33. I must first qualify the following statement with the fact that I am a born and bred Spurs fan. My family are from north London and our sporting background gave me a simple choice at an early age follow football and spurs or take up knitting! I to have watched sports from other nations with interest and often envy. I say envy because unlike the Green Bay Packers we do not have a say in our club. I would suggest that the Manchester United-wearing friend that guided you to support Tottenham originaly was misguided. Much as I love Spurs my honest opinion is thta to truly reflect the Packers cuommunity ties (and that, to me is what a real club should reflect) on this side of the Atlantic you should have chosen to support Barcelona or indeed any of the German Bundessliga clubs that are rooted in the community and are owned by that community. A model that seems to work – count the European trophies from such clubs.

    Enviously eying the Packers.

  34. Great to read your reasons for supporting us. Quite noble I think and doesn’t the regular hurt and underachievement make a fan more endeared to their teams? It makes me proud that oversea fans are willing to put their time and effort on one of our better domestic products. Ta guys.

    A little treat for you is a website http://www.newsnow.co.uk for all your news needs. Via it’s Tottenham Hotspur tab you can catch almost every news story about Spurs. It’s how I found this article.

  35. Loved reading all these posts. I was born in North London but moved to the US when I was a wee lad. Grew up in Dallas, so I am both a Yido and a Dallas Cowboy fan (My blood runs blue).
    I have been to The Lane on many occasions. Even as a Cowboy fan I must admit I think Tottenham is most like the Packers – Rich in history & tradition and great fans!
    COYS!

  36. Welcome indeed.

    If Spurs are like your Packers who is our Aaron Rodgers?! It can’t be Defoe, as Rodgers completes far more passes… 😉

    I’m a Redskins fan myself, which seems appropriate because over the more recent years we’ve both had our fair share of interfering owners, and have wildly spent on players with little success!

    Anyway, enjoy the ride…

  37. But this is what makes Spurs fans “Special” we are still there the following week!, either standing on the terraces or sitting on the sofa, we all go through the pain and then the limited ecstasy and continue to come back for more, I was born in the 50s so remember the glory days very well, I have fiends that started supporting Spurs then and are still ardent Tottenham fans, I do not get to many games now as I live in Spain so unless tjhey are playing over here I don’t get the chance but get a good stream every week to watch the game on the net!

    Every morning without fail I check my favourite sites for news…..its in the blood as it was for my Grandfather, my Father and as it is for my sons and daughters!

    COME ON YOU SPURS

  38. Gavin, whereabouts is the pub in Limassol, my in-laws are Cypriot(goons) and when im over there it seems im the only one screaming for spurs, when we are there we are currently based a few streets behind Debenhams, nr the Ajax Hotel.

  39. Hi Josiah,

    Good article. I became a Spurs fan because my Dad took me to a game in 1973 and it stuck. In turn have taken my own family – and so it goes on.

    There is a tiny piece of my soul that belongs to Spurs and I will never ask for it back.

    Welcome to our world.

  42. Welcome Josiah…Spurs are a team with a rich footballing history, an amazing loyal following which is virtually unequalled in the Premiership and indeed one of only around 5 teams in the Premiership with a fan base exceeding one million worldwide. One of the richest football clubs on the planet, you will find as I have, Tottenham Hotspur fans wherever you go in the world.
    Being a Spurs fan has always been a delight although they can take you to a high and a low in quick succession! In my opinion few football clubs anywhere in the world can boast such a loyal support.

  43. I am now in my 45th year of supporting Spurs!

    Still never a dull moment (was a great atmospher on Wed when beating the scum!).

    Unfortunately I am a Redskins fan – (John Riggins in the 82 Superbowl), and have been watching ever since.

    Spread the word in the USA – It may be we need some funding in the future from an aspiring multi-billiionaire.

  44. To: billyboots. There are actually two Tottenham pubs in Limassol (gooners only have one, haha). One is Nelson’s (opposite Elais Beach Hotel on seafront) and the other is The Cavalier (on seafront just before the KCineplex traffic lights). I usually go to Nelson’s, but was in Cavalier for the Arse game due to fact Nelson’s is currently closed for a refurb. When I say ‘Tottenham’ pubs I mean Spurs flags on the wall, memorabilia, etc, and owners who are fanatical yids. See ya when you’re next over (don’t bring the goon in-laws with you please, I cannot vouch for their safety).

  45. Love being a Spurs fan, welcome to the community! No place else rocks like the Lane when we have our tails up! Best atmosphere in town.

    ps. Also a Redksins fan (ever since the demolition over the Broncos in 88).

  46. Wow. Aren’t you a popular guy! Welcome to the world of Spurs. I am from Tottenham itself, and have supported them since about 1984 (…yes I know the dip started there). I started to support the Miami Dolphins about the same time – who to me resemble the mighty Spurs in many ways. Love NFL.

  47. I am from North London but living in Miami, FL. Spurs through and through!!!! I have converted countless friends and countless Hondurans!! (or maybe that was Sgt. Wilson)
    All you have to do is watch THFC for 3 games and you will be hooked. It’s a complete roller coaster but that just adds to my passion for them…COYS!!

    Dolphins fan !!

  48. I’m a huge Rams fan, no real reason, my dad liked them so I followed him. I have your exact experience in reverse.

    I’m a Spurs season ticket holder, but do all I can to follow the Rams from afar, and have managed to get over to the States to see them play twice.

    There’s something special about knowing that people halfway across the world care about the same team you do

  49. I am a fellow YID from Canada. Myself and a group of boys here have been supporting the Tottenham for years. Onc eyou start you are Tottenham for life! Up the Yids!!

  50. Hey There… Packers fan since i got my first caps from some 1(i dont remb)hehe but been them always when i look at type of Game lol and a spurs fan since Hoddle played there;) Same name (Glenn) did start it all…And i must say if ur a spurs fan ur areal fan cuz we have had more hard days then Good days hehe on the pic for some years now… Still in faith as people say;) Been at the lane and follow all matches at tv From Norway;)

    Go on Spurs;)

    Supa!

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