As followers of Spurs News are aware, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with club legend Micky Hazard last Friday. We chatted about, amongst other things, his involvement in the 1984 UEFA Cup final against Anderlecht. ( You can listen to the full interview here: http://www.spursnews.co.uk/episode-16-micky-hazard-interview/ )
It was absolutely fascinating listening to him recount his experience, but what really struck a chord with me was when he spoke about the fans involvement, and as far as he was concerned the fans direct involvement, in the eventual outcome of the game.
Spurs were 4-3 up on penalties. Micky was meant to be the fifth penalty taker but because of an injury he had picked up during the game Danny Thomas stepped up to take it, and he missed. Thankfully Tony Parks saved Gudjohnsen’s final penalty and the UEFA cup was ours.
What really struck me though, and what had the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end, was when Micky described our supporters reaction towards Danny Thomas when he missed the penalty.
Instead of the fans berating Danny, they started to chant “There’s only one Danny Thomas, one Danny Thomas”. Not only is that giving support to him, it gave support to the entire team. It sent a message to the players on the pitch that they were still behind them, they BELIEVED in them still. How do I know that? Micky Hazard told me it was the case, and as far as Micky was concerned, when Tony Parks walked back on to that goal-line for Anderlecht’s final penalty, he took the belief the fans had given him with him.
It was the true definition of being a football ‘supporter’. Micky alluded to the fact that when you’re not playing well, when the chips are down, THAT’S when you need the fans chanting your name, supporting you and unfortunately that seems to be lost on a lot of modern day supporters.
Nowadays their seems to be this culture of “I’m a fan, I’m here to be entertained, so entertain me, and if you don’t I shall very well make it known that you are not entertaining me”. Of course this isn’t a blanket statement about all fans, I know there are thousands of fans out there that go week-in week-out, chanting till they’re blue in the face, but I absolutely hate hearing booing towards your own club if you are disappointed in them.
I appreciate the cost of going to a game is far more expensive than it was in the 80’s (even taking inflation into consideration) but instead of thinking “I paid £50 for this ticket, they better make it worth me paying that much” maybe a better way of thinking would be “I’ve paid £50 to be my club’s 12th man today”.
Maybe if Sissoko heard “There’s only one Moussa Sissoko, one Moussa Sissoko” when he’s on the pitch, instead of the collective sighs and groans he must hear from the stands, maybe he’d perform better.
I’ll hold my hands up and admit when I’m at a game I’ll vent my frustration at a mis-placed pass or a wayward strike at goal (although I’ll NEVER boo my own team), I guess it’s only a natural reaction.
I just wonder though, if at the ground we ALL focused more on being supporters in the true and pure sense, just maybe we could be that missing piece of the puzzle in our quest to win another trophy.
– Admin MC
