And now, the end
is near and though I face the relegation curtain, my
friends, I'll say it clear, although our fate, well I'm
not certain. So, said Frank Sinatra, in a fashion, but
each and every one of us Spurs fan wants the side to do
it "My Way". We all have our own opinions about
how the side should play to extircate it from the lure of
the dreaded drop. Barnsley fans seem to believe that
there is some conspiracy against them to keep the
"big boys" in the big league, but do they
really think that the League chiefs would do Tottenham
any favours after being humiliated in the courts by Alan
Sugar over the punishments they imposed a couple of
seasons ago ?? This time the club have to go into the
fight without Alan Sugar as the battle is on the field.
There is no divine right to a place in the Premier
League. In the recent past, Nottingham Forest,
Middlesbrough and Newcastle have all had to fight their
way back into the top flight and going back twenty years
or so, Spurs and Man. Utd also spent a season each in the
old Division Two. The very fact that Everton, Spurs and
Newcastle are down among the strugglers proves that.
Tottenham do seem to
be a major problem holding onto a lead against any
half-decent team that we play these days, as we've let
the lead slip through our fingers, like so many grains of
sand that dribble away to indicate that time is running
out. As I write, we have two games left. We have not put
two consecutive victories together since the balmy days
of August and need to do so now. While results have been
quite kind to us, it's no use relying on anyone else but
ourselves. Recently, there has been a spirit and unity
about the team, that perhaps reflects their realisation
of what relegation might mean for them. Despite all the
newpaper stories about players not liking training and
not being able to force their way intot he team, things
are just about going OK. It is understandable that
players returning from injury will be frustrated that
they cannot go straight into the first team, but Gross'
comment about wanting players who are match-fit and have
played Premier League football recently, is perhaps a
sound one. While some players are still being played out
of position, some of his choices maay be questionable,
but players who are willing to run, chase and battle for
everything that's going are important to the team. There
are some worse sides than Tottenham in the Premier League
at the moment, but they understand what has to be done to
make up for their shortcomings. If relegation does come,
then at least a number of players have pledged to stay at
the club. Walker, Vega and Ferdinand have all committed
their future to Tottenham, whichever League they are in
next season.
The completion of the
North Stand has produced a much better atmosphere at home
games of late. There is now an area where chanting begins
and with the phantom drummer at the other end, it is a
bit more like the White Hart Lane of old. The players,
I'm sure, appreciate the vocal support of the fans and
the silence that followed the Coventry draw was followed
by the roar of relief after the Newcastle victory. The
future is in Tottenham's own hands and let's hope that it
is in safe hands for the last one hundred and eighty
minutes (plus injury time) of this season
Keep The Faith
(whatever happens).
MY EYES
HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF THE CUPS AT WHITE HART LANE
MY EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF THE CUPS AT WHITE HART
LANE
MY EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF THE CUPS AT WHITE HART
LANE
AND THE SPURS GO MARCHING ON.
BRUCE CASTLE
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