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Spurs – Newcastle Preview: The “Second Favourite Team” Myth

Six games left, and while trips to Old Trafford, Goodison and Anfield look tricky, our home games vs West Brom, Man City and, first of all, Newcastle, are eminently winnable.If you look carefully, the words “home banker” can clearly be seen etched across this fixture. On current form Newcastle are amongst the worst in the Premiership. Two points in six games apparently, which is the sort of stat that threatens to infringe the copyright terms of ‘Arry’s own little motto. Hilariously, they seem to be the only team in history not to have enjoyed the new-manager-bounce, and are consequently making effortlessly serene progress towards the Championship.

Everyone’s Second-Favourite Team 

First of all, nobody in their right mind has a second-favourite team. Football is a monogamous sport. Anyone with a second-favourite team is either related to a player (vaguely acceptable) or a bandwagon-jumping irritant who calls the game “soccer”, whines that there are too few goals and pronounces the “ham” in “Birmingham” (unacceptable, in case you were in any doubt).

I’ll root for whomever is playing l’Arse. I sometimes keep an eye out for Bristol Rovers, as a former classmate plays for them. However, I support only one team. Generally, I either don’t care about or actively dislike the other 19 clubs in the division, and 90-odd in the country. I’m pretty sure these traits are common to most football fans in the country. Anyone who merrily chirps about having a second-favourite team has completely missed the point, and ought really to be tied to a railway track and set alight.

So the notion of a second-favourite team is farcical. The notion that Newcastle is everyone’s second favourite team is miles off-target and utterly bereft of logic. We’re perennially invited to agree that we’d all love to see Newcastle win something – their success-starved fans deserve it apparently.

This is mildly insane. Football isn’t some sort of UN aid programme whereby every starving leper by right gets a bag of grain. Fans just have to accept whatever their team does, and if that means never ever winning trophies, and then getting relegated, so be it. They’ll get no sympathy from anyone else as we’ve all got our own team to worry about.

Non-Newcastle supporters don’t adopt Newcastle as their second team. They occasionally take time out from their own teams to laugh at Newcastle, for their insistence that they have a divine right to success, married to their consistent underachievement. This presumably is fairly similar to the opinion all non-Spurs fans about our lot too. In short, no-one truly cares about anyone other than their own team.

As it happens, we’re laughing at Newcastle for all sorts of reasons at the moment, as they provide a bit of comic relief for everyone else from the seasons’ travails. The magnificent outburst from Joe F**king Kinnear earlier this season was comic genius, and was sandwiched between the more gently amusing exit of Keegan and the slightly daft appointment of Shearer. Shearer’s arm-in-the-air thing was warmly appreciated at AANP Towers when he wore an England shirt, but did not obscure the fact that he was a dirty so-and-so. In his more recent incarnation he has been a pundit of such mind-numbing blandness that he frequently made me want to tear off my own ears and eat them. Won’t shed too many tears if his rescue mission bombs.

Palacios, Pav and Defoe 

A few changes are likely for Spurs. With Palacios back, one of Hudd and Jenas will have to make way, whilst Pav’s slick finish last week may well earn him a starting place ahead of Bent. Jermain Defoe apparently might make the bench. He’s back in full training now, which gives us a few weeks to work ourselves into frenzies over he and Keane will fit together. More immediately however, he’s unlikely to get more than a cameo at the end of the game, by which time the three points ought to be in the bag.

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26 replies on “Spurs – Newcastle Preview: The “Second Favourite Team” Myth”

Second-favourite team? People said that 15 years ago when Newcastle were playing flair football. I haven’t heard that for at least 10 years. Who’s been saying that recently?

Which Newcastle fans insist that they have a divine right to success? I’ve never met anyone who says that.

my 2nd favourite team is the mighty Dulwich Hamlet. i think they’re far enough apart in terms of stature for that not to compromise my love of Spurs. If they ever played one another in a competitive fixture I’d be overjoyed/shocked/surprised. and still want Spurs to win…

To be fair spurs are a pretty dull side compared to Newcastle and how can you say Shearer was a dirty so and so when we have Harry f’kin Rednapp as manager?

I agree with the point “no true fan has a second favourate team.” However I myself have been asked to name another team I “quite like” or “wanted to see do well.” It would be fair to say a lot of people would say Newcastle, even today. Certainly in my experience as a fan this question crops up down the pub on occasion. In addition I would have thought spurs would be way way down the list, and considering this piece has more than likely been written by a spurs fan could suggest jelousy in this (no one likes spurs).

This season has seen nothing but abuse and piss taking from london jounalists trying their hardest to sit on their high horses laughin at the “stupid northerners.” Im sure alot of people would like to see Newcastle overcome all this, and regain some pride and mount a future challenge for silverware, a true underdog story!

And the feelings that geordies thing they have a divine right to win something is gramatically correct, sure they deserve to for how long it has been and how close they have came? Uefa Cup losing semi finalists, FA Cup losing finalist, Premiership runners up, so close but no cigar. One day Newcastle will be great again.

I have a second-favourite team – a distant second, granted, but I do take offence at bullies who take it upon themselves to decide who is or is not “in their right mind” or “a true fan”. I like FULHAM, so call me what you want, then get lost, idiot.

Typical lazy ill informed article about Newcastle. You need to take two things on board, first as anon says, no one anywhere has described Newcastle as being everyone’s second favourite team for 15 years now and by saying so you are only demonstrating how out of date you are. Secondly by parroting the completly mistaken view that somehow Newcastle fans think they have a divine right to sucess you demonstrate that you know nothing about he club or it’s fans. With 5 top five finishs in the last 12-13 years Newcastle fans had the termerity to think they might finally win something and that is supposed to somehow be either deluded or unrealistic? You are nothing but and ignorant pr**k.

“for their insistence that they have a divine right to success, ”

Hahahaha, you fell into the same trap of believing what you are telling others not to believe.
We know we dont have a “divine right to success”, just as we know that “we are everybodys favourite team” is nonsense.

Trouble is you are too stupid to see how your “journalistic masterpiece” contradicts itself.
You have been watching and listening to too much Sky TV sonny.

Alex – “Newcastler will be great again”…surely that works on the assumption that Newcastle were once great sometime in the past…no, do not seem to recollect that ever being the case…definately no cigar!
It would be immensely enjoyable to see Newcastle playing in the championship…

I think Newcastle are shit and will laugh my cock off when they get relegated – big club?….fuck off

I think Newcastle supporters are deluded and will laugh at them when they get relegated – big club?….you’re taking the piss

Knobcheese your name says it all. About time you improved your personal hygine you filhty little man.

Look, I don’t give a rats ass if everyone hates us, laughs at us or thinks we are a comedy act. I will support the toon through thick and thin, and thank the lord our god that I wasn’t born a Yiddo, Manc or god forbid a Mackem!!! You all suck and you will be proved wrong when we stay up and kick everyones arse next season!!! Alan Shearer’s Black and White Army!!!

So what exactly constitutes a big club? Newcastle have been on a steady decline for years now and yet the fans still turn out in numbers any knowledgeable football fan should respect the dedication of the Toon fans considering the crap they have been served up in the last few years.

Spurs play in a converted bus depot with bolted on seats. The ground has none exsistent transport connections and is situated in one of the most disgusting parts of north london, as anyone who has had the misfortune to vist knows only too well. They are ubdoubtly the tramps of north london and evertime they wake up in the morning they can see the magnificent arsenal stadium domminating the skyline. Chaz and Dave are the main celebrity fans and even Alan Sugar ditched them asap. They pay more than every other premiership supporter to sit in an abject, decrepit dump of a ground and despite spending millions of pounds of borrowed money on second raters they will never win anything. By the way Newcastle have been champions 4 times as opposed to Spuds 2. ha ha ha.

Big club!!!! Of course we are!! How many do spurs fit in there cow shed of a shit tip ground? Not bloody 52000!!!! You dont have to win to be a big club, its about loyalty of the fan base!!! Up yours Yiddo!!!

It’s like the comments above that makes me want Newcastle to sink to the depths of the Championship. 50+ years without silverware; a deluded fan base that alienates players – hence they all come to Spurs: Gazza, Jenas, Waddle, Ginola etc.

Yes, a very big, very fancy ground. Alas, completely bereft of atmosphere – the big St. James’ Park myth; along with the ‘big club’ myth.

As for Newcastle being more entertaining than Spurs – you’re kidding yourself. You hoofed it up to Shearer for years, and his vacuum has never been filled.

I cannot wait to see them down.

…why are Toon fans so bothered? Nobody gives a crap about you guys whether for good or ill and I’d assume most fans are quite happy to be more concerned with their own club than anyone else’s. Don’t fall for a lazy windup, that’s almost as bad as the Spammers…

Mimo and his crack pipe. How I laughed.

“and despite spending millions of pounds of borrowed money on second raters they will never win anything”

Brothers in arms.

you yiddo idiot!! 52000 fans turn up every game yet where bottom 2!! thats a big club you idiot!! do you not remember the 4-1 thrashing you yiddo idiots got from us mighty toon!!! hahahaha and i have a second team and its arsenal!! the decent team in that part of london you yiddo idiots have always been second to the gunners! jelouse fool!! lets not forget the crap season you idiots are having also be a true fan support your club and shut your yiddo mouth and were see your comments when we take 3 points tommorow!!! SHEARER!!! SHEARER!!! SHEARER!!! 1 NIL DOWN 3 – 1 UP THEN OBA MARTINS WRAPS IT UP! WITH A NICK NACK PADDY WHACK GIVE A DOG A BONE ALL THE SPURS TWATS GO CRYING HOME!!!!

OH AND IF YOU LOOKED AT FOOTBALL NEWS YOU WOULD SEE EVEN A SPURS MIDFIELDER JENAS IS QUOTING THAT NEWCASTLE IS A BIG CLUB AND WILL STAY UP!!! GOOD JOB A IDIOT LIKE YOU DONT REPRESENT SPURS OR THERE TRUE FANS!!

You lot of stupid bar code, deluded tw@ts. You are not a big club, your supporters are shit and nothing you say will save your tin pot club from the deserved relegation that awaits you. Long live Shearer…. all the way to League 2.

The laugh is on you boys… enjoy the ride….

What a shame this BLOG and most of the comments show what ignorant and self deluded so called fans on both sides of the camp are.

I go back to an era when Newcastle won the FA cup 3 times in 5 years, then we had the era of the entertainers the majority of clubs go through seasons of non performance, unfortunately in truth Spurs have had their fair share of this for many a long year in the shadow of Arsenal.

When hatred comes to the fore it is because of insecurity and the desire to say that my toy is bigger than your toy. Grow up all of you. A true soccer fan obviously wants to see his ‘HOME TOWN’ club do well (unless you are a Man Utd supporter – they have no home town fans), I do not believe that you ever fall out of love with your home town team no matter what they do good or bad or where you live in the world (I now reside in Spain and am Black and White through and through – BTW I attended ‘The Toon’ for over 55 years before moving out here so have a fair experience to draw on – not like some who comment on these blogs who jump on a little success and run away when times get a little tough).

A true football fan is just that – favours his own team above all others and wants – no craves for his team to do well but appreciates a good game of football regardless of who plays and appreciates the supporters of other teams to hold reasonable views of their own. Small minded cursing and slagging off other supporters makes one look very small indeed. So decide if I am talking about you when I say ‘are small indeed’

David….. hypocrite from word one. Brilliant. Criticise others for venting their spleen and saying ‘my toy is bigger mentality’ then use it yourself quoting you have seen more games than us. Well mate you are wrong, I have (and still are) a season ticket holder at Spurs. Always will be and not run away to Spain as you quote when the goping gets tough.

You also have to have a dig at Man U fans… same applies, You can’t resist joining the ignorant and deluded so called fans. In your words if you were a true fan you would rise above that level. Get back to reality m8. Tw@t.

The Yid…
Please do the world a favour and kill yourself .
You obviously have nothing of note to contribute to society.

ijjc,

I see your comment was note worthy, how about you kill yourself or you could wait until your relegation. All you other newcastle fans, your 52000 seater stadium is as good as it will get, we will have a 59000 seater in a few years (if that is your measurement of a big club) personally i go for trophys won which puts us streets ahead of you. Oh and like to kick a team’s fans when they are down, you were SHIT today.

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