Three years ago I made a decision that would change my life forever. It is the kind of decision you look back on and think ?Why on earth did I do that??. It seemed a good idea at the time although admittedly, I only did it to be a sheep. I did it because a couple of school friends had done it and I thought if they can I can. Imagine making a decision that often makes you the most unpopular person around. Well, that is exactly what I did when I enrolled on a referee?s course!
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As a Spurs fan I can console myself at a 1-1 draw against a team of dubious morals such as Blackburn Rovers is really a point gained rather than yet another two points lost as the race for fourth place rapidly becomes a race for sixth place in this season’s Premiership. What I can’t have though is “Son of Fergie” Mark Hughes bleating on about how hard done by his poor Blackburn side were and how referees need to be backed up by video evidence if they aren’t to ruin games as Phil Dowd supposedly did yesterday.
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I took a risk last week. As it was Reading v Tottenham, I invited a Reading supporting fan and my mate from work that is also a Spurs fan around to my house for the big game. Having beat the Chelsea the week before, the Reading fan cried off and it was left to me and Birrell to enjoy the game. As we discussed the tactics and line ups, we both agreed that the key was starting well. If we came out all guns blazing and immediately put them on the back foot, we were in with a chance. As it was, we limped out and the writing was on the walls.
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This weekend went off as a Spurs supporters dream. First Arsenal suffered a defeat at West Ham with Mr Wenger showing that he really is one of the most unsporting men in the Premiership today and then to top it all Spurs beat Chelsea at home taking all three points convincingly.
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It’s been a long time coming. The fact that both Gary Lineker and Nico Claesen have both long since retired (and increasingly worrying for me that they were both boyhood heroes of mine) means that it was a hell of a long time since Spurs actually put the West London chancers to the sword and as the years wore on (Arfa Arfa match* aside) and the Russian roubles flowed in and out of Stamford Bridge, it began to look like it would never happen.

Enter Martin Jol and his merry band of men, stage left.
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Obviously when Chelsea try to turn the head of a Spurs player I’m not going to be too amused and the fact that it just happens to hit the papers the day before we play them at White Hart Lane in the Premiership shouldn’t be seen as anyhting other than pure coincidence (should it?) but I have to say that Chelsea and Jose Mourinho really have taken the whole concept of mind games to a new level.
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I’m getting a little tired of the do gooders in the national press comparing Jermain Defoe’s “nibble” with Ben Thatcher’s forearm smash on Pedro Mendes and calling for a similar punishment. What Defoe did was obviously indefensible, however, it was a minor act of petulance that caused the other player no injury while Thatcher’s attack could very easily have killed or seriously maimed Pedro Mendes. Are we not drawing distinctions now?
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Just another reminder folks that we have TWO SIGNED COPIES of Adam Powley and Martin Cloake’s new book “The Spurs Miscellany” to give away in our latest competition on State of the Game!

Entry is limited again to registered members of the State of the Game forums but don’t worry if you aren’t already a member, just take 30 seconds and REGISTER FOR FREE, it’s that simple.

When you register just answer the following easy question by sending a Private Message (PM) to me (Alan) on the forums with your answer and name and you will be entered into the draw on Monday 23rd October 2006 at 5pm for a chance to win one of the two prizes.

QUESTION: Gareth Johnson writes an excellent Tottenham Hotspur column for State of the Game called “He’s Got No Hair and We Don’t Care” in tribute to current head coach Martin Jol. Which League Cup winning Spurs star of the 1970s was the “He’s Got No Hair…” song originally sang to?

Just PM the answer to me and you’ll go into the hat. Simple.

Adam and Martin have put together a fantastic collection of miscellaneous facts and stories about Spurs throughout the club’s history and it makes fascinating reading for both Spurs fans and other football fans alike.

Check out “The Spurs Miscellany” at Amazon.co.uk for more reader reviews and some more info and then register for the State of the Game forums and get your answer in quickly to stand a chance of having one of these two copies delivered to your door (UK based members only unfortunately at this time.)

Good luck!

AH
Admin, SOTG

Just another reminder folks that we have TWO SIGNED COPIES of Adam Powley and Martin Cloake’s new book “The Spurs Miscellany” to give away in our latest competition on State of the Game!

Entry is limited again to registered members of the State of the Game forums but don’t worry if you aren’t already a member, just take 30 seconds and REGISTER FOR FREE, it’s that simple.

When you register just answer the following easy question by sending a Private Message (PM) to me (Alan) on the forums with your answer and name and you will be entered into the draw on Monday 23rd October 2006 at 5pm for a chance to win one of the two prizes.

QUESTION: Gareth Johnson writes an excellent Tottenham Hotspur column for State of the Game called “He’s Got No Hair and We Don’t Care” in tribute to current head coach Martin Jol. Which League Cup winning Spurs star of the 1970s was the “He’s Got No Hair…” song originally sang to?

Just PM the answer to me and you’ll go into the hat. Simple.

Adam and Martin have put together a fantastic collection of miscellaneous facts and stories about Spurs throughout the club’s history and it makes fascinating reading for both Spurs fans and other football fans alike.

Check out “The Spurs Miscellany” at Amazon.co.uk for more reader reviews and some more info and then register for the State of the Game forums and get your answer in quickly to stand a chance of having one of these two copies delivered to your door (UK based members only unfortunately at this time.)

Good luck!

AH
Admin, SOTG

It’s October competition time on State of the game and we have TWO SIGNED COPIES of Adam Powley and Martin Cloake’s new book “The Spurs Miscellany” to give away!

Entry is limited again to registered members of the State of the Game forums but don’t worry if you aren’t already a member, just take 30 seconds and REGISTER FOR FREE, it’s that simple.

When you register just answer the following easy question by sending a Private Message (PM) to me (Alan) on the forums with your answer and name and you will be entered into the draw on Monday 23rd October 2006 at 5pm for a chance to win one of the two prizes.

QUESTION: Gareth Johnson writes an excellent Tottenham Hotspur column for State of the Game called “He’s Got No Hair and We Don’t Care” in tribute to current head coach Martin Jol. Which League Cup winning Spurs star of the 1970s was the “He’s Got No Hair…” song originally sang to?

Just PM the answer to me and you’ll go into the hat. Simple.

Adam and Martin have put together a fantastic collection of miscellaneous facts and stories about Spurs throughout the club’s history and it makes fascinating reading for both Spurs fans and other football fans alike.

Check out “The Spurs Miscellany” at Amazon.co.uk for more reader reviews and some more info and then register for the State of the Game forums and get your answer in quickly to stand a chance of having one of these two copies delivered to your door (UK based members only unfortunately at this time.)

Good luck!

AH
Admin, SOTG