The trials and tribulations of a loyal Spurs supporter (especially after the Norwich game)

The trials and tribulations of a loyal Spurs supporter (especially after the Norwich game)

As Nan would say in Catherine Tate show, “what a load of fucking shit!”. Where do I start? The most exciting bit of the night was when Eric Dier went wild, putting it politely.

Yes, the final score was 1 to us, Norwich City, the strugglers (at the wrong end of the table) 1 (but they won 3-2 on penalties).

Well, what can one say? We were awful, totally awful. After we scored first, you just knew it that they would equalise. And as for the penalty shoot out, my gut said they would win it on penalties, and they did. Just as in the Colchester game, we weren’t up to the job.

As for our league position, we are there purely because United, Arsenal, and Chelsea keep either losing or drawing (nothing wrong with that!). If they had been on form, we would be below half-way.

Who to blame? I don’t blame Mourinho as he inherited this team. Our problems go back to Pochettino and chronic underfunding. The last couple of years we’ve got into the top four (no trophies) by a wing and a prayer. Now we’ve got this fabulous stadium, but a team that isn’t performing as a magnificent stadium would demand.

As I had said, the most thrilling bit of the night was after the game. As the match finished, I made my way downstairs with the others (Terry, Ollie, Stefania, Mel, Graham Roberts, Micky Hazard, and others). As we were about to start chatting, in the lounge area, a loud noise penetrated our conversations. Eric Dyer came into the lounge surrounded by security guards, bundled into the lift and taken downstairs. I can’t confirm it, but another man also seemed to have been escorted out. Then immediately we saw the photos and videos on social media, and the rumours quickly started circulating; something possibly to do with racial abuse on another player, he reacted. His brother was in a verbal fight, or a load of fans verbally abused Eric, and his brother responded… take your pick.

We sort of sat there stunned… or bemused, then we went to the balcony and looked over, where there was more commotion.

After that, it was back to the conversation. I’ve always been optimistic were Spurs are concerned, but after that night, I thought, back to the bad old days of dreadful performances and no prospects, any day soon, of climbing out of the hole of despair. I will be going to the next two games (actually, I go to them all), but I can’t see any hope of us winning (Burnley & Leipzig away), but I will hope I am wrong. I’ve been following Spurs since the sixties, and over that time I’ve seen some shit, but this night has to be up there with some of the most depressing observations I have seen for a while. You knew in your heart, like the Wolves game, that they (the opposition) were going to equalise and that they were eventually going to win it, which they did.

As for the team selection, don’t get me started on that one.

Tim Krul was the hero by saving two penalties as Norwich beat us in a shootout after a 1-1 draw to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 28 years.

Norwich were on the back foot in the penalty shootout when Kenny McLean's first kick was saved by Michel Vorm, but Erik Lamela hit the crossbar for Spurs with Troy Parrott and Gedson Fernandes seeing their efforts pushed away by Krul. The Dutch goalkeeper, who took his time to set himself before each kick, sprinted to the opposite end of the ground to celebrate with the 9,000 joyous travelling supporters in the away end. That is basically it, the end of any chance of any silverware.

We had taken the lead early on through Jan Vertonghen, as the Belgium defender rose highest to powerfully head in from Giovani lo Celso's superb cross. After that we were forced back by Norwich as the visitors caused plenty of problems - Emiliano Buendia and Lukas Rupp both forcing stand-in goalkeeper Vorm into making sharp saves.

The Canaries eventually got an equaliser on 78 minutes as Josip Drmic bundled in from close range after Vorm spilled Kenny McLean's drive.

At the other end, we could have won it with five minutes of normal time remaining, but Serge Aurier saw his low shot cleared off the line by the retreating Ben Godfrey. With no further goals in extra time, Norwich made it a night to remember. We also made it a night to remember, but for different reasons.

Next up is Burnley away and then a trip to Leipzig, I am not holding out any hope for both. I will be preparing to go to both, but as Terry said, let us go out and enjoy the moment (of the Leipzig game), either that or book ourselves in to see a shrink. At this moment in time, I can’t see us getting into the Europa League, let alone finishing in the top four. If we do, then we will owe it to the incompetence of Arsenal, United and Chelsea… and while we are at it, City, Leicester City and Liverpool haven’t been performing well, either. Again it's in the hands of others, instead of taking control.

After the game more depression, this time on the road. The M25, parts of it closed, M4, again the same. I finally got home at 2 pm (after witnessing a lorry on fire). Anyone for suicide watch? No matter what, we’ll continue to be there, but hopefully Danil Levy and our manager will sort something out, and quickly. Until then, we’ll continue to suffer as we have been doing, shall we say, since we last won a decent trophy, and that was 1991… I was there (I know, since then we’ve also won two League cups, but I did say ‘decent’ trophies).

“If I had no sense of humour, I would long ago have committed suicide.” Said, Mahatma Gandhi.  We Tottenham supporters, over the years, must have had some sense of humour, if we are still alive today!

All the best, Glenn