One for the Road

Newcastle’s Geordie fans come with all the assorted jokes. They’re louts, lardos and drunkards. When shirtless, it’s hard to tell the men from the women. They are probably unemployed. They support their team beyond all reason on message boards. But, they are true, passionate fans – you would have to be to root for Newcastle. They would be pathetic and heartbroken.

Spurs fans are abusive, racist and homophobic, which is marginally worse than Newcastle’s Mido-directed malevolence. What edges the judgment toward them is expectation. Spurs spent heavily in the summer, forcing fans into the delusion of a Champions League place. For Tottenham fans to travel from those heights to relegation in nine months would be catastrophic, and amusing for those not involved.”