Tight-Wad Spurs Empty Gooner Wallets

'A cup semi-final against our biggest rivals is just about the biggest game anyone could see at White Hart Lane. 'Wow, I agree, a league cup semi-final is just about the biggest game anyone could see at white hart lane.

Sad is'int it. That director sums up the spuds ambitions perfectly their gratest desire is to win the mighty Carling cup, sad, very sad.

great stance ENGLISHspud

it means: a Carling Cup semi-final against our greatest (?!) rivals - about the only opportunity to go to a Cup final in the odd decade, and a perfect opportunity to line our pockets with the money from our staunch but naive support. Also a rare occasion to win against Arsenal's 2nd string, as they seem to take this competition lightly. What a bunch of clowns.

I am sure u had bigger games than this Mike (Villareal Champs league?).

Oh look, ES is here. The biggest hypocrite on Vital. Only two days ago he was speak about people not being able to afford to go to every game, and now.....oh look his stance has change to try and wind up a few gooners. As stated at the bottom of the article, I don't care what you do at your own little dump, I just think that Spurs having a say at ticket prices at our ground when our board wants the fans to get a price cut is wrong. Now haven't you got someone to report for racism? Ah yes I forgot, you're too much of a coward to do that.

There,s nothing wrong with my ability to read es 'A cup semi-final against our biggest rivals is just about the biggest game anyone could see at White Hart Lane. Our policy is to take the Carling Cup very seriously. We put out our first team. First of all I am fully aware that the spud director doe's not "say" that it would be their greatest desire to win the cc, it's the action on and off the pitch that say's it all, usless in Europe hopless in the EPL and about to go out of the FA cup now what does that leave us, oh yea the mighty Carling cup, sad, very sad.

I think it's a disgrace. The poor spuds have to pay an arm and a leg of their hard-earned money, only to see their hapless attempt at a football team bowled over by the Arsenal second string. Oh well, keep believing in the Carling Cup dream, there's always next year. You only came to see The Arsenal!

Of course it's business and like any business it's an opportunity to invest in the future. By encouraging fans (younger fans or family groups perhaps) who may not have the resources to visit Premiership or Champions league games to attend minor competitions you lay the foundation for fans of the future to attend matches. Arsenal uses the competition to blood young players and perhaps young fans. It's just good business to do so. Then again others take a shorter term view of their businesses, over spend desperately on player transfers and change managers almost annually. Maybe looking after your customers would be a better business strategy.

You just have to laugh at the spuds. They actually went to the lengths of resting some first team players yesterday (despite being in a relegation fight), because they are taking the CC that seriously!! Their desperation to be in europe next year is laughable & will only backfire on them. I do fully expect they will get to the final (if Wenger plays virtually the same team, although it has to change slightly as RVP & Djourou are both out injured) but even if that does happen, they won't get past Chelski or Everton!! Seeing the spuds humiliate themselves at Wembley would brighten up the start of 2008 no end!!

LD, didn't I say a few weeks ago that Arsenal never wanted to charge higher prices for these games & that it was the spuds who forced them into it. It's just further evidence that the spuds are coming into financial difficulties. Their spending last summer was based on money they will receive at the end of this season (league prize money & tv revenue), which admittedly a lot of smaller clubs used. They desperately need to be in europe again or they will be kissing goodbye to any half decent player they own (& Berbatov's fee will halve itself).

Which players did Spurs rest Ashburton Gooner? - Chimbonda is wearing out his welcome so its obvious Stalteri should get a game. It has been mentioned that Huddlestone would make a decent CB, so Ramos was undoubtedly having a look at him there as he used to do the same with players at Seville? And with injuries at CB, and Chimbonda's refusal to play there, there was little choice - Its not price fix Amos, there is a charge to attend a game and this has not been arranged with other clubs; if you don't want to pay the reasonable price, don't go - SuperGooner, where is this arrogance coming from? you were very lucky to get a 1-1 draw with us having just beaten us 2-1 in the Prem despite us being injury ravaged and then you got held 1-1 by the Brummies despite this being you so called first team. Ashburton Gooner, the idea that Spurs are in financial difficulties is a moronic statement in the extreme. As a plc, take a look at the financial statements the club has to issue, which show that even with the transfer expenditure, the club is still very much trading in the black; the money for Bent and Bale came from LAST YEARS profits and we have yet to tap into the Puma/Mansion sponsorship money despite it being half way through a £54.5m deal. Talk about clutching at straws !!!!!!!

Rocky7, I believe my comment about ticket prices was related to those people in the north who may have less disposable income yet still shown commendable loyalty to their teams, despite the repulsive sneering of those undoubtedly wealthier fans in the south who often have the benefit of a 'London weighting' to supplement their salaries. I would expect an inaccurate response from you. With regard to racism, if the editor at Arsenal VitalFootball cannot see how cultural and racial stereotyping of people is offensive and should be dealt with, especially when it is made by those who ought to know better, then I am not wasting my time reporting anything to people who will immediately 'close ranks'. Just because your journalist is well educated and therefore not as 'obvious' in his comments and tries to cover it up as some humourous anecdote, does not make it any less offensive.

Those football supporters in the south maybe on larger incomes, but in turn the football ticket prices are already inflated. It's a joke that everyone maintains that money is ruining football, yet when you find something to try and wind members of Vital Arsenal up your stance changes instantly. Your weasely and nit-picky persona has become pathetic on epic proportions, you need help. And it's nice to see that your stance on racism is that of "well if nobody else is gunna do anything, then why should I?" A truly commendable attitude. Just imagine what we could have achieved if people like Nelson Mandela & Malcolm X had adpoted your attitude rather than cowaring away in a corner.

ES- How, or why for that matter why would I be clutching at straws when it comes to the little spuddies?? Spurs ARE having financial difficulties & thats why ENIC are looking to sell, but you keep denying it all you like, it makes no difference to me at all. As for the Sunderland game, King was rested (& don't come back talking s*** that he was injured because he will be playing on tuesday), Keane was rested until the 74th minute because he was also being saved for the Arsenal game. When a team like spurs is in a relegation battle don't you think they should be playing the best available team or no doubt you would be happy to be relegated as long as you win the CC & knock Arsenal's second string out, because thats the mentality of moronic spud supporters like yourself!!

I've never visited Paul in Yorkshire, we met at an Arsenal game. You've nicely given away your multiple identities with your admission of reading my match reports from WHL, the last time we played there was September, when Englishspur had never turned up on this forum (I think you were posing as Sir Harry, or Gromit or Kernowboy, or Slim Shady at that point). My point is that Newcastle fans are no more or no less loyal than anybody else, it's all a complete con, the wordl's most loyal fans would have no trouble selling more than 20,000 tickets for a cup replay. Man City have a gretaer claim to that end having regularly achieved over 30,000 in the third tier of English football. The fact is, it's not how near you live to your team, it's how much you put into supporting them. It's six years today since I missed an Arsenal game that took place in Britain (in that time I have missed about five European away games). This encompasses a time when I was at university and stretches back to being at school, my current annual salary is nothing spectacular by any means and I was raised in a single parent family, so while I was not left wanting, I was hardly affluent. The fact is, I bust a gut and severely dent my spending capabilities to follow my team, so any lessons on loyalty aren't really necessary. I sneer at a poorly formed media myth of the brave Geordies when, quite frankly, they are no more spectacular than any other set of fans. Anyone who goes will vouvh the same.

Ouch, in the words of Bono, "and you give yourself away, and you give yourself away....."

I actually think Jonathan would disagree with you there. We are not a bunch of little friends who sit around tables drinking wine and laughing evily at other, infact I am contractually bound not to publish anything libelous, copyrighted or racist, if I were to break these rules I would be immdiately removed from editorial duties. Jonathan is trying to run a business here (as well as creating something he is very passionate about). So please, get in touch with him if you feel anything you have read on this site that you feel is racist. But both you and I know you won't do that, because there is nothing remotely racist about what LD wrote, if you could simply stop being a cock for ten minutes, maybe we could all get along.

Like anyone here actually gives a toss what you think EnglishSpud! I personally think that Tottenham's conduct whilst despicable, is to be expected from a club whose priority is clearly financial, as is being demonstrated in this matter. That is the reason for their stinking desperation to get into Europe, and is probably driven by ENIC's desire to see a return on their money. So whatever your mercenary manager says, be assured ES that should a suitable offer for Berbatov be received, he will be off quicker than you can make a snidy comment on VitalArsenal.

And i can't wait until our kids demolish your European dreams at *****e HArt Lane.

Yeah, why were you googling our names. I'll tell you something, I couldn't give anything approaching two *****s about you enough to google you. How do you know the violence is falsely accused? I know the internet offers you the chance to flaunt your multiple identities, but I very much dount you have physical omnipresence, I reported what I saw, if you don't like it, then quite frankly I couldn't care less. I couldn't care less about any of your opinions, and you obviously find me unpalatable, so why keep coming back here and picking fights with myself and the editor? And I might possibly be able to recall two articles in the last two years where Paul mentioned where he was from. As it happened, I didn't even know until I met the dude and picked up on a quite obvious accent! (Despite my limited grasp on matters outisde the South). Seriously, ask yourslef why you and your merry band of alter egos keep coming here, there must be something missing in your life, which is your business not mine. Don't involve me in your problems, I'm not a psychiatric nurse. I suggest you visit a qualified one because continually picking fights here will only continue to make you very unhappy.

Rocky7, you are quite right in saying all racist comments should be reported and having reflected on your comments I have taken your advice and reported the abuse as you suggested.

Maybe you'll stop being a racist

I mean it's quite natural to share revenues and ticket allocations in those one-off knock-out rounds, like what we're doing in FA Cup now. But CC semi-finals, 2-legged, why can't the clubs have full control on their own home games respectively?

I just heard Gus Poyet say the spuds rested 4 players with an eye on the game against Arsenal, and in his words "the biggest game of the season". Well, EnglishStalker that's about it.

I believe ES should be totally and completely ignored.

And one more question - do other clubs have the same row, I mean the same row every year? E.g. are Everton and Chelsea both putting CC prices in a bracket lower than the league, so no disagreements there, or what? Does this happen to clubs other than Spurs?

It's all about context, when something clearly is a light-hearted joke,it's not offensive. Political correctness is just as bad as tottenham, well, almost. All chelsea fans are rich, hah! That's a stereotype, now you'll have to report me as well. Let's see how you convince the vital admin that I am being racist towards myself.I'm such an evil genious.

Every few months we have a visitor who lingers like a bad smell and follows the pattern - a disagreement, then sneering, then rabid accusations... Englishspur wins the first prize of 2008. Anyway, I tried to discover - not successfully - how Spurs were able to force us to charge Category B at our stadium for the CC. I thought it had to be agreed by both parties - did our board just relent and let the Spuds talk us into it through sheer insistence? Does anyone know for sure?

Kevin!! You're the one that spends all day strutting up and down Copacabana beach checking out the talent, aren't you? :-)

If we play the game of stereotypes, I as a woman has no place here. If Kevin's by the beach and getting sued, it's time for me to go back to the kitchen, stop going to school, stop watching football and definitely shouldn't be nosy about what's said online about Arsenal.

AFC85Lew, the comments made about WHL are simply repeating what you lot say. Clearly the stadium has been developed piecemeal and a number of the stands are showing their age, so the ground may not be of the same standard as some of the recently constructed stadia, but for a ground of its generation, it is a superb ground, with great viewing angles and an excellent pitch. However it is clear that the stadia can only be developed further if it is demolished and a wholly new structure build. LOU THE GUNNERESS, I believe an Everton supporter here EvertonMike, has said their prices for the SF have doubled so its clearly not just a Spurs-Arsenal issue. Its just a poorly researched article trying to criticise THFC and not providing any explanation that other teams are doing the same.

There is no rule of law that says if someone is offended the taking of offense is justified or that the offendor is automatically at fault. That's something you have invented yourself. Each case would be treated on it's merits. In any event I think it is a great leap of imagination to say that including the word "lederhosen" in an article would offend all Germans or that all Geordies would lose any sleep at night if referred to as "self congratulatory". Much worse could be found in the serious press over this weekend. Even so you then go on to contradict your own feeble argument because by your logic whether Black Cow is a syrupy drink or not if someone is offended by it then it must be offensive but your attempt to justify or excuse an overtly racist remark betrays the true extent of your interest in such issues. Your constant, silly, pedantic, nit picking in trying to invent crimes would embarrass Mary Whitehouse. It's a path you have trodden many times before in different guises. Frankly it makes you look very stupid indeed and the advice for you to get a life is a very good one.

Maybe Amos you should look at the laws on discrimination. Go and have a look at your company's employee handbook - in it, it should say, the offensive nature of a comment under discrimination law is determined by the offense it causes to an individual rather than the lack of alleged intent by the issuer. As I was indicating, people took offence at other comments, irrespective of what was intended, because it was the perception held by other posters that it was a slur. I'm not justifying it - I am saying that any remark no matter how intended which could cause offense and should not be made by the editorial team. Speaking to my German colleague, Jan-Marco, the imagery of lederhosen is embarassing to a lot of Germans as it envokes a stereotype of fat, right wing individuals, stuck in beer halls drinking excessively and singing anti-semitic songs. It is very much associated with the Bavarians and Klinsmann isn't even from that part of Germany. The actual instances of lederhosen wearing is as common as our wearing Morris dancing outfits. Having just had to write a training course on what people can and cannot say in the workplace, the grounds it causes for legal action is amazing. There was a case of a Welsh builder on the Millenium Stadium who won £8,000 because his sense of 'Welshness' was offended as his work colleagues made stereotype comments on his being from Wales. Go figure.

It doesn't matter what it says in your employment handbook. The fact that someone is offended doesn't mean that a remark is offensive if it can be shown that someone is being over sensitive or that the taking of offense is unreasonable. That's a matter of individual judgment. If any remark can cause offense as you claim then we are all guilty of it - yourself included. You are over simplifying the matter to justify your pointless argument. As I say take a look at the national press you will find plenty for Geordies to take offense at amongst national columnists this weekend. As for Germans, I can promise you that Germans, with whom I deal with on a daily basis, are no more offended by lederhosen stereotypes, than the average Englishman is bothered by bowler hat and umbrella wielding stereotypes. You are making mountains out of molehills. You suggested that it would be wittier to make reference to 'diving in' in relation to Klinsmann - isn't he entitled to feel offended by that? Notwithstanding that as a piece of witty writing it is more likely to have come from the creative writing department of a christmas cracker factory or even more likely the wastepaper bin of a Carry On film scriptwriter. If that passes as humour then no wonder you struggle with Tim Stillmans pieces. Perhaps you had better stick with the Dandy and Beano (if they still exist) as the level of humour that gets you chuckling.

£8,000???? F*** me! Guys, c'mon call me a sheepshagger, please, please, please. With all that money I might just be able to afford a ticket to go and watch the CC game at WHL. I might even have a few quid spare to go and buy my own sheep too lol.

Wow examples of petulent spurs fans and a lesson in British discrimination laws, VitalArsenal works on so many levels! LOL Either way we have worked out that Tomorrow is Spurs cupfinal and for us it means a lot less. They are a bunch of money grabing you know whats wehere as we would like our fans to pay "reserve" prices to watch our reserves, but the Spuddies don't want any of that........Are you all surprised in anyway???

I can only supplant what nikolaijns said this weekend, racism and cultural intolerance is such a huge issue and a very serious one in our society. ES, with your every post on this forum, you trample all over it in a quite disturbing act of one upmanship. Even going so far as to try and defend the blatant racism of a poster here while betraying any sense of irony with your attacks on me. To clarify, Newcastle fans have a song in which they explicitly use the lyrics, "we are the world's most loyal supporters," pretty self congratulatory within the context I speak. The lederhosen reference was quite obviously intentionally stereotypical to fit into the satirical nature of the piece. I lived with a German girl for two years, she read this article and did not even pick up on the reference, let alone become enraged with your mock outrage. It is quite clear that you have no sense of irony, in which case football is definitely not the sport for you and arenas in which football fans gather (be it stadia or virtual forums) should be avoided at all costs. Good luck in your federal case against Vital Spurs members YidEdy, Dr. Yid, Scott da Yid, YiddoNick etc. I would chance you haven't brought that up with the owner of the network, because you and I both know that cultural stereotyping and racism is not your primary concern.

What about the legions of Spurs fans who aren't Jewish? Why is it alright for a football club to adopt the modiker of an ancient religion that has dealt with acute persecution throughout history? What about Jewish Arsenal fans who use that expression? By your definition, they are racist. I understand the origins of Spurs using that word, it's similar to Arsenal fans chanting, "you need more foreigners." Since you are so familiar with my work, you will be quite aware that I have adopted it with gusto, quite an achievement for somebody as culturally intolerant as I am. No matter how much you try and paint it as such, you and I both know that is not your point of contention here (I very much doubt you've ever raised an objection to the littany of posters on Vital Spurs who refer to our stadium as "the Immigrants stadium" or call our team Francenal). I have a recording at home of a documentary on Mark Chapman, the man who killed John Lennon. In the biopic it shows that Chapman was an educated and mild mannered man, altogether not such a bad egg. In fact, he spent the happiest years of his life working with mentally and physically handicapped children. The problem for Chapman was that people kept capitalising on his yearning for affection and continued to betray him. Over time he grew more embittered, until one day he saw a picture of John Lennon in a magazine and it enraged him for some reason. He began to transfix all of his bitterness and hatred and project it onto Lennon, a man who had the fame and acceptance that Chapman craved. The paradigms between this story and your transfixion with me are quite poignant and really quite disturbing.

After all if someone made a tasteless remark about Toure or Adebayor, tried to describe it as humour or irony and then found an archived picture of them in national costume or similar, then they would be rightfully condemned or criticised and in all probability called a racist. Exactly what is the difference in making similar comments about Klinsmann? All you do is encourage others to walk dangerously close to the line.

Good - posters can decide whether it is any more acceptable to abuse and stereotype Klinsmann and find archived pictures in percieved national costume, than it would be to abuse Toure and Adebayour, justify it as a humorous remark and then try to find pictures of them in national costume to try to defend the comments. And why you? As clearly one of the more intelligent and articulate of posters and journalists it is fairly nauseating that you act in a similar manner to others who you would dare criticise, and seem to do it with impunity ... all you seem to come up with is the lame remark that apparently I have posted under another name previously and so I feel no sympathy at all when you and others are subsequently taken to ask. You reap what you sow.

ES - Seen as you have had the good sense to report what you blatently feel is racism, then there is no reason for you to keep returning to these threads. The powers that be will decide who is right and who is wrong. You a clearly an intelligent and articulte fellow, so instead of acting like a four year old, why not walk away? You've made your point (no matter how much I disagree with it) and reported it to the appropriate authorities (whom ever that may be) so there's no reason to keep commenting, right? If you return then it will be all the more obvious that you sole purpose of being here it to wind people up and in turn that willonly expose you as the wind up merchant I believe you to be.

LD, I agree CC is set aside for youth from an Arsenal perspective. But the reason why AW's doing this is that we're losing Senderos as he had a bad knock in his nose at Fulham. So we have no choice but to play Gallas and a makeshift CB - Hoyte or Gilberto I guess. So I'm with you, we didn't play the experienced players last year against Chelsea at the final and I don't see any reason why we should in a semi against Spurs. But we're in a situation where 3 CB's are out. So although I don't think it's 'ideal', we might be stronger in defence, though that's not exactly what I wanted, despite the improved strength.

Don't worry, Billy will be careful not to let some idiots kick him. And he'll be taking us to Wembley.

I am not sure how you reach the conclusion that there is much intelligence involved in ES posts Rocky. An intelligent person would have worked out that implying that Klinsmann is a habitual cheat with a 'diving' reference is probably more abusive and stereotypical than some oblique reference to German national costume. As for being articulate doesn't there have to be some discernible point in order for it to be anything more than pontification?

You guys are scaring me!

Yeah Rocky, I was scratching my head too when I saw the word 'intelligent'...

Amos, Klinsmann poked fun at himself with his own diving celebration. It is also not a stereotype on someone's nationality or ethnicity but on someone's behaviour - a behaviour which can be changed unlike the colour of someones skin or the place where they were born. If you cannot understand the difference between that, then you really are not that bright. It is curious that no-one has said it would be equally acceptable to make stereotyped comments about the nationality or national dress of Toure or Adebayor - possibly because it wouldn't be?

Yep - that's pontification all right. National costumes are by definition stereotypical - they wouldn't be national costumes if they weren't.

Perhaps your strategy was best after all Rocky. It's a bit like dogs that bark for no reason. They don't know why they are barking they just like the noise they make but they'll quieten down if you tickle their tummies. In this case though the roasted on a spike has more appeal for me.

A stereotype is a generalisation based on minimal or limited knowledge about a group to which the person doing the stereotyping does not belong. It has nothing to do with national costume, but the stereotype would be that all Africans dress as hunter gatherers, all Germans wear lederhosen, all Scots wear kilts, all Australians are descended from those who were transported etc etc etc. Only the spectacularly stupid and ignorant pander to such stereotyping. Nice response Rocky7 as an alternative to providing an intelligent response

It was a valid queston ES, usually after falsely accusing someone of something you slope off and change your username. I have become so bored with your pathetic, girly whining that I can't be bothered trying to reason with you anymore as you clearly aren't interested in anything other causing trouble. And you have been like that for a good long while now.

Lou the Gunneress - despite there being several articulate contributors all of whom were personally abusive to another poster in a previous article and have tried to be personally abusive to me here, no-one has provided a suitable answer. YTL/Cannavaro was rightfully criticised if he made a racist comment, yet the Editorial team have made remarks here about a white German guy that if similar remarks were made about Black African players, everyone would be up in arms about. I'm just pointing out 1) how two faced that behaviour is, people should not be abused because of where they come from ... 2) the editorial team should be setting a standard and example. Are we saying that this sort of double standards are acceptable?

oh God, what is with you guys? this miser is getting way too much attention here, and that is all he wants. just ignore him and his posts like he doesent exist. i've been down the road with way too many times when he was posing as sir harry, and believe me folks, he's not worth a single second of ur time..

Berbatov said it's their 'match of the year' heeheee: http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=555465

Not desputing that SS, it's when your board dictates the prices of tickets at our gaff that we take the hump. I understand that you wanna go on the defensive when it comes to us "goons" having a pop at your club, but surely you'd prefer it if both clubs had slashed their prices for this lesser competition?!?

Rocky you beat me to that. If we do the 'over-generalisation' thing again, someone would calling "Spurs fans are dumb" but I'm NOT going there. (Chill ES, just a JOKE!)

Calm it down lads. Arsenal are on the top of the league smoking cannabis and sipping champagne. But you cannot forget that Spurs have an entirely English squad and Arsenal have Foreigners and pedos in theirs.

Rocky, yes..........

look dont mention the war....i mentioned it once but i think i got away with it........

Troll hungry, troll eats well, mmm... must bait gooners further for nourishment....Seriously ladies and gents, just drop it, I'm beggining to take a dislike to reading the comments that would normally contain intelligent opinion about the article at hand. Please for the love of God stop feeding the troll. Kindest regards, an irritated vital member.