Spotlight On: The 'Y-Word'

Every week, Hot Shot Hotspur will put the spotlight on one issue at the club. Our first 'Spotlight On' concerns the 'Y-Word'. This debate may have reached its peak a few months ago but it's still live, and I want to talk about it, so you just bloody well sit there and listen, got it? GOOD!

Yid Army!

This is the battle-cry. We know the story, it was adapted by Spurs fans after years of racist abuse from rival supporters who couldn't think of anything cleverer than gas-chamber noises and songs celebrating the Holocaust. Scum.

For whatever reason (location, ownership), Spurs has always had strong links to the Jewish community in North London. Despite this, the overwhelming majority of our fans are gentiles. In fact, Ar*enal probably have more Jewish fans than we do. The difference is, we embrace the multiculturalism. We wear the Yid badge with pride, because unlike our bigoted neighbours, we know there's nothing wrong with it. We don't wish to distance ourselves from the Jewish community, we're more than happy to embrace it. And what could be less racist than that?

Yes, the word Yid has been used as a derogatory term over the years, but it's just the opposite at the Lane. Any Spurs fan will tell you that there is no higher honour a player can receive than 36,000 people shouting 'yiddo, yiddo' at him. It means we deem you fit to wear the shirt. Welcome to the Yid family.

The idea that Spurs fans are being anti-semitic by using the dreaded 'Y-Word' is offensive. Our fans brilliantly turned this word from a hateful insult to a badge of honour. How dare you label us racists. If you truly want to 'kick racism out of football', do NOT stop yourself chanting the Y-Word at the Lane.

Do not take any heed of what David Baddiel, the Society of Black Lawyers or any of the journos in the Telegraph and the Guardian have said. Yes, yes, I know Baddiel's Jewish, but he's also a Che*sea fan so his opinion doesn't count. You know deep down that you're not chanting to offend anyone, and if someone does have something offensive to say about the Jews, well they're going to have 36,000 members of the Yid Army to answer to.

In any case, our beautiful club has defended its loyal fans. Back in November, Spurs responded to the pathetic threats of the Society of Black Lawyers with this statement:

"Our fans adopted the chant as a defence mechanism in order to own the term and thereby deflect antisemitic abuse. They do not use the term to others to cause any offence, they use it as a chant amongst themselves. The club believes that real antisemitic abuse such as hissing to simulate the noise of gas chambers is the real evil and the real offence. We believe this is the area that requires a determined and concerted effort from all parties and where we seek greater support to eradicate."

So be proud to be a yiddo, I know I am.

We're Tottenham Hotspur, we'll sing what we want.