Spurs Demand Review
Friday, 09 January 09, 07:21 AM · Comments (38)
That's where those naffing sock came from!
I know, I know, just what the world was missing, another online petition - but why not have the good grace to quickly read this through before the inertia overwhelms you.
The name Walter Tull has sort of flloated in and out of our collective conciousness over recent months. And most people would half register he was black, a soldier, played for Spurs 1000 years ago and there was something on the telly about him but you missed it.
You can read about him here, but in a nutshell, the point of this to encourage the British Army to revisit his war record and decide if the fact that Military Cross ought be postumously awarded to him.
Why?
In that era, there was an endemic discrimination against serving personel based upon their ethnicity.
His rank of Second Lieutenant was achieved 'despite his colour' and it is generally accepted that it was made as an act of neccessity and despite the odds. He did recieve the Miltary Medal, but endorsements for the Military Cross were not going to go anywhere at that time.
Look, you read the petition and make your own mind up.
Maybe, the some good from this may spill over and help ammend the indiscetions inflicted on other coloured servicemen and women who never kicked a ball for anyone.
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"Just remember one thing my son - no-one is bigger than the club. The club will be here long after you go. Us supporters ain't mugs (well, not too many!). To end - if you don't want us and our club ain't big enough for you, then f*ck right off." Dannyboy
"We're very lucky in the band in that we have two visionaries, David and Nigel, they're like poets, like Shelley and Byron. They're two distinct types of visionaries, it's like fire and ice, basically. I feel my role in the band is to be somewhere in the middle of that, kind of like lukewarm water." Derek Smalls
"Can you hear me! Tommy Trinder, Johnny Haynes, Dodi Fayed, Wolfy Smith.......your boys took a hell of a beating!" Sydney Wale
"Each season, there is a team that goes into freefall and gets sucked into the relegation scrap. losing becomes a habit, like winning and if we ain't careful, that team could be us." Dannyboy
"Clearly my words have gone to the highest level. Expect him gone in May" Jolsgonemental
"As a Spurs supporter of no half-measure, I will continue to support Jol, Hughton, the squad and the entire club, to the best of my ability and at all times" Yid 15
"I hear Glenn Hoddle has found God. That must have been one hell of a pass." Jasper Carrott
"White Hart Lane was always a place where I felt I belonged." David Ginola
"I would run through brick walls for Spurs." Graham Roberts
"Even now, when I go over to my mother'S house and dig out the old tracksuit tops I wore, it makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I like to think i am part of a special family. I am no longer connected with the club on a daily basis, but i'm delighted with every win and sad about every defeat." Steve Perryman
"Any player coming to Spurs, whether he's a big signing or just a ground staff boy, must be dedicated to the game and to the club. He must never be satisfied with his last performance, and he must hate losing." Bill Nicholson
"Bill did so much for his beloved Spurs that we must never let his legacy fade. He must be our inspiration as we strive to ensure that a new era dawns here at White Hart Lane." Daniel Levy
" 'Oh dear, it's f*cked', is what I've always taken it to mean. I do have O-level Latin. Now they've stuck up a literal translation, in large letters: 'To dare is to do.' The words just stand there, on their own, not making much sense." Hunter Davies
"When Gazza came to the Spurs training ground for the first time got the ball, went round 8 players as if they were not there and then smashed the ball into the net. Just to see him play like that made the hair stand up on the back of your neck. Everybody stood there and applauded him." Terry Venables
"We will not be pushed around by a bunch of north London yobbos." Rupert Lowe, Southampton chairman, shortly before his manager Glenn Hoddle left for Spurs.
""I earned the right to be in the team and fought every game to be in it." Graham Roberts
"The worst thing Spurs ever did was get rid of Keith Burkinshaw. They never replaced him." Graham Roberts
"When you've finished playing football, young man, which is going to be very soon, I feel, you'll make a very good security guard." David Pleat to a 17yr old Neil Ruddock
"If someone wants to give you a bum steer on who we're after, then so be it. If you want to know, ask me, because I have a list of players we want and Robbie Keane isn't on it." Glenn Hoddle, then Spurs manager, shortly before paying 17 mill for ... Robbie Keane.
"The biggest regret of my whole football career was leaving White Hart Lane in 1970.....my interest in football weakened after that. I was heartbroken" Jimmy Greaves.
"I know more about smalz herring than I do about football." Sir Alan Sugar
"The trouble with Christian Gross is that no-one had heard of him. The communication wasn't brilliant and as captain I decided to explain to him how things worked and what the players liked and were used to. I do not believe he listened to a word I said." Gary Mabbutt
"Always had a bit of time, make a little bit of space, look up, bang. And you know he could put it on a postage stamp from 40 yards. Mmmmmmmmm...." Ron Manager aka Paul Whitehouse, Spurs fan on Glenn Hoddle
"I'm a miserable sod." Sir Alan Sugar
"The great fallacy is that the game is first and last about winning. It's nothing of the kind. The game is about glory. It's about doing things in style, with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom." Danny Blanchflower
"Man in the raincoat's blue & white army." Spurs fans unable to use George Graham's name, 1999.
"We like a tackle at Tottenham. we're not pansies, you know. " David Pleat
"I was sitting just a few feet away from David Pleat at the World Cup. He's a nice fellow, but the man is mad: certifiably, eye-spiningly mad." Danny Kelly
"The only thing wrong with White Hart Lane is that the seats face the pitch" Les Dawson
-
"Just remember one thing my son - no-one is bigger than the club. The club will be here long after you go. Us supporters ain't mugs (well, not too many!). To end - if you don't want us and our club ain't big enough for you, then f*ck right off." Dannyboy
"We're very lucky in the band in that we have two visionaries, David and Nigel, they're like poets, like Shelley and Byron. They're two distinct types of visionaries, it's like fire and ice, basically. I feel my role in the band is to be somewhere in the middle of that, kind of like lukewarm water." Derek Smalls
"Can you hear me! Tommy Trinder, Johnny Haynes, Dodi Fayed, Wolfy Smith.......your boys took a hell of a beating!" Sydney Wale
"Each season, there is a team that goes into freefall and gets sucked into the relegation scrap. losing becomes a habit, like winning and if we ain't careful, that team could be us." Dannyboy
"Clearly my words have gone to the highest level. Expect him gone in May" Jolsgonemental
"As a Spurs supporter of no half-measure, I will continue to support Jol, Hughton, the squad and the entire club, to the best of my ability and at all times" Yid 15
"I hear Glenn Hoddle has found God. That must have been one hell of a pass." Jasper Carrott
"White Hart Lane was always a place where I felt I belonged." David Ginola
"I would run through brick walls for Spurs." Graham Roberts
"Even now, when I go over to my mother'S house and dig out the old tracksuit tops I wore, it makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I like to think i am part of a special family. I am no longer connected with the club on a daily basis, but i'm delighted with every win and sad about every defeat." Steve Perryman
"Any player coming to Spurs, whether he's a big signing or just a ground staff boy, must be dedicated to the game and to the club. He must never be satisfied with his last performance, and he must hate losing." Bill Nicholson
"Bill did so much for his beloved Spurs that we must never let his legacy fade. He must be our inspiration as we strive to ensure that a new era dawns here at White Hart Lane." Daniel Levy
" 'Oh dear, it's f*cked', is what I've always taken it to mean. I do have O-level Latin. Now they've stuck up a literal translation, in large letters: 'To dare is to do.' The words just stand there, on their own, not making much sense." Hunter Davies
"When Gazza came to the Spurs training ground for the first time got the ball, went round 8 players as if they were not there and then smashed the ball into the net. Just to see him play like that made the hair stand up on the back of your neck. Everybody stood there and applauded him." Terry Venables
"We will not be pushed around by a bunch of north London yobbos." Rupert Lowe, Southampton chairman, shortly before his manager Glenn Hoddle left for Spurs.
""I earned the right to be in the team and fought every game to be in it." Graham Roberts
"The worst thing Spurs ever did was get rid of Keith Burkinshaw. They never replaced him." Graham Roberts
"When you've finished playing football, young man, which is going to be very soon, I feel, you'll make a very good security guard." David Pleat to a 17yr old Neil Ruddock
"If someone wants to give you a bum steer on who we're after, then so be it. If you want to know, ask me, because I have a list of players we want and Robbie Keane isn't on it." Glenn Hoddle, then Spurs manager, shortly before paying 7 mill for ... Robbie Keane.
"The biggest regret of my whole football career was leaving White Hart Lane in 1970.....my interest in football weakened after that. I was heartbroken" Jimmy Greaves.
"I know more about smalz herring than I do about football." Sir Alan Sugar
"The trouble with Christian Gross is that no-one had heard of him. The communication wasn't brilliant and as captain I decided to explain to him how things worked and what the players liked and were used to. I do not believe he listened to a word I said." Gary Mabbutt
"Always had a bit of time, make a little bit of space, look up, bang. And you know he could put it on a postage stamp from 40 yards. Mmmmmmmmm...." Ron Manager aka Paul Whitehouse, Spurs fan on Glenn Hoddle
"I'm a miserable sod." Sir Alan Sugar
"The great fallacy is that the game is first and last about winning. It's nothing of the kind. The game is about glory. It's about doing things in style, with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom." Danny Blanchflower
"Man in the raincoat's blue & white army." Spurs fans unable to use George Graham's name, 1999.
"We like a tackle at Tottenham. we're not pansies, you know. " David Pleat
"I was sitting just a few feet away from David Pleat at the World Cup. He's a nice fellow, but the man is mad: certifiably, eye-spiningly mad." Danny Kelly
"The only thing wrong with White Hart Lane is that the seats face the pitch" Les Dawson
38 Comments · Add yours
i wish people wouldn't use the word coloured when referring to someone who isn't white. everything above that has a nice sentiment.
Blimey grass is a bit long
Reply to Sam :
So on what grounds do you feel he was possibly discrimated against?
Big feet?
Get a grip.
A worthy cause!
It amazes me though that we need to have a debate at all as to whether or not this guy deserves the correct honours, in an era when you can gain a knighthood for cycling on the other side of the planet. Consider me on the petition.
On a more current affair. Great to see Appiah in Spurs gear training at the lane this afternoon on SSN. Sign him up Arry!
My missus say's "no wonder he didn't get his medal with wrinkled shorts like that" ....bless
Reply to chiversmetimbers:
Those aren't shorts, they're clearly trousers that got shrubk in the wash. Bless him. I came on the internet in the search for a picture of Appiah in a Spurs shirt and this is what I found? Ah well.
Reply to gazzassock:
LINK
Any news on Appiah harry? is he available to play for us?
Reply to York Yid:
The clue is in the link above the smiley on comment numero 7.
Reply to HarryHotspur:
Oh, my God that picture is shocking... Graham Kavanagh is leaving Sunderland!!!????
I see Airbus are still stuck midtable in the Welsh Premier... cah, innit marvellous?
So has he acutally signed a deal then as not seens anything official anywhere?
Tull doesn't look too disimilar to a certain Tommy Huddlestone?
By the by, that Appiah is a bit of a big lad! Like a wardrobe in a spurs training top. Get him in god dam it!
Reply to York Yid:
My understanding is that the medical was good and an announcement is to be made very shortly.
Reply to Sam :
He can't be racist, some of his favourite players are black...
Must be showing your age with that phrase though Harry! lol.. The last time that was said in public was Tim Roth in Made in Britain.
Reply to vincenzo_spur:
I'll take that
Now, back to my Love Thy Neighbour DVD....
If you still wanna borrow Romper Stomper i've finished with it now, and I've acquired a copy of the original uncut play version of Scum...
Don't quite get why people on here have suddenly become so politically correct. We don't have to comment on everything surely? The rape debacle the other really killed me...
If you don't like rape don't fight back- kind of neutralises the appeal for the aggressor...
Reply to WillyLight:
I work with someone who has met him a few times on account of his son playing for Fenerbahce.
From all accounts he a stockey lad with loads of attitude, who ain't afriad of running at people. Soundas like just the ticket!
His leg problems that they report were due to DVT after a flight that bacme quite serious and had him laid up for a while. Which I suppose in a way is much more prefereable to a reoccuring sick note issue
Reply to elfranklins:
...And for next xmas I am going to ask santa for spelling lessons!!
Reply to elfranklins:
Forget that, a new bike is much more fun.
Reply to HarryHotspur:
you can borrow my 'mind your language' boxset....if you like....when you've finished.....velly funny....
Reply to elfranklins:
more promising than one of those "he's got knees like Ledley" types!
Harry - cheers for bringing this to our collective attention.
Hope everyone has signed the petition. I am proud that he was a spur and a bit ashamed at how our club treated him but I guess that is to be expected in 1909. Is this the geezer they were thinking about putting a statue of in fron of the new WHL?
COYS
Often it’s the unknowns that fascinate in old photographs. Time and distance separate us from the event, and it withdraws into a mist, almost becoming mythological. Did it really happen?
Looking at the image of Walter Tull, I see degrees of light and shade on a two-dimensional representation, which charmingly suggest the three-dimensional reality of the day. And what day was it, in fact, that he stood there, like a demi-Colossus? What date, and what time of day? A plaster sits on the third finger of his right hand - a injury in training, perhaps? The light shines so brightly on his shirt that few details are clear. Buttons and a badge – if badge there was - are hidden. An effusion of white in the top left indicates the light source, perhaps. The gate stands ajar, left that way by the footballer’s hand or the photographer's? And there is the criss-cross semi-circular fencing so familiar from my childhood, when I’d go to the Lane with my Father, often to watch the reserves.
Easily overlooked is the figure at the back, standing in the top right of the picture. He appears cloaked in a sou’-wester type of garment. Was it raining? Was it cold? Were there clouds overhead? And who was he, this ghostly shadow on the terrace? What became of him?
The unknowns rightly add to the mystery, and the mystery becomes sacred, like the turf the hero stands on. It’s only correct that a picture should ask more questions than it answers.
Reply to vincenzo_spur:
Not PC. For free speech. Each to their own and other people make their mind up how to respond. Your last comment wasn't even bordering on funny though, simply nasty. Grow up.
As for the word 'coloured' the NAACP has kept the word in its title despite PCness in the US
LINK
Will be siging the petition, thanks Harry.
Hope Appiah will be signing a contract and thanking 'arry.
Reply to 9__37:
Really enjoying your work, and eloquent turn of phrase. You're a Hemingway (Big Ernie), as opposed to JGM's Bukowski on this site.
Both diametrically different styles, but both great to read in equal measure.
Keep up the good work!
Evening all! Uncle here again. Just hi-jacked my grandsons oleole Thingy-ma-wotsit. Marvellous invention this internet malarkey you know, One needs never go short of the old Regimental tablets what! Yes indeed, when old Marge needs her soldier to stand to attention a new supply is never further than a click away.
Stupendous!
Any way lets get to the point at hand, and you could well be forgiven for thinking that after my last confession, where the dandy was Marge when I needed her.
Walter Tull or ‘Wally, as he was known affectionately to the rest of us in the ‘Royal Chas and Dave’s Rifles, yes indeed, fine soldier, remember him well. As soon as stick one up the Gooners as run through any Hun who made the mistake of crossing his the path of his 12 inch shiny bayonet.
A man whose love of the Spurs was often irritated by those tedious out breaks of war and having to go orf, over the top and perform countless gallant acts of selfless behaviour for King and country. One might ask ‘why’ might a man such a Wally undertake such perilous missions ? the answer is quite obvious, The man was a British Soldier, and proud of it!
When he could quite obviously have taken the easier path of the academic, or aerobics instructor but NO! Old Wally fought a battle on several fronts.
The first being the obvious prejudice unfairly levelled at him for being… a Yid! yes in those days a common fact that most Army officers (myself excluded) whose past times included group man love and general all round donkey bothering were naturally Arsenal scum. These individuals would later define the moral code and general behaviour of ‘That End’ of the Seven Sisters rd!
So it is to this end that I say, ‘Give that man his dues’ – For Wally bothered not a single Donkey – and served his country with his life!
Toodle pip. Marge has got the gimp suit out so one expects to be rather busy for the next couple of hours! And by Jove, the postman has just delivered my Regimental supply.
Atteeen-shun – And speak up for Wally!
Love Uncle!
Reply to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz:
Ok ok... point taken. Didn't really think before i wrote it- it seemed funnier at the time.
No offence intended. At all.
I do think there is a place for dark humour but that context probably isn't on a web board.
Reply to elfranklins:
Uncle.
We salute you!
Reply to vincenzo_spur:
Cheers. Agree. Notice you put 'dark' humour and not 'black'!
Reply to vincenzo_spur:
You've got mail...
Reply to 9__37:
I try not to thank you for every post... but that was superb.
el posted an equally lovely comment in relation to the Jimmy Greaves photo. I'll try and dig it out.
Reply to 9__37:
umm...ok.
Ideally there should be two statues, one for Bill Nicholson and another for Walter. The Bill one speaks for itself, Walter's one should first of all serve as a reminder that brave men died for our country and bullets dont discrimante between black, white, officers, squaddies, footballers or blog writers. Spurs should be proud to have had one of the first black professional players who served their country with distinction and ultimately paid for it with his life. Enoough of that, glad Downing's not for sale
This photo sits proudly on the inside of my clippings encrusted front door. To the petition it is then.
As for any of my previous posts, for the love of Hod, Harry, leave it buried.
Reply to el:
Spade downed.
Can you say that on the BBC?
Reply to HarryHotspur:
all he was saying is that 'coloured' is a bit 1970s.
Of course sam knows he was discriminated on the grounds of him being from an ethnic minority.
Reply to Matthew Spurr:
Thankyou Matthew and Vincenzo.
Got there in the end.
I knows you don't need educating Mr HH, i'm a regular reader after all. However I might occasionally feel moved to pull you up on your language, especially given the nature of your very worthy post.
It was supposed to be constructive and not accusatory.