I don’t quite remember when I became a Tottenham Hotspur fan. The first football matches I recall watching were during the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Soon after, I began following the Premier League, drawn to players like Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Son Heung-min. The common factor — they all played for Tottenham.
As any Spurs fan will tell you, supporting this team isn’t easy. Tottenham are often dubbed the “consistently inconsistent team” of English football. They can thrash champion outfits like Manchester City and lose to minnows like Crystal Palace in the same week. As a fan, you endure both euphoric highs and crushing lows.
When I tell people in India about my fandom, I’m often met with confused expressions. Why Spurs? Most Indians support Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal — teams with glittering trophy cabinets. In contrast, Tottenham’s lack of recent silverware has made them the subject of countless memes. Yet, being a Spurs fan feels instinctive — something you don’t need to justify.
Over the years, as I watched Spurs games from my room in Faridabad, I dreamt of visiting the magnificent Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London. On November 3, that dream finally came true when I watched Tottenham take on Aston Villa, thanks to the Spurs India group that helped secure my ticket.
It was one of the best days of my life. I had visited the stadium two weeks earlier for a tour with my aunt and uncle, Sangeeta pishi and Asa, but attending a match was a completely different experience.
Was I really there? Was this actually happening live?
Shashwata in the tube with Villa fans before the game Shashwata Ray Chaudhuri
The journey to the stadium from my grandmother’s house in Surrey was an adventure in itself. It involved multiple tube changes and a bus ride. On the train, I encountered a few tipsy Aston Villa fans, already boasting about how they’d beat us. They joked that I should head back home, but I stayed quiet, hoping Spurs would let their football do the talking.
Amusingly, a nun seated near us refused to pray for their team, saying she only prayed for Chelsea. This was my first taste of English football banter, and I loved it. After a photo with the Villa fans, we parted ways… Let’s just say they didn’t leave happy after the match.
Outside the stadium, I enjoyed some quintessentially British fish and chips and browsed the merchandise stalls. A long walk later, I had passed through the stands and found my seat. It was unbelievable. Was I really there? Was this actually happening live? I had watched these stands sitting in my room in faraway Faridabad. Now, I was sitting in one.
Nothing could take away the unadulterated thrill of watching a goal live
Spurs made a slow start to the game, but came alive with a memorable performance in the second half Getty Images
As Aston Villa players entered the pitch to warm up, the Spurs fans greeted them with loud boos (myself included — another item ticked off the bucket list). Moments later, Tottenham’s players emerged, and seeing them in the flesh — Son, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Guglielmo Vicario — was unreal. The stadium buzzed with anticipation as over 60,000 fans took their seats. When the Premier League anthem played and the crowd broke into “Oh When The Spurs Go Marching In”, I got goosebumps. I had sung along from my room in India, but singing it there, with thousands of fellow fans, was incomparable.
The match kicked off, and while Spurs dominated possession, they struggled to create clear chances. In the 32nd minute, the inevitable happened, as Spurs conceded from a corner to give Villa the lead, which they held on to going into half-time. It was a disappointing first half, and I was feeling gloomy at the prospect of seeing my team lose my first game at the stadium.
Something had to give as the second half got underway. Talk of manifestation. Son’s pinpoint cross for Brennan Johnson brought us level four minutes after the break. The immediate aftermath of the goal made me realise that live matches do not have goal replays. At that time, it had disoriented me for a bit. Looking back, nothing could take away the unadulterated thrill of watching a goal live.
I left the stadium with a big grin, feeling proud of my decision to support this beautiful football team
Shashwata is eager for more visits to north London to watch Spurs in action Shashwata Ray Chaudhuri
It was all-out attack from Spurs thereafter. With a quarter of the game still to play, Dominic Solanke clipped his shot past the Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez (who was jeered persistently for time-wasting), having latched onto a precise through ball from Kulusevski, to give Tottenham a 2-1 lead. The stadium went nuts, almost 60,000 Spurs fans chanting and cheering, while the Villa supporters sat in silence, hopeless. Solanke added to his tally four minutes later with a creatively constructed goal. Pape Sarr won the ball back in midfield, and played it to Richarlison, who picked out the goalscorer superbly. Spurs now had a comfortable lead, and I felt relieved.
Then, as if answering my unspoken wish, Maddison, who had been on the bench, joined the fray. He marked his entrance with a jaw-dropping free-kick to score his 50th goal in the Premier League. It was the cherry on top of a brilliant performance. I was lucky enough to record it on my phone.
The match ended 4-1, a much-needed win for Spurs. As the crowd sang “Glory, Glory, Tottenham Hotspur”, I soaked in the electric atmosphere. Gala Rizzatto’s Freed From Desire, a celebratory anthem for home wins, played, and the stadium danced in unison.
I was also able to see some of the players depart the stadium in their cars, waving at supporters like me who waited outside the parking exit. I left the stadium with a big grin, feeling proud of my decision to support this beautiful football team. I looked around for the Aston Villa fans from the train earlier in the day, but I don’t think they had stayed till the end.
I will cherish these incredible memories forever. Having gotten a taste of watching my favourite team at my favourite stadium, I can’t wait to be back. Come On You Spurs!
Shashwata Ray Chaudhuri, 17, is a journalism student and hopes to continue reporting on Tottenham Hotspur matches.
