I experienced 2 crises last night.

The second was ‘the cost of living’ crisis. I read the other day that pre-covid the cost of fish’n’chips (our NATIONAL DISH, ffs, it should be subsidised, or free or available on the NHS) was average £6.43. Whereas now the average is £14 and change. But that’s not in Toffs in Muswell Hill. Do you know Toffs? You should familiarise yourself with it. They do make ‘the best fish’n’chips’. Along with all the other ‘best fish’n’chips’ you get, like at Rick Stein in Padstow, or the Magpie in Whitby. There’s a limit on how ‘best’ that meal can be. But Toffs reached that limit 50 years ago and it’s still the best around. Well, best around here. So when I went to pay, for four haddock and two chips (each ‘large chips’ could feed a family of 7; they use a shovel), the till read £73.20. For take away fish’n’chips. COME ON ANDY BURNHAM; YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE SORTING THIS OUT. HOW’S A MAN S’POSED TO EAT???

However, that was preceded by ‘the first crisis’. The one which occurred at White Hart Lane in the hours preceding fish’n’chips-gate.

We played Newcastle. A team who, like us (on a very good day), run ‘hot and cold’. They can be brilliant, they can be shit. But when they come to the Lane they’re always brilliant. Won here on the last 3 visits. Including yesterday.

It shouldn’t have been like that. We’ve had a brilliant transfer window, spending 300 million on sheer class. We even bought Newcastle’s best player. We brought back players injured last season, like Kudus, and we have a super (quite) new manager who we love. Ok, we love them all. Just not normally for very long. Plus we have Andy Robertson, who I’ve long admired, the man who captained the really (un-)successful Scotland team at the World Cup!!!

So it was all in place. Everything. All our ducks in a row. On paper; this was a great team. Certainly one capable of beating Newcastle.

Unfortunately, the Geordies hadn’t read our script and had the audacity to bring their own.

There were times when we played really well. Whilst managing never to quite look very threatening. We never seemed dangerous. So Newcastle just sat back, soaked up the mediocre pressure and took advantage of a couple of ‘breaks’. And that was it. 2-0 to them. Whilst Spurs fans the world over couldn’t help but think “ ‘ere we go again”.

But we must ‘take positives’ from this match. This loss. This seeming disaster. Paint it in a more positive light. Use it as a ‘springboard for optimism’!! Yes! That sounds like things Spurs fans are really good at. Along with ‘patience’ and ‘tolerance’.

We lost 2 nil. And that is ‘one’ better than last week when we lost 3 nil!!! So we’re improving! And in fact we’re so much better than last week’s total shit-show that we can actually buy into at least a bit of that. And the team are still ‘finding each other’. That does take time. Just, hopefully, not too much time.

So there ya go. Another (fucking!!!!) crisis. But this one temporary. We can still win the league. We’re bottom of the table, but they never used to even bother with a league table until 3 matches anyway, so it just doesn’t count. I feel optimistic. I feel I’m taking positives. I feel not in any way despondent or depressed and the bruises on my head are NOT from banging it repeatedly against the wall during yesterday’s game. I was too busy being positive for that shit.

Right, time to go and get some more fish’n’chips’. And take more meds. Lots more.

Happy Sunday

A xxxx