Spurs in the USA: How the ‘Lovable Losers’ Label Fostered a Highly Engaged Fanbase
Joy, sorrow, dread, fury: last week, Tottenham Hotspur experienced it all. In just three days, they faced Manchester United and Liverpool at home, managing to score seven goals while conceding nine – winning one match and losing another, producing a full spectrum of emotions. The thrill of the ups and the despair of the downs rose and fell dramatically in such a short span. Many fans are eager to just experience it, to secure a ticket for the ride, or simply to influence the outcomes with their fervent hopes.
But what if you weren’t in London’s N17 district last week, but rather 3,500 miles away? Is there a way to forge that sense of community, of solidarity, of shared feelings? Can one replicate the crowd experience?
Far from the action, I sought that connection at Flannery’s, an Irish pub in downtown Manhattan. This is the heart of the NY Spurs, arguably the most prominent and well-established Tottenham supporter group in the United States. With approximately 250 paying members, they typically draw a similar crowd for each match, all televised here. During September’s north London derby, a line stretched around the block hours before kickoff. For the 2019 Champions League final, where Tottenham fell to Liverpool, Flannery’s had to incorporate three additional bars on West 14th Street to accommodate the estimated 1,000 Spurs supporters who wanted to watch.
Apart from the actual Tottenham stadium and its nearby area, this bar may well be the most Spurs-centric location in the entire Spurs universe.
Watching English football in the U.S. is hardly a new phenomenon. This has been a widespread enjoyment on weekend mornings and weekday afternoons for more than a decade and a niche hobby well before that.
However, what distinguishes Flannery’s is its steadfast dedication to being a Tottenham establishment. In contrast to other bars where flags and scarves are taken down after every game, reverting to neutrality, this location has embraced its Spurs identity permanently. Almost 10 years ago, thanks to its head bartender, an Irish Spurs fan dubbed ‘Mush’, it became New York’s main Tottenham bar, now adorned with Tottenham memorabilia on its walls. If anyone arrives here supporting another team, they are likely to be asked to leave. This venue is as ‘fully COYS’ as you can find on the northern fringe of Greenwich Village.
NY Spurs members at Flannery’s earlier this year (NY Spurs/Instagram)
Featured prominently is a golden Nike Hypervenom boot, signed by Harry Kane himself. There’s a flag commemorating Spurs’ 1982-83 centenary season. A photograph captures an NY Spurs member presenting Vlad Chiriches with a man-of-the-match award from January 2014 during the optimistic early days of the Tim Sherwood era. Plus, a certificate signed by Daniel Levy designates it as the home of an official supporters club branch. The largest flag — ‘Can’t Smile Without You, NY Spurs’ — covers the plaques recognizing this bar’s pre-Spurs sporting history as a venue for teams competing in the New York Dart League.
The match against Manchester United began at 3 PM EST on Thursday. Not everyone’s work schedule allowed for an early arrival. I reached Flannery’s one hour before kick-off. Alone in the crowded bar, surrounded by screens broadcasting CBS’ game build-up, it felt akin to being in a Geoff Shreeves panopticon. Yet, the bar quickly filled, and by the start of the match, over 100 people had gathered.
Perhaps I expected a different atmosphere compared to what I might find with a hundred Spurs fans in a bar in London. To my surprise, there were more British and Irish Spurs fans than I anticipated at Flannery’s. However, the most striking aspect — though perhaps it shouldn’t have been — was how familiar it all felt. This mirrored Spurs’ season: an exhilarating beginning, a ridiculous attempt to sabotage it all, and a horrifyingly tense conclusion.
When combined, this felt like a genuine Spurs home crowd, rather than just a replica. Fans donned similar attire: one person wore a 1991 FA Cup final shirt, another sported the current away kit, and yet another was in a 2012-2013 black and grey third shirt, a man known as ‘Brooklyn James’, a regular in the group. As the stadium crowd becomes increasingly international, gathering with an international Spurs contingent can feel even more comfortable.
David Rosenberg, a Spurs enthusiast who relocated to New York from Essex 10 years ago, reflected on the experience supporting Spurs in his new surroundings: “I realized very quickly these were very, very real Spurs fans. I was hearing better insights in Brooklyn than I did at the Lane.”
The fans booed when the TV broadcast showed Antonio Conte before the match. They cheered when the camera panned to Pat Jennings in the crowd, booed at the sight of Levy, and broke into song about caring more for Dejan Kulusevski than the Spurs chairman. At half-time, the bar muted the TV and played Chas and Dave. At the final whistle, the tune was Can’t Smile Without You. Some fans lingered for hours, soaking in the good vibes following such a grueling victory. It was still only 5 PM; the day had ample time remaining.
Fans reveled in the 4-3 victory over Man Utd across the nation (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Some fans traveled considerable distances to join the gathering, coming from New Jersey and the Hudson River Valley. This isn’t the full extent of organized Spurs fandom in New York either. Branches exist all over: Hoboken, Queens, Long Island, Brooklyn, and beyond. But it’s not limited to New York.
Flannery’s is adorned with scarves representing different branches of Spurs supporters clubs across the U.S: Colorado, Dallas, Toronto, Cleveland, Minneapolis, South Florida, Milwaukee, Sacramento, San Francisco, Chicago, Arizona, Boston, and Maine. There are 146 official Spurs supporters clubs throughout America, more than any other Premier League team. Each scarf signifies its own branch, its unique community, all with their version of Flannery’s at its center.
This group in New York stands among the oldest and largest in the U.S., alongside those in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Chicago. DC Spurs gather at a bar called the Irish Channel in downtown D.C. Eric Kmetz from DC Spurs reports they average “between 100 to upwards of 175 people” for every match, increasing for prominent games. When Spurs faced Fulham last month, which kicked off at 8:30 AM on Thanksgiving weekend, Kmetz was surprised by the turnout of “60-70” for what ended in a 1-1 draw.
Over the past decade, a new wave of fans has emerged in the U.S., sparking the formation of supporter groups nationwide. Chuck Hoffman of Austin Spurs refers to this as the “second wave.” Established in 2012, the Austin group has always met at Mister Tramps, aided by founding member and head bartender, Travis. For a typical Spurs match, they attract “50-100” people, according to Hoffman. For January’s north London derby, they anticipate 250 attendees. During the 2019 Champions League final, they reached full capacity — 350 — two hours before kickoff.
A similar narrative exists in Dallas, Houston, Seattle, Boston, Minneapolis, and Colorado, with these groups forming shortly after Austin’s. Now, in nearly any medium-sized or small U.S. city, one can discover a community of Tottenham fans eager to welcome newcomers. These are thriving groups of their own, like those at No Quarter in Nashville or Gritty’s in Portland, Maine, each festooned with their own Tottenham memorabilia.
Astead Herndon, a Spurs fan and politics reporter for the New York Times, played a role in establishing Milwaukee Spurs while at Marquette University. They found an ideal pub, but it was ironically named The Highbury. They ultimately relocated to Upper 90. While campaigning this year, Herndon discovered Spurs provided a “helpful grounding in a pretty chaotic life,” enabling him to catch every Spurs match with the local fan group. Last season, he watched games not only in New York, Boston, and Chicago but even in Columbia, South Carolina.
DC Spurs members queue to view a match (Eric Kmetz/DC Spurs)
Brendan O’Connor, a Spurs fan from NY, was in New Orleans in December 2023 for a match against Manchester City. He was skeptical of finding others to watch alongside him since the New Orleans Saints played simultaneously. Yet he discovered that local Spurs supporters convened at a bar named Finn McCool’s. The match ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
“I didn’t expect anyone to be at this bar,” he recalls. “But there were 20 people, which was totally shocking. And we had this incredible time. You may be in an unfamiliar place yet find and connect with fellow Tottenham supporters whom you may never see again. I don’t know any of their names, but we shared an amazing experience.”
This highlights a profound difference between U.S. and UK supporters. While UK-based fans often cluster around London, American supporters span the country. British fans can’t just stroll into a random city and immediately find a bar filled with Spurs fans, but American Spurs supporters can do just that. The rise of these branches gives the impression that Tottenham transcends a typical club; rather, it resembles a society scattered across America without a central hub.
With support flourishing throughout the U.S., Hoffman is devoted to nurturing these nascent Spurs fan communities. “My other biggest passion is growing supporters groups in the United States,” Hoffman states. In 2023, he was elected to Tottenham’s fan advisory board as the representative for international official supporters clubs. He collaborates with Spurs to assist new groups in setting up and offers advice on best practices for establishment. “My vision is that fans shouldn’t have to travel more than 30 minutes to enjoy watching Tottenham with friends. It follows the punk rock ethos: it’s not overly complicated — you can create it yourself.”
Hoffman regards NY Spurs at Flannery’s as the “gold standard” but acknowledges that not every group benefits from a population base of 12 million. “Even if you have just 25 dedicated attendees at the bar, that’s fantastic,” Hoffman says, citing Delmarva Spurs, located on the Delmarva peninsula, which encompasses parts of Delaware (Del), Maryland (mar), and Virginia (va). “They’re in a remote location,” he notes, “but the bar sees 20 to 30 fans in photos. That’s extraordinary, right?”
DC Spurs members eagerly watch a recent match (Eric Kmetz/DC Spurs)
This prompts a question regarding the general popularity of Spurs in the U.S. During the research for this piece, The Athletic encountered estimates suggesting Spurs rank between the fourth and sixth most popular Premier League club in America, although the engaged and visible American fanbase makes it seem larger.
Spurs’ following in the U.S. has surged dramatically over the last 12 years: an increase in fan groups, crowded bars, the evolving tone of online discussions, and a fresh wave of supporters attending matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Evaluating Spurs’ relative popularity compared to rivals is challenging and, in the grand scheme, beside the point. When you’re in a crowded bar filled with happy Spurs fans after a goal, soaked from someone else’s Big Wave pint, the specific ranking doesn’t matter much.
What draws individuals to unite in support of this team? Each fan has their distinct journey into Spurs fandom. Meeting a season ticket holder from White Hart Lane at a family event, watching a match in an Irish pub during studies abroad, picking them because of Luka Modric, supporting Belgium at the 2014 World Cup and noticing that Jan Vertonghen, Mousa Dembele, and Nacer Chadli were Spurs players, or connecting with Spurs’ Jewish heritage. For some Korean American fans, supporting the team stems from Son Heung-min. Others may have picked them up because of family or friends who supported Spurs.
Yet, there are also shared experiences that help foster these connections. A well-known 2006 Bill Simmons blog post on ESPN about why Spurs would be his team. Kasey Keller’s presence at Spurs in the early 2000s, followed by Brad Friedel and Clint Dempsey in the early 2010s, coinciding with an explosion of American interest in the Premier League. Gareth Bale emerged as Spurs’ first global superstar in the 21st century, and when NBC covered the Premier League from 2013, Bale became the face in their massive Times Square billboard. Although to some fans, this marked a point when Spurs shifted from being a niche interest to a mainstream one.
Gareth Bale, as portrayed in Times Square, summer 2013 (D Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Bale left at the end of that summer, and within a year Spurs embarked on a transformative journey under Mauricio Pochettino. Just five years later, they reached the Champions League final. “The popularity of the Premier League in the U.S. really surged in 2015,” notes Joel Wertheimer. “A lot of us were hooked on Pochettino and Dele Alli. You’re choosing a team that was young, dynamic, and exhilarating.”
Few understand the appeal of the Premier League in the U.S. better than Charlie Stillitano, a sports executive closely linked with top Premier League clubs in their U.S. ventures. “In a special way, Spurs have captured many people’s imaginations,” he states in a phone interview. “This stems from their DNA, having a team that plays attractively, on the front foot.”
There’s a unique quality to supporting Spurs; it’s a special distinction not found among their ‘big six’ competitors — that sense of quest. As those familiar with this narrative will know, Spurs have not secured a trophy since 2008. Their last FA Cup triumph was in 1991, their latest European trophy win in 1984, and they haven’t captured a league title since 1961. This fuels an extraordinary sense of purpose and hope within their efforts as they strive, falter, and try once again to achieve what is normal routine for some of their competitors.
“Spurs represent the club for the free agent fan looking for a team with energy and tradition but little recent glory,” states Gregory Krieg, a Spurs backer from New York, via email. “It’s been over 60 years since any new Spurs fan was labeled a ‘glory chaser’. Combined, this has imparted a masochistic identity to the fanbase.”
Tottenham haven’t secured a trophy since 2008 — a fact that’s frequently discussed (Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
This pursuit of long-desired triumphs resonates universally, but it carries a distinct significance within American sports. The narrative of teams like the Chicago Cubs, who waited 108 years between World Series wins from 1908 to 2016, or the Boston Red Sox, who experienced an 86-year drought between 1918 and 2004, exemplifies this longing. More recently, the New York Knicks have yet to secure an NBA title since 1973, and the Buffalo Bills have never triumphed at the Super Bowl. For many fans, this anticipation serves as a compelling reason to support Spurs rather than shy away.
Some, however, contest that Spurs hold no greater claim to being underdogs than do clubs like Brentford, Fulham, or Crystal Palace, none of which have ever clinched major English or European trophies. Surely, their sense of quest and longings surpass those of Spurs?
Indeed, yes and no. What Spurs represent is a unique middle ground — they embody the best of both scenarios. Among the prominent established clubs that consistently finish at the apex of the table, compete in the Champions League, and boast top-tier players and management, Spurs are the least decorated. Conversely, they are the most glamorous of the clubs that seem to be perpetually peering through the glass, witnessing their wealthier rivals accumulate trophies.
Consequently, for many of the Spurs fans in the U.S., supporting Tottenham parallels the experience of being a supporter of a less successful American franchise, including all associated feelings. In contrast, choosing Manchester City, Liverpool, or Chelsea feels akin to selecting the New York Yankees, the New England Patriots, or any of the tech industry giants.
Hoffman, raised in New Jersey, aligns with the Mets, Jets, Knicks, and Rangers. Throughout his life, he has witnessed merely two titles: the Rangers in 1994 and the Mets in 1986, when he was just six years old.
Michael Caley, a devoted Red Sox supporter, saw his perspective shift when they ended their lengthy wait. “Winning the World Series in 2004 altered my whole experience,” he recalls. Caley developed an affinity for Spurs in the 2000s and appreciates the challenge of their quest for success. “There’s an enjoyment in committing to the chase,” he explains. “Even if it mainly involves suffering.”
In 2004, the Boston Red Sox concluded their 86-year quest for a championship (Ron Vesely/Getty Images)
Wertheimer, who also grew up rooting for the Red Sox, sees the same dynamic. “The emotions of consistently losing and then eventually winning lead to an unparalleled joy in sports fandom,” he states.
Stillitano, an expert on the Premier League’s appeal within the U.S., echoes this sentiment. “We have the archetype of ‘lovable losers’; the Chicago Cubs used to embody this, and so did the Boston Red Sox. Supporters await their teams’ success for ages, sometimes a century. In Spurs’ case, it’s been since 1961. The sentiment of backing the underdog holds great significance in our culture. The Red Sox broke their curse; the Cubs did the same. Through the journey, they built a remarkable fanbase. I often hear things like, ‘I’m a Spurs fan; I’m just accustomed to it — and I’ll do it again’.”
However, O’Connor brings up a growing concern within the Spurs fanbase. “There’s a charm to always being on the edge with Tottenham, and supporting them as they strive to breakthrough will amplify the joy when it eventually occurs,” he comments. “Yet, as many supporters are discussing lately, there’s this nagging question: what if it never happens?”
This is the reality facing this voluntary community. Yet, rather than feeling let down, there’s a sense that the prolonged wait amplifies the emotional reward when Spurs finally secure some silverware.
As we look to the coming years, one wonders what influence this burgeoning community of Spurs fans will exert. They are becoming an increasingly vocal force on matters concerning the club. “They’re enriching the quality of discourse,” Rosenberg observes, “particularly online.”
DC Spurs embody the same highs and lows as fans in the stadium (Eric Kmetz/DC Spurs)
It would be reasonable to suspect that this growing cadre of American Spurs supporters might demand to see Tottenham competing more regularly on their turf. While the U.S., alongside South Korea, represents a key market for Spurs, the team hasn’t played Stateside since 2018, focusing on South Korea for three consecutive summers. They also went to Australia (another key market) at both the start and end of the last season. Notably, Tottenham engages in extensive promotional activities and fan outreach in the U.S.; for instance, Ledley King visited fans in Minnesota, Chicago, and Nashville earlier this year.
Yet many fans interviewed for this story are laid-back about the situation. Embracing the current uncomplicated structure, they express minimal desire for disruption to accommodate a visit.State. “I’m not fond of the globalized matchday,” Herndon muses. “It feels somewhat Super League-like. I appreciate the community aspect of it; I fear something would be lost. I don’t think the Premier League is obligated to cater to me as an American supporter.” Some fans at Flannery’s joke that they’d love to see Tottenham back in New York next summer, but mainly they just want the team to secure wins.
Three days after the United match, Spurs faced Liverpool in the Premier League. Being thousands of miles away from the action again, I opted out of heading down to Flannery’s and instead tried a different sports bar. Arriving just before kick-off, I hoped to find a spot or at least a standing place. Instead, I walked into an empty bar where the staff, looking puzzled, informed me they were still in the process of opening. By the time they finally opened, Spurs found themselves down 3-1.
(Top photo: NY Spurs members at Flannery’s – NY Spurs/Instagram)
