Tottenham Hotspur is calling for their supporters to “move on” from the use of the Y-word after a review, per The Athletic. The north London club revealed that of 23,000 replies, 94 percent recognized the term could be used as a racial slur towards Jewish people.
Furthermore, the report also states that Spurs are in the process of launching a campaign to try and provide supporters with more details regarding the word and its roots along with historical context as to why it is so harmful.
The north London club released a statement regarding how they strive to be inclusive and welcome all types of supporters from various backgrounds.
“Our supporters’ use of the Y-word was initially taken as a positive step to deflect antisemitic abuse that they were subjected to at matches more than 40 years ago from opposition fans, who faced no sanctions for their actions,” Spurs’ statement said.
“As a club, we always strive to create a welcoming environment that embraces all our fans so that every one of our supporters can feel included in the matchday experience.”
Kick It Out’s antisemitism ambassador John Mann released his statement regarding the decision for the club to begin this initiative to stop supporters from using this word. Mann adds that those who use the word on social media aren’t Jewish or advocate for them.
“From the analysis I have done, those who use the Y-word as a Spurs linked identifier on social media are overwhelmingly not Jewish, nor ever advocate any positives about Jewish life,” Mann’s statement said.
“There are more people using the y-word identifier who repeat antisemitic tropes than those who identify as being Jewish. I congratulate Tottenham Hotspur on their announcement to address the Y-word and trust that other clubs will play their part in eradicating its use throughout football.”
Sure. Would you like me to wear a yellow star, too?
Surely you missed out the ‘Y’?
They have a lot of time on their hands, worrying about can they get the Super Bowl to Tottenham stadium in 2026.
Might be better if they put as much effort into the football team.
Good luck with trying to stop fans singing what they want.
As for that survey take any 23,000 people present them with any word, and there are lots of them, that could be used as a slur against a particular race, then ask them do they think that word could be used as a racial slur and I imagine you will get 94 per cent agreeing with the “question”.
typical Spurs, worried about everything except the football team!
My guess is that it is just the annual response to the Met police sniffing about. Will blow over in a couple of weeks, but club needs to “officially” look like they’re doing something about it.
I am not Jewish. When I first held a season ticket at White Hart Lane; Block 19, Row 2; my seat was next to a Jewish lady who I would estimate to have been around 60 years old at the time. We would often talk about Spurs before and during the game. She was a really nice person.
After about six months of sitting next to her she told me that she hated hearing the word ‘yid’ in any context. She told me that she used to be taunted with it when she was a child. I never sang it again in front of her or at any other game I attended home or away.
I based my decision on the balance of probabilities. I reasoned that it was probable that if this nice old lady found that word offensive, for very valid reasons, then it was very likely that any Spurs crowd would contain other Jewish people who also found it offensive.
Of course it is a beautiful thing that the Spurs crowd originally adopted this chant as an act of solidarity with our fellow Jewish Tottenham supporters who were regularly abused with it by travelling supporters or at away grounds. A magnificent gesture which I feel sure was probably appreciated and recognised as such by the majority of Jewish Spurs supporters at the time.
If you think about it what choice did I have? If I continued to sing it knowing full well that the old lady found it offensive what would that say about me? I also had my young daughter with me as a season ticket holder. She was about 10.
Times change and parents have to set the right example.
People disagree about this, I get that. Yet the way you dismiss the views of other Jewish people who hold different views to you suggests that you’re not quite the ally you think you are.
Not at all, you chant it to your heart’s content. If a few snowflake Jews find it offensive, so be it. They’ll just have to take your word for it that you have Jewish fans’ interests at heart.
Jens,
Who appointed you the representative of all ‘Jewish fans’?
I feel obligated to see some sort of ID.
Cheers.
The OED, that notorious hotbed of right wing lunacy 😉
The rabbi is a normal, sentient human being, then…
So you decide where the line is drawn, in respect of man’s feelings. That’s great news.
You also get to decide what the good context is, and what the bad the context is.
I’m suddenly terrified about deciding what I have for dinner, because you have all the answers.
94% of people who responded to the survey acknowledged that Jewish people find the word offensive. Countless Jewish organisations, including the Board of Deputies, have called for fans to stop using the word. That’s the context you should be considering.
Fine, argue about your inalienable right to chant whatever you like, but don’t pretend you’re an ally of the Jewish community.
A contrasting article to Baddiel’s moaning from a rabbi in today’s Independent.
I’m a Jewish Spurs fan and the Y-word chants don’t offend me – I love them | The Independent
Or perhaps these minority offended Jewish fans (David Baddiel is the only one I’ve really heard) should recognise that words have different meanings… The Oxford English dictionary gets it… The Spurs fans chanting Yid Army and Yids are not being racist.. Reason and context we need in this time of wokeness and PC gone mad.
I will keep my powder dry until we hear from the eminent expert on all things racist David Baddiel.
(Supporter of Rent Boy FC who love a good hiss at WHL).
Or perhaps, out of respect to Jewish fans, just not chant it at all? Job done.
Just get fans to chant ” IDS”. No letter ‘Y’ would sound the same. Job done
YAWN zzzzzzzzz.