Spurs fans defy FA with ‘Yid Army’ chants

Spurs supporters sang “We’re Tottenham Hotspur, we sing what we want” before chanting “Yid Army” throughout the game.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
CHELSEA’S DIDIER Drogba Tottenham Hotspur fans 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
CHELSEA’S DIDIER Drogba Tottenham Hotspur fans 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Despite warnings to the contrary, Tottenham fans repeatedly used the term “Yid” during the team’s 2-0 win over Norwich City at White Hart Lane on Saturday.
Spurs supporters sang “We’re Tottenham Hotspur, we sing what we want” before chanting “Yid Army” throughout the game.
Last week, the governing body of English soccer announced that fans could face criminal charges for using the term “Yid.”
In a statement issued Wednesday, the English Football Association’s general secretary, Alex Horne, wrote that the association believes the term “is likely to be considered offensive by the reasonable observer and considers the term to be inappropriate in a football setting.”
The statement also said that “use of the term in a public setting could amount to a criminal offense, and leave those fans liable to prosecution and potentially a lengthy football banning order.”
Tottenham is known to have many Jewish supporters who sometimes call themselves the “Yid Army.” However the term is often used by other soccer teams to describe Spurs fans in a derogatory way.
Jonathan Arkush, vice president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, praised the Football Association’s decision. “We support the FA’s stance in defining the ‘Y’- word as an offensive term and we hope that once and for all its use will die out.”
He said that the association “should be applauded for seeking to take steps that will undoubtedly reduce anti-Semitism at our football grounds.”
Last November, Tottenham defended its fans, saying they adopted the term as a defense against anti-Semitic taunting.
“Our fans adopted the chant as a defense mechanism in order to own the term and thereby deflect anti-Semitic abuse,” the team said. “They do not use the term to others to cause any offense.”
West Ham holds S’ampton to a draw LONDON (Reuters) - Southampton and West Ham United cancelled each other out in a dismal 0-0 draw in the Premier League on Sunday.
On a bleak day by the south coast neither side possessed much attacking quality although it was Southampton who carved out the better opportunities.
West Ham’s veteran Finnish keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen made a couple of fine saves, one to deny England striker Rickie Lambert in the closing stages and another to keep out Morgan Schneiderlin’s skidding volley.
Both sides have five points from their opening four games although a lack of goals will be a worry, especially for West Ham who are likely to be without striker Andy Carroll for several weeks with a foot injury.