In this month’s newsletter you will find updates on Ticketing, Sandro at our Summer Party, a fundraising five-a-side tournament, our appearance on the Cheese Room podcast, how we have supported our members, an upcoming Walter Tull play, the FSA annual conference and a media log for this month…..
Ticketing update
We are extremely disappointed with the Club’s decision to increase match day tickets for the second consecutive year. This follows the Club’s announcement earlier this year that have seen season tickets increase by six per cent and of course the disgraceful changes to senior concession season tickets. THST Official board members met with the Club on June 4 and once again argued that during this cost-of-living crisis, ticket prices should not be increased.
We asked the Club to remove booking fees and to revert to five category A games, nine category B games and five category C games, rather than the 6-9-4 they have pushed ahead with.
This is not structured dialogue or consultation and we have said as much to the Club.
We pushed for stretch pricing and were able to restrict the increases on category B and C games to £1, but we still believe the increase to category A games is indefensible and unnecessary. The cumulative effect of the increases is an overall increase higher than the rate of inflation.
The Club’s Fan Advisory Board also expressed its opposition to the proposed increase and its disappointment at the Club’s refusal to agree to revert to 5/9/5 split on match categorisation or to remove booking fees.
A television deal worth £6.7bn is in place for four seasons from 2025/26 shining a light on the record levels of income being generated by Premier League clubs.
We urge both the Premier League and the incoming independent regulator to take action and to put in place regulations to prevent clubs exploiting loyalty.
THST Official will continue to work with the FSA, fellow supporters’ trusts and politicians to push hard for such regulation. It has become increasingly apparent that such changes will not come from within most Premier League club boardrooms.
Sandro, Summer Party guest of honour
Spurs Brazilian legend Sandro, Sandro, will be guest of honour at the Trust’s Summer Party, Sunday 7 July at the Antwerp Arms (12-7pm).
Come along, bring your friends and family for this Spurs summer celebration – they don’t have to be Trust members.
Live Irish music, DJ, great food, drinks, raffle, auction, and a Q & A with Sandro, all proceeds raised will go to Prostate Cancer UK. You can get your ticket here.
A FANtastic opportunity for THST members and Spurs fans to play at Hotspur Way.
We have been invited to send a five-a-side team to a series of football tournaments run by the Tottenham Foundation, culminating in the opportunity to play at Hotspur Way.
If you enjoy playing five-a-side football we would love to hear from you – teams can be mixed and players must be over 18. It might be that you already have a dream of Spurs fans and that you’d like to take part under the THST name. Or maybe you run a team or would be interested in joining up with others. Ideally, we would want to establish the team for the three tournaments and beyond. Everyone involved hopes that this would become a regular event which continues beyond this initial season.
The inaugural tournament will be on 10 August (prior to the Bayern Match) at Haringey Sports Centre, the second will be in November at the same venue and the third, in March, will be at the Spurs training ground.
The tournaments will be used to raise awareness and donations for five foodbanks in Tottenham. We see this as a great opportunity to enjoy a mutual love of playing football, while also supporting a much needed resource for the local community.
If you’re interested, please email us at info@THSTOfficial.com with the Heading ‘THST 5 aside tournament’.
Please include:
- whether you’d have a whole team, or be an individual participant
- whether you’re available for the three tournaments
- what positions you play
- your contact details
We are looking forward to hearing from you!
Trust talks to the Cheese Room
For those of you who like to listen to your news, here is a podcast we recorded on the Cheese Room recently. It features a review of last season and of course a look forward to the new one. Our chair Martin Buhagiar, and our FAB reps Rachel Martin and Steve Cavalier, spell out the issues around ticket price increases, what we managed to achieve in negotiations with the Club and where the Club refused to budge.
There’s an update on the senior concessions campaign, the impact of the general election on the long overdue introduction of an independent football regulator, our recent survey on VAR and the outcome of the Premier League AGM motion.
As always, huge thanks go to Brendan McGerty from the Cheese Room Podcast for hosting us so ably. You can sign up to hear more here.
Supporting our members
The Trust continues to support fans that are considered to have breached the Club’s Sanctions and other policies and facing the potential loss of access to tickets. We can provide advice on any redress that fans may have under relevant policies and will support fans with legitimate grounds for appeal. In recent weeks we have provided support to a fan allegedly caught up in a disturbance at an away game and helped overturn a stadium ban for a fan wrongfully accused of passing on their ticket at THS to an away fan. Members who find themselves in a similar situation can get in touch with us at info@thstofficial.com.
Our Little Hour – the inspirational story of the legendary, pioneering, black footballer – Walter Tull.
Book your Tickets for a Must – See new musical based on the life of Spurs Legend, Walter Tull. Our Little Hour, which plays at the Greenwich Theatre on 22 nd and 23 rd October 2024 as part of Black History Month, tells the inspirational story of the legendary, pioneering, black footballer –Walter Tull. Written by award winning playwright Dougie Blaxland and celebrated composer Chris Anthony, Our Little Hour explores how Walter Tull – grandson of a Barbadian slave – orphaned at eight years old, rose to prominence against all odds.
The first black footballer to play at the highest level of the domestic game in the UK, for Spurs, he went on to achieve yet another historic breakthrough as the first man of his heritage to be commissioned as an Officer in the British Army. Tragically killed in action just a few weeks before the end of World War 1, Walter Tull’s pioneering achievements have earned him a distinguished place in British history and in the hearts of everyone who knows his story. The production is supported by Show Racism the Red Card and is appropriate for anyone over the age of 11 years. Tickets for the London shows can be booked here.
Playwright, Dougie Blaxland, described Our Little Hour as: “A celebration of the life of an extraordinary man whose pioneering spirit continues to inspire the campaign for justice and equality. It is also deeply fitting that the production which will be staged throughout Black History Month and honour the memory of one of the most significant figures in British sporting and military history.”
FSA annual conference
The FSA annual conference and AGM is taking place on Saturday 20th July at Wembley stadium.
There’s an array of speakers and sessions, and as always, the event is free to attend, open to all supporters, and registration is open now.
You can register for free here
Alongside speakers from the Premier League and EFL there’ll also be the chance to get a look at PGMOL’s VAR room where you’ll get the chance to find out more about video technology and see how the system operates. There will be a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Fans for Diversity campaign and elections for the National Council.
Other topics covered include:
- Engaging young supporters
- Community-owned clubs
- Supporters rights
- Ticket prices
- Women’s voice in the men’s game
- Football and the climate crisis
- Fan Advisory Boards (FABs)
- EFL broadcast deal
Useful links
Media log