European Super League: Fans question Tottenham’s involvement in new competition

North London club last won a league title in 1961 and European trophy in 1984

Alex Pattle
Monday 19 April 2021 10:29 EDT
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Six English clubs join breakaway to form new European Super League

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Fans have questioned Tottenham’s involvement in the planned European Super League, a breakaway competition set to feature 12 of the biggest clubs in Europe.

News emerged on Sunday that the Premier League’s ‘big six’ would take part in the new tournament, as would three major clubs from La Liga in Spain and three from Italy’s Serie A.

Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester United, Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool are the English sides set to be involved, despite mixed success for the clubs in Europe and domestically in recent years.

Spurs’ only European trophies came in 1972 and 1984 in the Uefa Cup – now known as the Europa League – and with their 1963 Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup triumph.

The north London club, who parted ways with manager Jose Mourinho on Monday, won top-flight titles in England in 1951 and 1961, decades before the division was rebranded as the Premier League.

A post on the official Twitter account of Bray Wanderers, currently positioned seventh in the Irish First Division, read: “We’ve won the same amount of @premierleague titles as @SpursOfficial.”

One user joked: “Following a secret meeting between Chairman and the Vice Chairmans of The ESL, Tottenham have been removed from the ESL, the chief members suggesting it was a mistake on their part in allowing a club as small as Spurs entry in the first place.”

Former Man United defender Gary Neville, meanwhile, grouped Tottenham together with his old club and Spurs’ north London rivals Arsenal, telling Sky Sports: “Manchester United, Spurs and Arsenal are not even in the Champions League [...] It’s disgusting. Deduct points. Deduct money. Punish them.”

Elsewhere, CBS Sports podcast host Luis Miguel Echegaray wrote on Twitter: “Breaking: European Super League made an error earlier. Spurs are not part of their plans. They only meant to invite Harry Kane.”

A West Brom fan account on Twitter posted: “All this talk of Super League nonsense. Ipswich Town, Everton, Derby, Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, Blackburn Rovers & Leicester City have all won the league since Tottenham last did in 1961.”

BBC Radio 5 Live host Elis James joked: “Swansea City have won a trophy more recently than Spurs, and yet Spurs somehow get to join a European Super League. Surely this thing can only work if the Swans are included?”

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