Back in my twenties, I attended a party at a rooftop bar and chatted with a friend of mine. While scrambling to have a conversation, I asked her where she came from. “Foxtone,” she said. If you don’t know, it’s a coastal town in Kent in southeast England.
I answered without hesitation: “Folkestone Invicta”, the name of the town’s local non-league club, currently playing in the seventh level of British football. Until today, I have never forgotten the expression on her face: almost total boredom and indifference, but regretful.
However, to explain the “brand script” of a particular Premier League club: in a world full of Manchester United, cities and wanderers, there is only one Invicta – Folkestone Invicta.
Back in 1936, if the founder of the club thought “Invicta” was unique enough to become the name of the club itself – no “Folkestone” part needed – then for decades I could not only avoid the embarrassment of that moment, but also the founder It will be a century before their time.
As sports On Friday, Tottenham no longer wants you to call them Tottenham. In short, this is the “Spurs”. This is not the only preferred nomenclature.
“When referring to a reference team or brand, use ‘Tottenham Hotspur’, Tottenham Hotspur FC’ or ‘THFC’,” the club wrote in a guidance sent to Premier League broadcasters this month. “Never call our club ‘Tottenham’, ‘Tottenham FC’ or ‘Th’.” Never. otherwise.
It raises many questions, especially, what is the material difference between the terms “Tottenham Hotspur Football Club” and “Tottenham Hotspur Club”? I have no idea. However, I will use the prohibited version in the rest of this column in a bid to inspire someone from Tottenham FC to tell me.
There is at least one reason for the “Spurs” preference. Tottenham Hotspur believes that Tottenham is the name of the region, not the name of the club, which is their policy over the years. By search engine results trawling, you will be well able to find a single use of Tottenham using Tottenham on the club website.
James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Tottenham has been called the “Spurs” on a fixed list on the official Premier League website for some time. Back in the league’s official social media feed, in fact, the only mention of the term “Tottenham” is “Tottenham Stadium”.
In a sense, the club is just back to the roots. When a group of elementary school cricketers founded the club in 1882, they chose the name “Hotspur FC”. Joined Tottenham only two years later, because as the Pseudo-Scripture story progressed, they began to receive another position in the club called Hotspur.
It seems like the club hasn’t actually changed its name and completely eliminated any geotagging. Another man in north London set a precedent for this after relocating from Woolwich in 1913. So, will this make this bin easier to explain?
In response to Friday’s news, some Tottenham fans rightly say that after three days of this month, they and the club themselves have something bigger concerns.
Others suggest that it is only related to copyright, as the term “spurs” is easier to trademark than the names of the surrounding areas. In addition to Tottenham Hotspur, the term “Tottenham” has been listed in its registered trademarks.
Even if they don’t, what does that have to do with the club’s mention on Football Saturday’s Vidiprinter?
However, it is hard to disagree with another reaction from Tottenham fans and supporters of other clubs, who think it is a disappointing sign of where football is currently. Another small brick was paved on a road that had been going for a long way throughout the movement.
But are Tottenham fans allowed to come in? (Jacques Feeney/Mi News/Nurphoto via Getty Images)
Many Manchester United supporters still deleted the term “football club” for the peak of 1998 – controversial at the time, but now often radiates the same word or abbreviation “FC” with little comment.
Six years ago, Liverpool failed to trademark the city’s name for the purpose of merchandise sales. Chelsea had a greater success earlier this season, celebrating their 120th anniversary, with the new, alternative club Crest taking their Lions rampant value above the “LDN”.
Similarly, in 2016, West Ham United added the term “London” to their revamped crest, though at least voted for it first.
This kind of thing is far from the Premier League phenomenon. Paris Saint-Germain’s reshapes the word “Paris” on their logo instead of “Saint-Germain”, with European olive oil uniformly calling the club “Paris” instead of “PSG.”
On a surface level, Tottenham’s “Spurs” preferences differ from some of these examples. Instead of tying themselves closely to the environment around the larger metropolis, they took another approach: in their justification, they defined the “Spurs” team and “Tottenham Hotspur” area.
However, there is a common topic among such decisions. All of this is a basic attempt to make club identity easier to swallow and digest. In other words, things that can be consumed, especially in the global market.
Usually, this comes at the expense of the club: its history, its culture, its locality. These days, it is often said that it is a cliché, but it is still overlooked enough to repeat: football clubs are first representatives of their communities and first global brands.
The vast majority of clubs recognize that in the trustworthy work they do in these communities, but when it’s time to consider something better sold on plastic water bottles, the responsibility in their marketing department is quickly forgotten Responsibility.
Tottenham is definitely not alone. It usually feels like clubs that want to succeed in the football current landscape must prioritize where they are going. Calling the club “Spurs” instead of “Tortham Hotspur” is a small but trivial shift. Enough reminder that one of these days I might have to lower myself to the Folkestone Invicta.
(Top photo: Jacques Feeney/Mi News/Nurphoto via Getty Images)
