It’s about time football drops the “spursy” tag from Tottenham: Here’s why

Even without the knowledge of what “spursy” means in relation to Tottenham (nicknamed “Spurs”), to show the power of the tag, I will prove that even the most casual of fans likely has an inkling of what it stands for. Here’s what I mean: What first thought arises in your mind when you think about Tottenham? If it is “they can’t win trophies,” then you are spot on. In fact, when admitting you are a Spurs fan, the usual response is either a form of laughter or pity. This often stems from being considered unfortunate sufferers of a curse that keeps the team from ever quite getting over the line in big games.

The easiest way to remove the tag “you can’t win trophies” is to win one

First, I will lay out the traditional reasons for applying this tag, then explain why they are no longer relevant. At the simplest level, Spurs is generally considered a “Big Six Club”, i.e., one of the six most followed and influential teams in English football. Spurs have been the least successful of the Big Six clubs recently; therefore, they are “spursy.” To the casual fan, this is likely the level of understanding, and indeed, Spurs (before last year) had not won a trophy since 2008. Spurs have also lost four finals in major competitions since 2008 and suffered a uniquely poor run of eight FA Cup semi-final exits spanning 1992-2018. Additionally, even as recently as the 23/24 season, Spurs conceded nine second-half stoppage-time goals, more than any other top-flight team. You can see how this tag has been justified in certain ways. But now I will show you how the team’s recent evolution has changed the perception.

The easiest way to remove the tag “you can’t win trophies” is to win one. So, I will first prove my point by saying that Spurs were the 2025 UEFA Europa League (UEL) winners. For fans unfamiliar with the tournament, it is the second-most prestigious competition on the European domestic football stage, behind the UEFA Champions League (UCL). This tournament is essentially a “second tier” of the best teams in Europe, often comprising the 4th- or 5th-best teams in Europe’s top five leagues. Nevertheless, this is not an easy trophy to win. Just ask Man Utd fans who, as recently as 2021, lost the final to Villarreal CF, or Arsenal, who lost the 2019 final 4-1 to Chelsea. So, clearly winning this trophy is no simple achievement and is the easiest way to push back against this “spursy” tag.

If the argument is that Spurs are bottlers because they have a history of failing to win trophies, then it is not true

You may or may not be surprised to know that the UEL 2025 trophy was not the first time Spurs had achieved this feat, let alone any domestic trophies. In fact, the club has won a total of 18 major trophies in its history, including 2 League titles, 8 FA Cups, 4 League Cups, 3 UEFA Cups (now renamed Europa League), and 1 Cup Winners’ Cup. Overall, by total major honours earned, which excludes Charity Shield and Second Division titles, the club is the 7th most successful in English club history. It is interesting to note that the team lying just above in 6th place is Aston Villa, who have never been labelled a bottle job team. If the argument is that Spurs are bottlers because they have a history of failing to win trophies, then it is not true.

I therefore argue that the label is being overused against Tottenham in particular. But, if we accept its use against Spurs, it should also be applied to other, potentially more culpable “Big Six” clubs. At the very least, to my fellow long-suffering Spurs fans, I hope to have laid out a cohesive argument that you can use to defend yourselves from the inevitable flippant comment that comes flying your way from a rival fan when they say, “don’t worry, it’s only Tottenham.”