By plano 
Alright folks, settle in, let’s chat about that practice sesh I tackled today. My own mission: get comfortable belting out the top tunes down the Lane before I head back there. Had one too many moments last season feeling like a right plonker when everyone around me knew the words and I just mumbled along.
Where I Started: Realizing I Needed the Words
Fumbled badly during the Leeds game last month. Couldn’t keep up with “Oh When The Spurs Go Marching In” once the speed cranked up. Standing there feeling proper daft. That was it. Enough was enough. Goal: Know at least five core Spurs chants cold. Inside out. Backwards. Needed lyrics.
Digging for Spurs Gold
First, I hit the obvious spots online. Trouble is, you find bits and pieces everywhere. One forum says this line, another video sings it slightly different. Almost had a meltdown searching “Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur”. Is it “We will always be” or “We are always the” in that third verse? Found three versions!
- Decided to stick to the club’s official socials first – official videos from matches where the crowd is proper loud.
- Cross-referenced a few big fan sites known for matchday stuff, not just random forums.
- Listened hard to specific game recordings on SpursPlay, focused just on the crowd noise sections.
The Notepad Mess & Vocal Cords Test
Grabbed my battered old notepad – the one usually for shopping lists. Started scribbling down what I thought I heard. Looked like a spider dipped in ink crawled across the page. Seriously messy. Then came the singing part. In the kitchen, obviously.
- Started slow with “Can’t Smile Without You” (you know, the Sol Campbell one). Simpler tune, easier rhythm to grab. Just got the flow wrong constantly at first. Kept adding syllables where there shouldn’t be any!
- “Oh When The Spurs Go Marching In” was next. That speed! Tripped over my tongue trying to match the “Oh when the SPURS!” part rushing into the next line. Practiced just that section on loop for ages.
- Tackled the Jingle Bells version. Sounds easy peasy, right? Lemon squeezy? Nope. Brain kept wanting to sing the actual Christmas words instead of “Oh what fun it is to see Tottenham win away!” Messed up big time the first dozen goes.
Seriously, felt like I needed a pint just to recover my voice. Third practice run, I had lyrics scrawled on the back of my hand like cheat notes. Singing to the cat. She looked properly unimpressed, bless her.
Nailing It Down
After a couple of days of sounding like a strangled parrot, things started clicking.
- Made flashcards. Weird? Maybe. Effective? Yeah! Chant name on one side, first line (or trickiest line) on the other. Tested myself during tea breaks.
- Focus on the call & response bits. Like in “He’s one of our own” for Harry Kane. Knowing exactly when to shout “HE’S ONE OF OUR OWN!” makes you feel part of it.
- Singing along with YouTube vids. Found decent crowd recordings with clear lyrics. Just belted it out over them. Felt less exposed, more able to hear when I drifted.
The Pub Test Run
Alright, time for the big league. Sort of. Went down the local Spurs supporters’ pub for the under-21s game midweek. Place wasn’t packed, but a decent little group singing near the back. Nervous? Proper bricked it.
When “Glory Glory” started up, took a breath and just went for it. Managed the whole thing without more than a couple of slightly wobbly bits. Felt brilliant. Even joined in properly on “Yid Army” – knew the timing, knew the words. Didn’t need to glance at my phone notes once. That’s the win. Feeling like you belong in the chorus.
Massive difference. Gone from standing there shuffling my feet to being part of the noise. Proper Spurs choir member now! Well, almost. Still gotta work on the volume without sounding like I’m being murdered. But the core five? Yeah. Sorted.
