by Dr Billy “the dog” McGraw, senior psychologist at the University College Hospital of the North Circular Road.
As regular readers will know I am usually called in when we have a spate of mind readers writing to the site telling anyone who cares to read just what someone else is thinking. Checking with the accused usually reveals that he or she is not thinking that at all – although we have recently had several people writing in saying that the accused was thinking what they were accused of thinking but are now in denial.
Thus we now have the notion that a reader knows more about what a person is thinking than the person him or herself, which is an interesting concept that takes us to the Thought Police in “1984”. Do they have those in Manchester? It seems like it – which is a good reason to stay away, for one’s mental health if nothing else.
With me so far?
Anyway, as you may have heard Tottenham Nomads have been told by the Advertising Standards Authority (rather amusingly called the Advertising Standards Agency by the Daily Telegraph who I think have fallen foul of their judgements on a number of occasions and are now trying to downgrade the organisation) not to use an advert which claimed its new stadium was “the only place” in London to watch Champions League football this season.
And quite right too, given that we have just been told that the Totts have applied to Brent Council for the rights to hold football matches at the national ground until the end of this season.
Of course it might be just as an alternative venue for their reserves, but I rather suspect it is because they still can’t get the light switches to work in New WHL (pronounced by the few who have tried to pronounce it as Newool or New Whool – whichever you like.)
The Advertising Standards Authority said it was “unlikely” any fans would be able to watch Champions League this season at NewWHL, and thus objected to the rather over the top advertisement, “The only place to watch Uefa Champions League in London…Time is running out to secure Premium Seats at Spurs’ New Stadium.”
Anyway, Tottenham are under obligation to ensure that any copies of the advertisement still visible had to be removed forthwith, and I am sure that they will have done this. The ASA also advised them to avoid making claims in future advertising that they cannot fulfil to avoid disappointing customers.
“We also advised them that if the ad is still appearing to ensure it is removed,” the ASA said.
The guy who reported the club said,
“The homeless crowd from Middlesex made claims that they could not substantiate. Some might say that I am quite petty in making that complaint, although I feel this is unfair.
“There could be impressionable children out there looking at these ads and making lifetime choices.
“If I save one child from becoming a Tottenham fan and suffering a lifetime of disappointment, then it will be all worthwhile.”
I wonder if he is an Untold reader – I thought we were the only people who engaged in the Middlesex banter. But still, a nice one.
On which topic it has also been fun to have a number of Manchester City supporters write in following our articles on the issues relating to the recent leaks of emails, saying that we should not be covering the story because Arsenal bribed its way into the league in the first place.
That was very very very good and very welcome because the second edition of Henry Norris at the Arsenal is now finished and published on the Arsenal History Society website, and that is by far and away the biggest ever analysis of that event – and of course everything Henry Norris did in relation to football between 1910 and 1927, including exposing the match fixing by clubs in the north west of the country.
The whole story (which is told in enormous detail) is indexed here, but if you just want the election to the first division bit, scroll down the page and you’ll find a separate index. Mind you that is pretty big too, but we did want to cover every single allegation and every single aspect. It is worth reading – it is a great story.
But to return to Tottenham Nomads. As you may recall it was planned that the NewWHL stadium would open at the start of the season and would then be housing American footie games there as well as approximations to football. Then the Americans had the chance to wreck Wembley by playing on that pitch.
Next the start of the new year was announced as a date for starting the Nomads at their new ground, now it seems that has been put back too.
Still, I am sure that despite these errors of judgement, they will get it right soon. Well, they will move in sometime.
Won’t they?
- Arsenal not interested in Euro league but there is a breakaway brewing
- Football after the UK leaves the EU. The FA remains in total denial of the research.
- Football headlines and the strange stories that follow them. (The two are not connected)
What a fantastic quote for a T-shirt ” If I save one child from becoming a t***t etc.” Maybe worth another banner at The Grove. Please can we have some cool Untold merchandise
By New WHL do you mean the soon to be famous American Football venue known as The Toilet Bowl on account of it’s uncanny resemblance to same when viewed from the air?
Would be intriguing to know how many rejection slips you have had from Private Eye because you are just not funny and that was the first time around. Must be a hoot when you, Blacksheep & Anyone get together …..
Clockerz
In all the years, only one, and it was a personal letter.
Aside from any speculation about whether they may or may not get through their group, is Wembley not in London?
Wembley is in London but it is not WHL!!
“If I save one child from becoming a Tottenham fan and suffering a lifetime of disappointment, then it will be all worthwhile.”
What a beautiful almost biblical phrase that is.
“If I save one child from becoming a Tottenham fan and suffering a lifetime of disappointment, then it will be all worthwhile.”
Lyrics to a hit song on the terraces of football.
exactly, so its incredible that they came up with such a stupid claim in the first place, given that they had already been playing cl games at a different place in london themselves. what a shambles