Finally! After 17 very, very, very long years, Tottenham Hotspur have won a trophy. It even feels surreal to write that. I must confess to shedding a few tears last Wednesday as nerves gave way to relief and elation when the final whistle blew on what, let’s be honest, was a terrible game of football between Spurs and Man Utd. But for long-suffering Spurs fans, it was a glorious match and moment, the glow of which we’ll bask in for some time yet. Whilst I couldn’t go to the game, I was determined to get along to the parade two days later. I headed straight to White Hart Lane, where thousands had already gathered, despite the bus not passing for another two hours. Overwhelmed by the sheer numbers, I decided to walk along the parade route to where it would begin, in Edmonton Green. The crowds thinned before picking up again as I approached the start. Thankfully, I arrived and got a good vantage point just as the players took to the bus at around 5.10pm. Given that the bus wasn’t scheduled to set off until 5.30pm, it meant the crowds beneath got a good 20 minutes watching the players as they nestled in for the parade — trophy, hugs, drink and so much all included! I took along my Fujifilm xT5 with the 50mm lens and grabbed some photos — photos I’ll treasure for many years to come.
Tottenham win the Europa League!
Pre-match at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Two loves in my life are street photography and Tottenham Hotspur. So why not somehow put the two together? That was the thinking behind the photos below taken during the summer, when I took my Fujifilm x100f to Spurs’ first game of the season against Southampton in August. I was keen to capture the pre-match vibe – be that walking to the stadium, chatting with friends and family, drinking beer, waiting around, or whatever. I hope I’ve succeeded. The key tactic I employed was shooting from the hip whilst navigating through crowds. It meant I could get fairly close to people without standing out too much! There remains acres of room for improvement, but I was pleasantly surprised with the results. The weather was gorgeous and Spurs won 4-1, playing some lovely football along the wall. All in all, it was one of those summer days I’d gladly put on repeat.
