TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FANS support the continued use of the “Y-word” on the terraces, with a majority of both Jewish and non-Jewish supporters saying they do not wish to see it used less on matchdays.
The club published the results of a wide-ranging survey on the controversial topic on Monday, which collected data from more than 23,000 members and affiliates in August.
Almost all of them acknowledged that the Y-word can, in some contexts, be considered a racist term against Jewish people, but a third nevertheless said they “regularly” use it in a football context.
Overall, 55 per cent of Spurs fans said they were happy with the current use of the term in a football context – with 23 per cent saying they want fans to use it less, and 22 per cent preferring it was eliminated altogether.
Among Jewish respondents, the proportion of those who opposed banning or lessening the use of the chant on matchdays rose to 58 per cent, with 26 per favouring that fans stop using it and 16 per cent preferring fans to chant it less.
Two-thirds of Jewish fans said they at least “occasionally” sing chants which include “Yid”. Among them, more than half said they “regularly” use the word.
More than half of respondents disagreed that the Y-word by Spurs fans created a “lack of clarity in terms of what is now considered as anti-Semitic abuse” – a frequent argument employed against its use.
FULL STORY Most Tottenham Hotspur fans, Jewish and non-Jewish, support 'Y-word' chants (Jewish Chronicle)
