Comedian Alan Davies told Soccer AM he became an Arsenal fan because he didn't like the Tottenham badge!
Spurs badge put me off, says comedian
Comedian Alan Davies told
Soccer AM he became an Arsenal fan because he didn't like the Tottenham badge!
Despite being born into a Spurs household, Davies opted to support their bitter North London rivals after taking one look at his brothers new Tottenham shirt.
Even frequent trips to White Hart Lane with the family couldn't persuade him to change allegiances and in 1971 he received his first Arsenal shirt.
The Jonathan Creek star admitted it was a seminal moment in his life, and to prove it he dug into his Arsenal Manbag and pulled out a pristine, albeit slightly faded, 1971 Gunners jersey!
"My dad's a Spurs fan and so is my older brother, so I used to go to White Hart Lane quite a lot, which helps put you off them!" he told
Soccer AM.
"But my brother had a Tottenham shirt with the cock on a ball, which was horrible badge and I didn't want that and neither did he I don't think.
"And then in 1971 my mum bought this Arsenal shirt! What I like about this is that the badge, which she sewed on, faded at a different rate to the rest of the shirt so the badge is a bit pink!"
Favourite People
Davies new book, My Favourite People & Me -1978-1988, details those who influenced him during his most impressionable years and he revealed that despite the number of Arsenal references Spurs fans could still enjoy it.
"I think it well help them," he said. "I think it will help them understand Arsenal and the players and understand the glory of winning trophies and titles!"
Helen pointed out that it was in fact the white half of North London that was joint top of the Premier League, but Davies proved he had lost none of his quick wit from his days as a stand up comedian.
"They often are on September 5th!" he quipped back. "They're already getting vertigo where they are now. They're hilarious in August and September 'this is our year! Champions League, you're nothing, you're going down!' Whatever!"
Soccer School
As an ardent Arsenal fan it goes without saying that Davies should dislike everything about Tottenham, including their manager.
However, he revealed he had the upmost respect for Spurs boss Harry Redknapp, having being coached by him as a youngster.
"Bobby Moore used to have soccer schools in Essex," he explained. "You could sign up for a week and he had a few dotted around and the one that I went to was at Forest School in Woodford and it was run by Harry Redknapp.
"He was fantastic and all the kids really loved him and thought he was brilliant and they always wanted to do well in front of him when he came past.
"One day he brought Bobby Moore down for one afternoon and he taught us how to volley. He stood in front of me and lobbed the ball up but I scuffed it and he went (sighs loudly)! Where as Harry would never have done that.
"Harry would have said, 'come on, let's do it again' and would make you do it better."
