Don't call it Tottenham anymore

According to The Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur has requested to be referred to by its full name. In a statement, the club clarified: "Tottenham Hotspur has provided clarification regarding the name of the team. They have requested that the club be primarily known as Tottenham Hotspur, with 'Spurs' as the preferred shortened version. They have also asked not to be simply called 'Tottenham'." This is not a new development - this has been the club's position since 2011 - but the desire to distance themselves even more from the North London neighborhood and create a brand associated with one of the most modern stadiums in the world has pushed them further in this direction.

In England, it is common to see clubs defined by both their location and a suffix that sets them apart from other local teams. This is obviously the case for City and United, or Forest or Rovers, or Town, which are essential to understand which team is being referred to. However, this is not the case for Tottenham, as specified with a certain pride in the same statement. "In a world full of United, City and Rovers, there is only one Hotspur, Tottenham Hotspur. When referring to the team or the brand, please use 'Tottenham Hotspur', 'Tottenham Hotspur Football Club' or 'THFC'. Never refer to our club as 'Tottenham', 'Tottenham Hotspur FC' or 'TH'" specifies the club. This strong stance emphasizes the importance for clubs to become recognizable in every aspect, even at the cost of losing part of their identity.

The ball is now in the court of journalists, TV networks, and graphic designers, who will have to find a way to make this change as unobtrusive as possible. Whatever the choice of broadcasters, what matters most to fans is seeing their club climb the Premier League table. Tottenham Hotspur recently obtained a moral victory against Manchester United thanks to James Maddison's goal, but the team's overall performances have been far from convincing, with the team currently in 12th place in the standings. Will changing their name be enough to change their history?