In a break from podcast reviews, this episode discusses recent discontent within the Spurs fanbase by exploring the complex relationship between sports fandom, personal identity, and mental health.

Trigger warning: brief reference to studies on partner violence.

Some mental health resources:

UK: https://www.thecalmzone.net/

USA: https://www.nami.org/

References (all freely accessible):

https://www.reddit.com/r/tottenhamhotspur/comments/1ormd1a/spurs_season_ticket_holder_who_developed_actual/

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1517295/full

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337989754_Positive_fantasies_and_negative_emotions_in_soccer_fans

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247720630_Seeing_Red_or_Feeling_Blue_Differentiated_Intergroup_Emotions_and_Ingroup_Identification_in_Soccer_Fans

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/stigma-addiction-and-mental-health/202502/the-psychology-of-sports-fandom-balancing-wins-and

https://www.npr.org/2022/02/14/1080684282/what-it-means-for-sports-fans-mental-health-when-their-team-loses

https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/sports-fans

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/aug/31/football-depression-spurs-john-crace

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/apr/01/will-i-be-happier-if-i-erase-football-from-my-life-how-i-went-cold-turkey-and-quit-the-beautiful-game

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Intro song by Neb Economou (@tedcruzinusa.bsky.social)

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Follow the pod on Bluesky: @poddenhampodspur.bsky.social

Email me: [email protected]

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Tags for SEO: Spurs, Tottenham Hotspur.