Talking Tottenham - First Celebrity Fan Box

Throughout the run of Talking Tottenham we have featured a number of Tottenham’s  ‘celebrity’ fans, nearly 150 in total were identified with still more on the waiting list to be included. I tried to identify people who while well known in the UK may not enjoy “Celeb” status in India but be at least where a passing talking head on the TV. At the same time a couple of these mean little to oui but may be known to you, I expect that’s down to me rather than any failing on their part. Some celebrity’s don’t like to wear their colours on their sleeves for fear of upsetting their own fickle following and some are happy to sing along on match day. As I can’t fit them all into one the builders are currently working on a second box and that will be ready shortly.

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Starting with Hollywood’s A list we have Jude Law (top)  Marina Sirtis of Star Trek fame (along with Tottenham Tattoo), and don’t forget she did an exclusive interview for India Spurs (1) alongside her is an old Enterprise buddy, LaVar Burton. Then we find fellow space travelers from Battlestar Galactica, Jamie Bamber, and from the original series and later the A team is Dirk Benedict. Other thespians are Ron Moody, Colin Buchanan, Rupert Evans, Neil Pearson, Mathew Horne, former footie and now actor Vinny Jones, who’s even tougher than Robotcop, Joel Kinnaman, Jerome Flynn, Sean Maquire, Howard Jacobson, Des Coleman, Anthony Andrews, Adam Linden, Leo Gregory and Mathew T Reynolds.

All celebs need to look good so there we have top hairdresser Nicky Clarke.
 
Singing along at the back of the box we find singers Adele, Lemar Obika, brother to our former player, Shania Twain and Alexandra Burke.

The rhythm is provided by reggae legend Bob Marley. Rocking along with him are Phil Collins, Bryan Adams, Brian Downey from Thin Lizzy, Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi from Status Quo, Jeff Beck and Manic Street Preachers Nicki Wire. Other singers include Paul Young and Frankie Vaughan.

left - Marina shows the love.

Below - The half time entertainment will be provided by Chas N Dave (Chris Hodges & Dave Peacock). Pictured here with fellow Lilywhite, Warren Mitchell.

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Over in the corner we have some writers, there is David Nobbs most famous for his creation Reginald Perrin. The crime and fantasy writer Ian Rankin. Historian Simon Schama, Hunter Davis, Dan Freedman, Paul Hawksbee and Indian born Salman Rusdie. Sitting with them is former Sports photographer Monte Fresco.
 
There is bound to be a few laughs at half time with comedians and comic actors such as  Peter Cook (below with Pat Jennings), Bernie Winters, Paul Whitehouse, Bernard Bresslaw, Henry Kelly, Mike Reid and Roger Lloyd Pack.

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The world of sport is well represented and from cricket we have former England skipper Mike Gatting, even though his brother played for the neighbours, as well as Jonathan Trott, Darren Gough, Ed Joyce, Tim Ambrose, Jack Russell, Min Patel and Austrialia’s Richie Benaud and Melvin Hughes. The West Indians bring us Michael Holding.

Sailing and there is Andrew Simpson. Straight from the ring are world title winning   boxers Chris Eubank, John H Stacy and Barry McGuigan. There is English champion Peter Haymer and fighters Mark Prince and Ray Cumbs. Handball player Mark Hawkins.

below  - Vinny Jones shows his usual approach to the game - here we see him hack down a mascot.

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Next up is rugby and alongside Sam Warburton are internationals Rob Lozowski and Jamie Noone. Snooker provides us with World champion, Peter Ebdon and Matthew Stevens. Basketball send along Joel Freeland and canoeing in is Richard Hounslow..

Female motor racing has Alice Powell. Her male counterpart is Duncan Tappy who arrived with F1 team managers, Ken Tyrell and Frank Williams. GB’s hockey stars Helen Richardson, Chloe Rogers, Glenn Kirkham, and Nick Catlin. Possibly sorting out some contracts are sports agents Andrew Mills and Billy Gould.

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Sports commentators and we find there is John Motson. John is often remembered for one Spurs commentary. I should point out that at the time I was watching in black and white and it made perfect sense.He said ‘For those of you watching in black and white, Spurs are playing in their yellow strip’. Yes, written down it does looks silly. That's John above, he is the one on the right.

The second commentator is the BBC’s Barry Davies. Again a good professional, but his ‘Boys own stuff’ commentary when Gazza scored at Wembley against ‘them’ was wonderful.

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 I’ve been told but cant confirm, unless you can help, a fellow Lilywhite is John Dykes from our own Star Sports. Don’t forget former Indian TV pundit Shebbi Singh.

We must find room for this lady (right), born in India and later a film star in the US and England. We know little about Merle Tottenham. We do know that she was born in Quetta, India in 1901.

Over the years she has been included on various Tottenham celebrity fan lists, largely as she choose Tottenham as her stage name.

If she was a Lilywhite, we don’t know but we will give her the benefit of the doubt. She featured in the original version of The Invisible Man, as well as appearing in films such as Cavalcade and This Happy Breed.

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The thoughtful chap over the far side is the philosopher, Freddie Ayer. One of the UK’s top lawyers is next, that’s Michael Bellof. We won’t be going hungry as one of the UK’s top chef’s Anthony Worrell-Thompson will rustle up the snacks.  
 
Where there are reporters you will find politicians so please make room for Lord Puttham, Lord Grabiner and Lord Triesman, (our former Director). While the MP’s include Ian Duncan Smith (former Tory leader), Tracey Crouch, Judith Church, Vernon Coaker and we must not forget our own local member David Lammy. We also offer a warm welcome to the Prime Minister from Sweden, Steffan Lofven.

Then we find poet Stephen Bett and sitting next to him is the owner of one of the biggest shopping chains, BHS, Philip Green and Stelios HajI-loannou who owns Easy Jet.
Acting as bouncer on the celebrity fan box door to keep us riff raff out are wrestling’s Dave Bautista and John Cena.

There is a special welcome for HRH King of Norway, King Harald V.  I admit this one is a new one on me but I’m informed that we also have a royal supporter in Malaysia’s King Syed Sirajuddin. Just behind him is HRH Sheokh Nader bin Salman Al Khalifa the nephew of the King of Bahrain. While the British royal family is represented by Mark Philips and his son Peter.

Possibly one fan whom may have an empty seat next to him is one the UK’s most famous Criminal’s, Charles Bronson (here for the day from Dartmoor).

Charles once beat up a warden because Arsenal won a game. It must also be said he helps raise funds for charity.


Bronson changed his name to be the same as the actor in the Death Wish films; I believe he has since changed it again, to Salvador Dali?

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As I mentioned in the introduction there are a lot more Tottenham Celebs out there, but that’s 116 to be going on with, a second list is being compiled and will be with you shortly. In the mean time feel free to nominate any you think should be included. Especially if you know any ‘Indian’ celebs as my two previous appeals went unanswered. Until then,  Oi you lot all together, COYS!
 
COYS
Keith Harrison.
t- Keith 16024542
f- peter shearman (old non de plume)
 
Notes – 1 – In case you missed it that exclusive interview is at – http://www.indiaspurs.com/blog/talking-tottenham-with-marina-sirtis