Tottenham Hotspurs are one of the biggest teams in England – and known around the whole world! The team regularly place near the top of the Premier League and have a brand new stadium which was built next door to their old one Here are 15 amazing facts about one of the best teams in the city of London!

Once you’ve read all these facts, why not take the Ultimate Tottenham Hotspur quiz?

1. They began as a cricket team!

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club were founded in 1882. They’re one of the oldest football clubs in England and are based in North London and were simply called Hotspur Football Club to begin with, and were basically set up for something to do while their members couldn’t play cricket in the winter.

2. Tottenham Hotspur’s Women’s team formed about 100 years later

They were originally called Broxbourne Ladies in 1985, but changed their name to Tottenham Hotspur Ladies FC for the 1991–92 season. They currently play in the Women’s Super League and play at Brisbane Road in nearby Leyton, with Lionesses forward Bethany England leading the charge!

3. They play at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Tottenham Hotspur plays their home games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The stadium officially opened on April 3, 2019, and has a seating capacity of over 62,000 spectators, making it one of the largest stadiums in the Premier League. They previously played their home fixtures at White Hart Lane, which is basically next door to their new home.

4. Their fiercest rivals are Arsenal

Tottenham Hotspur’s biggest rivals are Arsenal, with matches between the two clubs being known as the North London derby. The rivalry between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal is one of the most fiercely contested and historic rivalries in English football, dating back over a century. Their two stadiums are about 4 miles from each other!

5. Their mascot is called Chirpy

Spurs’ mascot is named Chirpy. This feathered fan has been a symbol of the club for many years, and Chirpy represents the team at matches and events, entertaining fans and adding to the atmosphere at home games. They’re yet to make a first team appearance, however.

6. The club’s motto is Latin

The team’s motto is a Latin phrase which says ‘Audere est Facere’ and means ‘to dare is to do’. So now you know! It basically means that you won’t win if you don’t try!

8. They’re nicknamed The Lilywhites

That’s because of their crisp white home shirts. But not many people call them that, and choose Spurs instead.

9. They’re linked with William Shakespeare

The team are named 14th-century Northumbrian man called Sir Harry Hotspur. He was a soldier and was mentioned in Shakespeare’s play Henry IV. His family owned land in the Tottenham Marshes, too. It is not known whether Shakespeare was a fan of association football, due to it not being invented during his lifetime.

10. They’ve won the FA Cup quite a few times

Spurs have won the FA Cup eight times in their history, along with four League Cups, and seven FA Community Shields. Arsenal, however, hold the record for winning the FA Cup the most number of times. As of 2024, that number stands at 14!

11. They’ve got some famous fans

Like all big clubs, Spurs have a number of celebrity fans who follow the team through thick and thin. There’s Adele, who grew up in North London, Spider-Man star Tom Holland and actor and WWE icon John Cena!

12. Some of their players were pop stars for a brief moment

In 1987, Spurs and England stars Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle released a single called Diamond Lights and it reached number 12 in the charts! The duo appeared on Top of the Pops and people of a certain age remember it being totally cringe. Another single – titled It’s Goodbye – was released but it failed to trouble the charts. A few years later, Paul Gascoigne released a cover version of the Lindisfarne classic Fog on the Tyne (Revisited) and it proved one thing when it came to footballers releasing music – they really shouldn’t.

13. Spurs have won cups in Europe

While they’re regarded as one of the biggest teams in England, Spurs have enjoyed limited success in European football. They’ve picked up one European Cup Winners’ Cup and two UEFA Cups since forming.

14. Their old ground was said to be haunted!

Spurs’ old ground White Hart Lane was said to be haunted. We didn’t want to look into this any more because ghosts are scary, aren’t they?

15. Former star Harry Kane had to leave the youth team for a stupid reason

His first big signing as a child was with Tottenham Youth team. He was doing well too, but had to leave the kids team because his coaches thought he was “too chubby”! Ridiculous – especially when you think of how many goals he scored for them when he was an adult. He left the team as for Bayern Munich with 280 goals under his belt. We hope that coach is embarrassed! He should be.