EPISODE 28 - John Fennelly

Joining hosts Milesy and Matt Tarr this week is our former Press Officer and *checks notes* pretty-much-everything-else-off-pitch-related - John 'Fenners' Fennelly 🗞 a particularly special person to Milesy which you'll discover why at the start of this episode 🤝 Born in Dublin, Ireland, John emigrated with his parents to England as a young child and spent his early years a stones throw away from our old training ground of 44 years in Cheshunt. In awe of the glittering lights of White Hart Lane in north London in the late 1960s, 'Fenners' was hooked from the moment he set eyes on the charming Lane and it was sealed for life after witnessing his first game from the iconic Shelf against Burnley 🤍 Our Press Officer from 1984, the first-ever in England's top flight, 'Fenners' reveals the incredible stories from working with the legendary Bill Nicholson - whose contribution to the Club's history will surely never be surpassed - to the different methods in place at that time in football media such as press conferences and player signings - namely Osvaldo 'Ossie' Ardiles and Ricky Villa 🇦🇷✍️ - and keeping Spurs fans all over the world up-to-date with Club news through a monthly newspaper, Spurs News, in a time before the internet 📰 He then discusses working with managers like Martin Jol, talents like the irresistible David Ginola and reflects on his reputation amongst Spurs players and legends he worked with down the years who hold him in such high regard. This is a fascinating insight into Spurs from a whole new perspective from a real character who did so much for the Club! Watch on SPURSPLAY - https://play.tottenhamhotspur.com/home For more on Tottenham Hotspur: Club App - tottenhamhotspur.com/spurs-official-app YouTube - youtube.com/channel/UCEg25rdRZXg32iwai6N6l0w?sub_confirmation=1 Twitter - https://twitter.com/SpursOfficial TikTok - tiktok.com/@spursofficial?lang=en Instagram - instagram.com/spursofficial Facebook - facebook.com/TottenhamHotspur Spurs Shop - shop.tottenhamhotspur.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Om Podcasten

Off The Shelf will bring you even closer to our great Club, telling often untold stories from the current playing squad to the legends who went before them, the staff who keep everything ticking over behind the scenes and, of course, our fans - the heartbeat of Spurs. Each podcast is dedicated to its subject, shining a light on their careers and the stories that define them. How did Ledley King feel when he was told he’d have to retire? How did Jenna Schillaci react when she was told she couldn’t play football as a young girl? How did Oliver Skipp climb through the ranks from Academy to first team? How did Molly Bartrip overcome serious health issues to reach the top of the women’s game? What was the one thing Heurelho Gomes wished for when he left home in Brazil to pursue his dream in Europe? You’ll hear those answers and more across the series… And who better to present our podcast than one of our modern-day greats and fans' favourite, Michael Dawson! 'Daws' joined us in January, 2005 and spent nine years at the Club, making 324 appearances in all competitions for us until departing in the summer of 2014. Michael finally retired after 20 seasons as a professional for Nottingham Forest, Spurs and Hull City in August, 2021, and stepped straight into new roles as our Club Ambassador and as a panellist on Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports. A true leader, Daws radiates enthusiasm - his love for the Club shines through.