Tottenham torn to shreds by their own fans for selling £30 'Spursy' t-shirt from official club store amid relegation battle

The term 'Spursy' has long been used by rival fans to mock Tottenham's perceived tendency to collapse under pressure or fail in spectacular fashion. Historically, it has been a stick used to beat the club following high-profile disappointments, such as their Champions League final defeat. While the club initially introduced the range in an attempt to reclaim the narrative following their Europa League triumph, its continued sale has been slammed as tone-deaf given the club's current predicament in the Premier League table, just one point above the relegation zone.

Supporters have not held back in their assessment of the marketing move, viewing it as a sign of a leadership void at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Speaking to the Daily Mail, a frustrated supporter named James pulled no punches: "It seems like the owners and the hierarchy don't actually respect the club. Imagine Arsenal making a shirt that had 'bottlers' on it. The game's gone."

The sentiment was echoed by another fan who spoke to The Sun, describing the decision as an act of "self-sabotage". The supporter added: "I’m fuming. It’s the kind of thing you’d see in Arsenal’s shop." Another disgruntled follower noted the damage to the club's image, stating: "It makes fun of the supporters, club and team and that’s not right."

The item has since been removed from the club's website.

This isn't the first time the club's reputation has been used as a yardstick for failure on a grand scale. In February, Swedish MP Mikael Damberg used the term in a parliamentary speech to criticise his government's economic handling. "I naturally think of Tottenham Hotspur, also known as Spurs, it is one of England's most distinguished and rich clubs with an enormous stadium, dedicated and large supporter base - everything to be considered a top team," he told the Swedish chamber. "Despite this, Tottenham find themselves in crisis. They are fighting at the bottom of the table, just a few points above the relegation zone. Not because they lack resources or benefits, but because they have squandered opportunities.

"The club have been given the name 'Spursy', [which is] when you have opportunities but get no results. Madame Speaker that is precisely how the Minister of Finance is handling the Swedish economy. Sweden has the power, ability and resources. We have the companies, workforce and innovation capabilities. Conditions exist for the Swedish economy to prosper," Damberg told the chamber.

Tottenham have nine games to salvage their season, next travelling to Anfield to face Liverpool in the league, before a crucial clash against Nottingham Forest on March 22. But before those two matches, Igor Tudor's side face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.