Do you come from a land downunder?

A massive welcome to a new e-Spurs writer. Tonight, Rikard Redin, born in Sweden and living in Australia, gives us an insight into what it's like to support Spurs from the other side of the planet. Welcome to e-Spurs Rikard!

It's almost 5 am and the last echoes of the singing has just ceased bouncing off the walls from The Imperial Hotel on Spring street down to Flinders Street Station. Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?

Tottenham has just won the North London Derby and the brave supporters that made it to the game have just flicked out their smartphones. All asking the question “At what time will the next game be played?” and most of us ending up saying, “Arrgh, I work the next day! It's just impossible!”. Imagine having a heart that beats so strong for your team, but are unable, for practical reason, to watch the matches. It's a hard knock life.

So near, yet so far.....away

Being a supporter of the Premier League in Australia is a different experience. Where the question of support is really challenging your inner core. No longer can I enjoy the perfect 4pm kickoffs as I grew used to, growing up in Sweden. No longer can I spend my days from 2pm up until past midnight watching my favourite football from England and Spain. Now it's a challenge, now you have to fight and now you have get lucky with the kickoff times to be able to watch a game. Come on, lets be honest, who of you out there would relish the thought of getting up at 3am to watch Spurs play away at Stoke on a rainy English winter afternoon?

If we don't make the journey to the CBD to watch the match, we all have to rely on shady and indeed shaky streams. Let's put it mildly, Australia is not the most IT-developed country in the world, and many of us have to struggle with slow Internet connections to watch the matches.

Pic - Ozspurs

Being a supporter with these circumstances exerts a certain toll on the respective other. Being that respective other it can't be easy. Not only hard to have your partner wake up at 2 am to see him or her leave for the city nor is it easy having your partner next to you in bed streaming the match online and reacting to a match situation in the middle of the night or for that matter having a grumpy partner due to him or her not getting the sleep required. We do love you for your understanding and for your acceptance of our passion.

The meet ups follow the same pattern as in any city I imagine. There's information on a website, on Facebook, Twitter or equivalent when and where the match will be shown. We go. We meet up. We chat. We rejoice over the fact that we were able to go to watch the match. We speak of the time spent since we last met. While these conversations are going on, there's usually the chapter organiser walking around, chatting, promoting the supporter club and making sure everyone feels at home. In Melbourne we have Simon. An expat, born in England and a “local boy” that grew up with Spurs just around the corner. A hundred and one stories to tell, he sets the mood and creates the atmosphere, tirelessly being the best host imaginable.

At times I think about if the local fans in London realise the effort us international supporters put in trying to be as good supporters as we possibly can. How we're hit with international delivery charges on our purchases, how we suffer not having the opportunity to go to The Lane each and every week. Our hearts bleed just as much and our hearts are filled with as much joy as the local fans after a win. Do they understand? Do they appreciate?

Many of us here in Melbourne have not had the chance to actually visit White Hart Lane, and those who haven't have envy in their eyes when you tell stories of your visit to the Spurs holy ground. Regardless, their love for the club is as big as anyones. They love the shirt. They love the badge. They stand by the players. They might yawn while they do it, but they stand tall and they stand proud.

Sydney Ozspurs

I was a part of the Swedish Spurs community, but I am now a part of the Aussie community and I love every minute of it. Ok, fine I don't enjoy going to bed at 5 am after a North London Derby only to wake up at 6 am when the missus alarm clock starts ringing. I don't enjoy missing a match and waking up in the morning, having to read through the Twitter feed, scrolling from start to finish and again laying in bed waking up the missus with your reactions and joy for a goal scored or the frustration from yet another goal conceded in typical Spurs fashion. However I do love the fact that we're all supporters regardless of our background, regardless of how we came to become a supporter of Tottenham, regardless of if we have been fortunate enough to visit White Hart Lane or not. We're the pride of North London. How I see it, it's not just the pride of North London. It's the pride of Sweden, it's the pride of Los Angeles. It's the pride of Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and the pride of any supporter anywhere that hold Tottenham Hotspur close to their hearts.

As far as I'm concerned, the songs are still echoing in the city, bouncing from house to house all the way from St Kilda to Kings Cross. All the way back to White Hart Lane.

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