Name: Spencer & Melissa Wolinski
Match in Amsterdam: Borussia Dortmund v Tottenham – 3 March 2019
Year of Birth: Spencer 1979; Melissa 1979
Where are you from?
Charlotte, North Carolina
Where do you live now?
Charlotte, North Carolina
How long have you been a Tottenham Hotspur supporter?
Maybe a dozen years.
Why did you start supporting Tottenham Hotspur?
In Charlotte I have a friend who’s British, who’s actually a Liverpool supporter, but he made a joke one day about how I should be a Spurs fan because I’m Jewish. So then I looked into it and kind of thought, ‘Oh, okay. Yeah, that certainly makes sense!’ I mean, growing up, it’s never really been a cool thing to be Jewish… at all. So as soon as I saw that, saw the connection, and the whole ‘Yiddo thing’, it was absolutely meant to be! So that’s it.
What was the first game you went to?
So the first one was in New York. Not in England, but they come over to the States every few years. I think the first game was close to 10 years ago probably. They played the New York Red Bulls and that was good. I feel like it was 2-1 Spurs. I’m pretty sure we won by a goal. Robbie Keane scored… and I don’t remember the rest.
Who is your all-time favourite player?
Gareth Bale. At the time when he first started playing, and he was barely playing and we lost every game when he was playing… You know, I’ve played myself all my life, and so at the time, I was playing left-back and so he was the guy who started playing here and there and he played left-back and he was pretty quick, and I said, I’m kind of digging this guy. I joked, and my friends at home joked with me that I’m like the ‘proud dad’, you know, watching him go that to what he became… I’ve just got this crazy love for the guy! Which I’m sure many other people do. It absolutely broke my heart when he left. I’ve never been more upset with when a player left somewhere. That was just awful.
Who is your favourite player currently?
Spencer: Erik Lamela. Which is controversial, I know. Again, with me playing soccer myself, I feel like I kind of relate to him, a bit. He’s not by any means the best player on the pitch! But when he’s on he’s one hundred percent, constantly. And I’ve kind of got a reputation for always having a yellow card in me… So he’s a pretty chippy player that’s usually going to get in some kind of trouble.
Melissa: Dele Ali because he’s fun to watch. He makes a little bit of trouble and I like that! And he’s pretty good.
What was the best (live) game you went to?
Honestly, I have to say it was the other day – it was Saturday (Tottenham v Arsenal). Just because that was our first time catching them over here. It finished 1-1, which wasn’t three points, but I’ll take it, given the way that it started. We were hoping it would be the new stadium, but it was Wembley. So we’ll definitely be back next season for the new one.
What was the best goal you’ve ever seen?
I’d be tempted to say (David) Bentley’s against Arsenal. Bale had a handful that I like. I remember his one against City, which was the third goal that game (2013) when he chipped the keeper. Actually, Bale again in the San Siro
Can you predict the final score tonight?
1-0 Spurs (actual score: 1-0 Spurs).
