Martin Cloake
@martincloake.bsky.social
Writer, editor, Londoner www.martincloake.com https://martincloake.substack.com
First the European Super League, now Infantino’s World Cup sell-off - latest edition of The Football Fan on what defeating these schemes can teach us.
Why the defeat of Infantino's World Cup sell-off plan should encourage everyone who loves football
Five years on from the European Super League, another greed-is-good scheme has been defeated. How significant are these events?
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Latest from The Football Fan, looking at why a season ticket is not a commodity.
What we talk about when we talk about season tickets
As fans and clubs struggle to define their relationship, ticketing is in the front line
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I spoke to fans who’d been at the #WorldCup2026 about their experiences for the latest edition of The Football Fan.
Inside the fan experience at the 2026 World Cup
What the fans who travelled thought, how they did it, and my view from the armchair … plus some recommended reading
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NEW: Who funds Nigel Farage? And why has it taken till now for any journalistic scrutiny? @carolecadwalla.bsky.social who has tracked him for a decade exposes how the UK press & regulators looked the other way 🧵👇
Really pleased to help out, and looking forward to reading this
MCFC Fans Foodbank Support@mcfcfoodbank.bsky.social · last mo.From Spurs, I spoke to @martincloake.bsky.social about finance, the game in general and the situation at Tottenham. Also quoted @thstofficial.bsky.social and Save our Seniors about super league, ticket prices and more #COYS #THFC 20% off pre-orders here: halcyonpublishing.co.uk/products/for...
Every time I read an update on The Guardian’s live blog about Andy Burnham, his name has been spelt differently (or spelled if you are reading this in the US). Is this a running gag, a tribute to Grauniad days gone by, or what?
Thoughts on the World Cup opening stages, more legal challenges for the Premier League, plus art and literature in the latest edition of The Football Fan.
Notes from between the World Cup
Some short observations to keep The Football Fan ticking over while all eyes are on the Americas
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This is well worth a listen, on the subject of Fan Advisory Boards. youtu.be/SvnEpjVZdZE
Fan Advisory Boards have been misunderstood. This is why it matters
YouTube video by Think Fan Engagement
youtu.be
Thoughts on last season and what next at #spurs for The Fighting Cock Podcast
Seventeenth twice and they don’t know how, what move for ENIC now?
What has been pretty clear to most people is that football hasn’t been a priority at Spurs for years. If the Lewis’s didn’t notice the people they appointed, and in particular the man they made the highest-paid chairman in the Premier League, weren’t prioritising football or building an elite sporti
thefightingcock.co.uk
Some thoughts on the lessons to be learned from the recent victory won by Liverpool fans over ticket pricing.
The leading of Liverpool – where next on ticket pricing?
A hard-won victory at Liverpool has wider implications.
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This is a really excellent and informative read, and a subscription is highly recommended.
Three different things called fan ownership
The Halfway Line, issue one. A working state of the world.
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A treat, as always, and a great payoff. Let’s hope our finishing is as good on the pitch this Sunday. tottenhamonmymind.com/2026/04/10/s...
Seven. It’s a Horror.
Ah, the blessed relief of not watching Tottenham play football. Not a sentiment I ever thought I would write. The club has been integral and essential to my life, my identity, since the late sixtie…
tottenhamonmymind.com
Lots of conversation about football ticket pricing at the moment, so a good time to repost the piece Nick Harris and I worked on. martincloake.substac... #stopexploitingloyalty
The real face of Premier League ticket price inflation
I've worked with Nick Harris of Sporting Intelligence on an investigation into the astonishing rise in prices for fans in English football's top flight.
martincloake.substack.com
I channelled a bit of Marvin Gaye for the latest edition of The Football Fan.
What's going wrong?
It's bigger and richer than ever, but there are nagging doubts about football that just won't go away.
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Two odd things. Accounts are for 24/25 but Donna Cullen left in 25/26 period - so how is her payoff included? And Levy says stadium opening delayed by covid / but stadium opened before covid?
Martin Cloake@martincloake.bsky.social · 4mo agoThe usual must read analysis of #spurs finances by SwissRamble
The usual must read analysis of #spurs finances by SwissRamble
Tottenham Hotspur Finances 2024/25
Don't Get Weird On Me Babe
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Quando um torcedor deixa de ser torcedor? Por Martin Cloake (@martincloake.bsky.social) #Ludopédio #Arquibancada #Futebol #Torcida ludopedio.org.br/arquibancada...
Quando um torcedor deixa de ser torcedor?
Entenda quando e por que um torcedor pode deixar de torcer, analisando identidade, pertencimento e mudanças na relação com o futebol.
ludopedio.org.br
"HERE WE GO!": the lowdown on "football journalist" Fabrizio Romano sportingintelligence832.substack.com/p/here-we-go...
"HERE WE GO!": the lowdown on "football journalist" Fabrizio Romano
The Italian "influencer" who has never worked as a real journalist, has 100m+ followers on social media and leverages them for cash. This is a tale about modern sports media
sportingintelligence832.substack.com
‘Newcastle is category B’ is going to go down in club history alongside ‘Queue up for your League Cup Final tickets after the game’.
Superbly written and why we started the #stopexploitingloyalty campaign on ticket pricing.
Gareth Roberts | Substack
Comms for Spirit of Shankly. Talk LFC at The Late Challenge Podcast. Also found on The Overlap and Radio Merseyside.
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Really enjoyed talking about the actual football on this.
Gareth Dace@80s90sspursbooks.bsky.social · 5mo agoNew episode of @spursnostalgiapod.bsky.social now out with @martincloake.bsky.social and @spursblogger.bsky.social as we discuss their book 'A People's History of Tottenham Hotspur' how and Spurs fans' relationship with the club changed during the 90s. pod.fo/e/39c66a Please repost and share 💙🙏
The message is getting louder. x.com/_dan_austin/st...
thefightingcock.co.uk/2026/01/save...
Save Our Seniors: Why Tottenham’s Concessions Fight Is Far From Over
We are going to set out the reasons why the issue is not resolved, illustrate why the Club’s policy remains wrong on practical, financial and moral grounds, and call on fans to step up once more to se...
thefightingcock.co.uk
Why the #saveourseniors campaign at Spurs is not over. Not our biggest problem, but still a problem. #coys
Save Our Seniors: Why Tottenham’s Concessions Fight Is Far From Over
We are going to set out the reasons why the issue is not resolved, illustrate why the Club’s policy remains wrong on practical, financial and moral grounds, and call on fans to step up once more to secure justice for our senior fans.
thefightingcock.co.uk
Seems like a good moment to re-share my piece on VAR.
Why VAR is the worst thing that has been inflicted on football
I'm going studs up on VAR – bear with me. Plus, what do we mean by "best-run club"?
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Latest edition of The Football Fan on real support and the 12th man, FIFA’s scandalous treatment of fans with disabilities, and Brighton’s financial example.
Crowd pleasers
Why support goes sour, FIFA's latest disgrace, and a strange kind of financial glory
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