Spurs stories | Anthony Costa, Lilywhites and Blue

Whether it’s touring or playing festivals with Blue or starring in Mamma Mia! The Party, Spurs are never far away from Anthony Costa’s thoughts.

A Season Ticket Holder born just up the road from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Barnet, north London, Anthony will finally have time to watch his beloved team when his schedule calms down a little later this year - and before he’s on the road again in 2025, when Blue support Ollie Murs on tour.

Andy Greeves speaks to singer-songwriter for the In That Number feature in the recent official matchday programme against Brentford - here's what he had to say - and don't forget you can buy our official matchday programme either at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, or online here...

Born in Barnet on 23 June, 1981, we understand you had little choice in terms of which football club to support growing up?!

Anthony: "Absolutely! I was born a month after Spurs won the FA Cup in 1981 and I was born into a Spurs-supporting family. It’s in my blood. My dad bought me a Spurs kit as a baby and I’ve seen the photographs of me in it. To be honest, I didn’t know any differently other than to support Spurs. I was born into it, simple as that."

What was the first Spurs match you attended?

Anthony: "Apparently my first-ever Spurs match was Ossie Ardiles’ Testimonial Match against Inter Milan when Diego Maradona famously played for Spurs. I was four or five years old at the time. I can’t remember it of course. My dad tells me, I didn’t sit still for the whole match…I was running up and down the rows. My dad just wanted to watch the game, bless him!"

What other early Spurs memories do you have?

Anthony: "I can remember crying my eyes out after we lost the 1987 FA Cup Final to Coventry. That’s my first vivid memory of Spurs. Luckily it was to get better with the FA Cup semi-final and final four years later. I was living in Highbury at the time of the win over Arsenal in the semi-final in 1991. My dad had a factory and a café in Highbury at the time and we lived above the café. I can remember Gazza smashing in the free kick to put us one up and some Arsenal fans shouted from the street ‘oh, brilliant, have we just scored’. My dad shouted back to them, ‘no, you lot haven’t, but we have’. It was amazing! I was the only Spurs supporter in my class, so you can imagine how good it felt after we won that semi-final! The win over Nottingham Forest in the final was brilliant too but it was all about the semi-final. My first strong memory of being at a game was when Spurs played Watford in the League Cup when I was 11 or 12. Jürgen Klinsmann was playing for us that night, who is one of my all-time favourite Spurs players. We actually lost 3-2 on the night, but got through to the next round because we’d hammered them (6-3) in the first leg. That was another very exciting team with Klinsmann, Teddy Sheringham, Darren Anderton, Nick Barmby..."

In terms of favourite players over the years?

Anthony: "That’s like asking me who my favourite child is! We’ve had so many great players. I was too young to appreciate watching Glenn Hoddle at the time, but my dad says he’s the best player he’s ever seen in a Spurs shirt and I’ve obviously seen the videos to know what a great player he was. In my own era, I loved Jürgen like I just said. The Klinsmann-Teddy Sheringham strike partnership was amazing. David Ginola was absolute class for us too. Gazza has to be up there... an absolute genius with a football. Ledley King at the back... immense. Gareth Bale and Harry Kane are right up there as well of course. Mousa Dembélé is another player... somewhat underrated in my opinion. And there’s Sonny. The list really does go on."

What have been your highlights supporting Spurs over the years?

Anthony: "Winning the League Cup in 1999 was a particular highlight for me. Nowadays, there is so much emphasis put on getting in the top four, playing in the Champions League. But for me, it doesn’t get any better than winning a trophy at Wembley. Even though that final against Leicester wasn’t a particularly great game, it just meant so much to be winning silverware. The same goes for beating Chelsea in the 2008 League Cup Final. I was at Wembley for that one and what a great day it was. The odds were against us going into that game but we rose to the occasion and Jonathan Woodgate’s winner in extra-time was one of the sweetest moments I’ve experienced in football. That was quite some Spurs team, with (Dimitar) Berbatov and (Robbie) Keane up front, Ledley at the back and even someone like Steed Malbranque, who ran through walls for Spurs. Other great memories... beating Arsenal 5-1 in the League Cup semi-final (in January 2008) and beating Arsenal under Antonio Conte a few years ago... that was another great night. You think of Lucas Moura’s hat-trick against Ajax to send us to the Champions League Final in 2019 of course or Gareth Bale destroying Inter Milan in 2010. There have been so many great memories being a Spurs fan."

Do you have a season ticket?

Anthony: "Yes, I’m in the South Stand. I haven’t got to a game as yet this season though, due to my work schedule, but I should be back regularly again from November/December."

What did you make of last season and what are your hopes for this season?

Anthony: "It was a season of two halves, as everyone knows. We got off to an absolute flyer but things tailed off towards the end. I’d love to have a really strong campaign in the cup competitions this season. A trophy would mean everything this season. I’ve got my fingers - and my toes - crossed! I can’t claim to know too much about our new summer signings, other than Dominic Solanke of course, who is proven at this level and should be a really great signing. I’m excited to see what the other players are like."

How much are you looking forward to seeing us compete in the UEFA Europa League this season?

Anthony: "The Europa League is looking so strong this season. Some of those fixtures we’ve got... Roma at home, going to Istanbul to play Galatasaray, playing Rangers in Glasgow... wow! I’m hoping it’s a competition where we can really show what we’re made of."

Finally, your band Blue released their sixth studio album a few years ago. What was the experience like putting that album together and touring since?

Anthony: "It has been brilliant being involved in that creative process again - bouncing ideas of each other and putting music together. You can never be complacent in this industry but you also have to try to enjoy every minute of it and we’re doing just that. We’ve had a great summer of doing gigs and festivals. They went really well and the audiences have been brilliant. There’s always talk of new albums. We’re constantly writing, so we’ll see what happens. But we’re loving the live stuff at the moment and just seeing where the journey takes us."