A photo series documenting the fans from Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, one of England and London’s most heated football club rivalries.
Football is far more than a game to a vast amount of people from multiple demographics and backgrounds across the UK, more a way of life. Supporting one particular team throughout your life feels like it’s a part of your blood.
Growing up in a Tottenham Hotspur-supporting family, I was told from a young age that Arsenal was effectively our arch-nemesis. This is something that I haven’t thought about or challenged until recent times. Don’t get me wrong, I do understand the concept and origins of a local rivalry or derby, but the level that people take it to through violence is something that I don’t support or believe in. How, in such a modern age can we judge a person based purely on the colours of their attire? In theory, why must I hate someone for wearing red and white whilst I wear white and navy?
I shot this series in black & white so the colours of both teams’ fans wouldn’t be the sole focus of the shot, as I wanted to capture the individual for who they were rather than the team that they associated with. To thoroughly do this, I had to wear an Arsenal shirt on the day of their last home game of the 2017/18 Premier League season, which as a Tottenham fan was completely the opposite of what I’m used to, but I feel that it was the only way I could truly capture the fans from an insider’s perspective.