By Martin Graham
Arsenal followers could soon be marking one of their favourite unofficial dates in the calendar. St Totteringham’s Day is the label given to the point in a season when it becomes arithmetically certain that Tottenham Hotspur can no longer end the campaign above their north London rivals in the table.
The expression, a pun combining “Tottenham” with “tottering,” was coined by the Arsenal fan site Arseweb in the early 2000s and began attracting wider attention around 2010. For many Gunners supporters, it represents an annual opportunity for local bragging rights.
This season, that milestone could arrive sooner than ever. The earliest previous occurrence was 9 March 2008, but current circumstances mean a new record is possible.
Sunday’s fixtures could seal it
If Tottenham, currently battling near the bottom, fail to win away at Fulham on Sunday at 14:00 GMT, Arsenal fans will be poised to celebrate. Regardless of Spurs’ outcome, a victory for Arsenal against Chelsea later that afternoon (16:30 GMT) would mathematically confirm the outcome.
The potential early celebration underlines the stark contrast between the two clubs’ present situations. Arsenal sit at the summit of the Premier League, while Spurs are fighting to preserve their top-flight status. Igor Tudor has taken interim charge this month following the departure of Thomas Frank.
With 10 games left for Arsenal and 11 for Tottenham, the separation already stands at 32 points. In only five previous league campaigns has the final gap been larger.
A widening divide in recent years
Last season, Arsenal ended as runners-up for the third year running, finishing 36 points ahead of 17th-placed Spurs. St Totteringham’s Day was confirmed on 3 April in that campaign.
The largest disparity between the sides came in 2003-04, when Arsenal’s “Invincibles” amassed 90 points to claim the title, ending 45 clear of Tottenham.
Although Spurs once enjoyed a run of six consecutive seasons above Arsenal — a sequence that concluded in 2022 — fortunes have shifted. Since then, Tottenham have dismissed three permanent managers. Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta, now in his sixth year in charge of Arsenal, has moulded his team into regular contenders for the championship.
Tottenham’s best margin over Arsenal remains 14 points, achieved in 2017-18, the season before they progressed to the Champions League final.