What is St Totteringham's Day? When is it? How did it start? Will Tottenham finish above Arsenal?

Published 08/04/2017 at 14:33 GMT

Tottenham are currently a full 14 points above north London rivals Arsenal - so where does that leave 'St Totteringham's Day' and what exactly is it? All you need to know...

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino shake hands before the game

Image credit: Reuters

What is St Totteringham's Day?

Put simply, it is the point in a Premier League season where Tottenham can no longer possibly finish above rivals Arsenal.

Celebrated by Arsenal fans, it marks the fact that their side have the league bragging rights over their neighbours.

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Arsenal soccer team's Thierry Henry (L), Patrick Viera (C) and manager Arsene Wenger (R) of France celebrate during a victory parade in north London May 16, 2004. Arsenal are celebrating their victory in the English premier league. Arsenal became the firs

Image credit: Reuters

When is it?

It varies each year, but Arsenal have been treated to an annual St Totteringham's Day celebration since 1995.

Last year, Gunners fans had to wait until the final day of the season to celebrate as Spurs suffered a shock 5-1 thrashing at Newcastle, while Arsene Wenger's men beat Aston Villa 4-0 at the Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta celebrates after Aston Villa's Mark Bunn scored an own goal and the fourth goal for Arsenal

Image credit: Reuters

As a result, Arsenal finished with 71 points, just one more than Tottenham.

How did it all start?

According to a report in the Mirror, the concept originated in 2002 and was first published on the 'Arse Web' fan site.

Either way, St Totteringham's Day has been picked up by the mainstream media since around 2010.

Will Tottenham hit back this season?

It certainly looks like it. In cruising past Watford 4-0 at White Hart Lane, Tottenham now hold a 14-point advantage over their rivals, albeit having played two more games.

Tottenham Hotspur's English midfielder Dele Alli celebrates scoring

Image credit: AFP

Still, with Mauricio Pochettino's men in hot pursuit of leaders Chelsea and with just seven games remaining, it seems highly unlikely that they will finish below Arsenal this time.

What happens if Tottenham finish above Arsenal?

Well, there is no mainstream equivalent as yet, but certainly Spurs fans will be jubilant if their side secures a league triumph over Arsenal having failed to finish ahead of their fiercest rivals in each of the last 21 seasons.

With such a commanding lead over Wenger's men, it appears very likely that Arsenal's run of 21 consecutive seasons finishing above Tottenham will very soon be ended.

Tottenham Hotspur's English midfielder Dele Alli celebrates scoring his team's first goal with Tottenham Hotspur's Englis

Image credit: AFP

Are Arsenal fans resigned to St Totteringham's Day being cancelled this year?

Well, yes. Here is some of the reaction on social media after Tottenham's emphatic win over Watford to go 14 points clear.

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