James Maddison Hits Back at Tottenham Fan Angry That He Attended Darts.
Tottenham midfielder James Maddison has taken to social media to address criticism he’s received from his own fans after himself and teammate Brennan Johnson were spotted at Alexandra Palace for Gerwyn Price’s last-16 clash against Jonny Clayton in the World Darts Championship. The event took place just hours after Ange Postecoglu’s side drew 2-2 with Wolves on Sunday afternoon.
In the match, Spurs rallied from a 1-0 deficit to take a 2-1 lead, but Jorgen Strand Larsen’s 87th-minute goal secured a late equaliser for the visitors. Johnson gave the north London outfit the lead just before half-time, finding the net from close range in the third minute of stoppage time. The Welsh international was substituted in the 64th minute, making way for Maddison, who struggled to leave his mark on the game.
The result leaves Tottenham in 11th place in the Premier League as they head into the new year, marking their lowest position at this stage in recent memory. Spurs have now gone five consecutive home league games without a win – their longest such run since October 2008, when they endured an eight-match drought. And they also now trail fourth-placed Chelsea by 11 points, with the Blues set to face Ipswich Town in their game in hand.
The midfielder took the short 12-minute trip to Ally Pally after another poor Tottenham display
In times of uncertainty, with Postecoglou’s future in doubt and Tottenham struggling to resemble their early 2023-24 form, fan frustration intensifies. While other Premier League clubs have faced backlash over players partying until the early hours after heavy defeats, a small percentage of Spurs supporters felt vindicated in condemning Maddison for attending the darts.
Realistically, the seven-cap England international has been one of Tottenham’s few bright spots in recent weeks, contributing directly to 12 goals in 19 Premier League appearances – despite five of those coming as a substitute. However, this did little to spare him from criticism by his own fans.
Despite criticism pouring in from all sides directed at the 28-year-old, it was an Instagram comment saying, “You taking the p***? The form we’re in and you go to the darts? Unacceptable,” that caught his attention. Maddison bluntly replied: “Shut up you wally.” See the full exchange below:
https://x.com/ChrisCowlin/status/1873520536707568040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1873520536707568040%7Ctwgr%5E13961caa1be3b54f39cad734fe3603ff1446dd89%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.givemesport.com%2Fjames-maddison-responds-tottenham-fan-attending-darts%2F
Relief from the flak will be difficult to find in the coming weeks. Tottenham’s next fixture brings a visit from Newcastle United, followed by a League Cup clash against familiar rivals Liverpool shortly after the new year – the same side that recently handed them a 6-3 defeat. But if Postecoglou hopes to keep his job, securing positive results will be essential in this crucial week.
