17 Nov 2013 06:49:17
There is a club in Fleet named Fleet Spurs they are in the Wessex league, they were established in 1948 by a group of Spurs supporters that came back from the Second World War. Tottenham sent a representative of Tottenham Hotspur to the Chairmans house the other day ( Bryan Sheppard) with a writ which basically said that if they didn't change their logo that Tottenham would sue them! . Fleet Spurs logo is a cockerel but not standing in a ball (look it up ) but here is the clincher. This tiny club has a maximum of 40 supporters to their games but through fund raising subs etc it has managed to keep going for nearly 70 years. For them to change their logo it's not a case of altering the badge on their shirts it's everything, it's the sign writing at their ground paper work etc etc. now what's my point? Well my point is this . This is typical of how football is going. The big clubs are slaughtering the game for lower leagues. You would have thought that Tottenham would be supporting a little club like Fleet Spurs instead of nailing them to the floor.Totteham should be ashamed of themselves. By the way I spoke to Fleet Spurs Chairman Bryan Sheppard yesterday and he said that Tottenham did do them one favour and that was they don't have to change their logo this season but it has to be done by next otherwise Tottenham will be suing them and get this! the solicitor Tottenham uses represented Charles and Diana in their divorce . Probably cost Tottenham more than it would have cost them if they had said to Fleet Spurs we will pay for the change of logo for you.

1.) 17 Nov 2013
By the way the estimated cost and I mean estimated cost of altering their logo on everything they have it on is nearly £5000. That's including having to re do their website too. Tottenham should be ASHAMED of themselves. Didn't Spurs just sell Bale for £85 million? Forget that some spurs players are getting 5 grand every few hours while they are asleep at night.!

2.) 17 Nov 2013
Hey goldboy,

did you ever think that may be fleet shouldn't have infringed on this trademark to begin with? I feel sorry for them but this wouldn't have come about if they followed basic copyright and trademark law. I agree that tottenham didn't have to go after them but if they are selling merchandise for profit and using tottenham's reputation and support to increase sales then they have what's coming to them.


To pose this another way. Say you have a business that after many years of grueling work became internationally known and had a well known label/brand mark, another company comes around and tries to trick customers by using a similar logo to get revenue. Would you be ok with that? Most people would say no and that's why the law exists.

3.) 17 Nov 2013
Actually for your information Tottenham only took a copywrite out on the logo in 2006 mate and in any case what difference does it make. They are still liberty takers lording it over a little club!.

4.) 17 Nov 2013
Sorry I meant to add that you have obviously not read the history of this club. They have never and I repeat never tried to ride on the back of Tottenham. In the last few days the web is rammed with this story mostly the stories are incensed with how this small club is being treated and if you had any type of heart you would be ashamed of Spurs too.

5.) 18 Nov 2013
Bore off GOLDBOY.

6.) 18 Nov 2013
He who registers it first, or can prove they used it first, wins, depending on the legislation. I'm not saying they are riding on the backs of tottenham, but the fact remains that if they attempt to sell merchandise some customers might be tricked into believing they are buying tottenham gear. This would be the same issue with counterfeit merch. They can either pay the legal fees or 5000 to change their logos/website/etc. There may be mitigating factors but I doubt fleet would want to hear the courts ruling, if 5000 is too much, then the legal fees would be impossible. Maybe they can try to license tottenhams logo in exchange for cash or adverts.

Maybe being a small club they should have been more conscientious to infringement if they could not deal with the costs associated. As you said they have had 7 years to make a change and havent. I would have been on your side 7 years ago but not now. Them being small or big makes no difference to me. No one is exempt from the law.

"If we look to the laws, they afford equal justice to all in their private differences; if no social standing, advancement in public life falls to reputation for capacity, class considerations not being allowed to interfere with merit; nor again does poverty bar the way"
-pericles

7.) 18 Nov 2013
In all fairness to tottenham the cockeral is a cut and paste job so I can see where there coming from. Not exactly the cleverest thing to do when you have no affiliation to tottenham. They brought the problem on themselves

8.) 18 Nov 2013
Surely the best way out of this is for spurs to pay for the changes, even if it was 10 grand . For f***s sake we pay the lazy CF over 90 grand a week to sit on his arse! let's help out the grass roots teams, for god sakes!