What is St Totteringham's Day? Arsenal fans' celebration explained
Mikel Arteta's Gunners are in dreamland.
Arsenal have conquered almost everything before them this season, and victory in Sunday's north London derby saw them extend their lead at the Premier League summit to eight points. They're the real deal, and Manchester City's current malaise has many believing this is the Gunners' year.
It'd be their first title triumph since the Invincibles season of 2003/04.
Their first league win at Spurs in nine years means they now sit a mighty 14 points ahead of their fiercest rivals having played a game less. Thus, the return of St. Totteringham's Day is inevitable, but what exactly is the taunt celebrated by Arsenal fans?
Here's everything you need to know.
What is St Totteringham's Day?
Simply put, St. Totteringham's Day is celebrated by Arsenal supporters when it becomes mathematically impossible for Tottenham to finish above the Gunners in the Premier League.
St. Totteringham is a fictional saint coined by Gooners, with the usage of 'tottering' depicting Spurs' instability.
When did St Totteringham's Day become a thing?
Arsenal were the supreme force in north London for much of Arsene Wenger's tenure. For 21 years they finished above their closest rivals in the Premier League.
It's believed that the concept was brought into the world by Julian Shulman, a long-time friend of Arsenal fan site 'ArseWEB', in 2002. However, despite Arsenal's continued dominance in the 2000s, St. Totteringham's Day wasn't popularised until 2010.
Tottenham's resurgence
Tottenham officially cancelled St. Totteringham's Day for the first time since since 1995 when they claimed victory in the north London derby in April 2017. Spurs had threatened to finish above the Gunners the season prior before they fell to a humiliating 5-1 defeat at Newcastle on the final day which allowed Arsenal to celebrate their superiority once again.
However, the Lilywhites emerged as a potent force under Mauricio Pochettino while the Gunners faded with Wenger at the helm. Spurs finished above Arsenal in Wenger's final two seasons, and have continued to claim table bragging rights over their north London rivals since.
Thus, Arsenal supporters haven't celebrated St. Totteringham's Day since 2016, but they look destined to do so once again in 2023.