A giant torch burns at the end of a dark tunnel while two small footballers in white embrace in its beam.

Injury LatestThe High Road Herald

Maddison Admits Dark Days In Rehab, So Supporter Leaves Torch Burning At End Of Forecourt Tunnel

Clive Ottaway · Injury Correspondent19 October · Reading time: one pint

James Maddison told reporters after Tottenham's 3-1 win over Coventry City that his rehab involved \"dark days\" before his opening goal on his first start in 18 months, and the tunnel is a postal tube.

A Tottenham man spent Tuesday morning laying a cardboard tunnel across the forecourt outside the stadium, after James Maddison described his rehab as "dark days" and a goal as "the light at the end of the tunnel".

Maddison scored the opener on his first start in 18 months as Spurs beat Coventry City 3-1, their first Premier League win of the season, which lifted them off the bottom of the table. The remarks were reported by football.london.

The Herald understands the man read the interview twice, concluded that a tunnel required a light, and left for the shed.

The tunnel is built from nine postal tubes joined with parcel tape. At its far end sits a four-cell torch, switched on at 7:40am, which the man describes as "the light" and himself as "the tunnel", a distinction he has not been asked to defend.

He said light at the end of the tunnel. Someone has to be the light. I've got spare batteries.

The man has crawled to the middle of the tube twice to establish that it is dark enough to count. His assessment is that the rehab is "in phase two of three", and that the tunnel is "recovering well". He holds no medical qualification of any kind.

A second, smaller torch has been placed beside the first in respect of Dejan Kulusevski, who came on as a substitute to an ovation on his first appearance since May 2025. The man says the smaller torch is not a demotion.

Eighteen months in the dark. I've done forty minutes. I'd say I understand it.

The torch is expected to last until Thursday.

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A small figure with a magnifying glass guards a huge padlocked stadium gate while three shadowy scouts lurk behind lampposts.

TransfersThe High Road Herald

Ebnoutalib Link Has Tottenham Man Watching Stadium Gates For Newcastle, Brighton And Everton Scouts

Barry Napier · Transfer Correspondent18 October · Reading time: one pint

TEAMtalk reports that Spurs sent scouts to watch Eintracht Frankfurt's Younes Ebnoutalib score the only goal against Cologne, with Brighton, Everton and Newcastle also said to be monitoring the 23-year-old, who is tied to Frankfurt until 2031.

A Tottenham man has spent Monday morning on a camping stool outside the stadium, observing the main gate for the arrival of rival recruitment staff, on the strength of a transfer story.

The Herald understands he read the TEAMtalk exclusive, which reports that Spurs scouts attended Eintracht Frankfurt's Bundesliga match against Cologne, where Younes Ebnoutalib scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 win, his fifth in the league this season.

The same report states that Brighton and Everton have also been monitoring the striker, and that Newcastle United have reportedly joined them. The man took this as a list of names to be watched for, and prepared a notebook with three columns, one per club.

If they're all monitoring him, somebody has to monitor them. I'm not saying it's us. I'm saying I'm here.

He has been in position since half past nine, with a flask, a pen on a string and a sandwich wrapped in the second column. By twenty to twelve he had logged two men in hi-vis, a pigeon and a postman, marked "Newcastle, probable".

The report notes that Frankfurt signed the player in January and tied him to a contract until 2031. The man has recorded this on the back page and described it as "a detail", before returning to the gate.

TEAMtalk adds that Spurs are expected to keep assessing the player's progress before deciding whether to make a formal approach. The man is doing the same with the gate.

The gate remains under assessment.

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