If you follow football, and especially if you’re a Spurs fan, you don’t need me to tell you this has been a terrible season for Tottenham. To date we’ve lost 19 Premier League matches.
There have been two rare bright spots. First, we are in the semis of the Europa League. You never know; we might even win the thing.
But above all else – which puts into perspective whether twenty two men running around after a ball manage to win, lose or draw – the release of Emily Damari after 471 days as Hamas’ captive in Gaza was a moment of pure joy.
Emily (her first name alone is enough to identify her to Spurs fans) is a lifelong supporter, and she was pictured soon after her release wearing a Spurs scarf. Supporters campaigned tirelessly to keep her name at the centre of coverage of the hostages, with yellow ribbons and posters of her surrounding the areas outside the stadium. She is one of our own.
It is wonderful news that Emily is coming to watch Spurs play Crystal Palace on 11 May (and yes, ha-very-ha, I get the joke that she has surely suffered enough already).