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TOTTENHAM are being chased for royalties after adopting a Barry Manilow song before home games.

The Premier League club regularly blast out the crooner’s version of Can’t Smile Without You.

Now one of the hit tune’s three-man writing team — a fan of North London rivals Arsenal — has threatened a legal battle and blasted Spurs for refusing to cough up.

The song has become a fan favourite, with home supporters joining in before games at the £1billion Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs even used a Can’t Smile Without You banner to cover empty seats when matches were played without fans during the pandemic.

Geoff Morrow, who helped write it in 1975, branded the club “ridiculous” after turning down his request for payments.

He told The Sun: “I hoped that Spurs would be willing to sit down and meet with me to discuss this but they haven’t been interested.

“When we wrote the song, we never imagined it would become a football anthem.

“It was written as a love song.

“What is really frustrating is Spurs won’t accept they are using our song.”

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Other clubs pay royalties for songs crowds sing along to, including Liverpool for You’ll Never Walk Alone,

But Tottenham argue his claim has no legal basis under licence rules, The Sun understands.

The club did not comment.

ARSENAL are set to take on rivals Tottenham this Sunday without several first team players.

The Gunners saw their ten-match winning streak snapped as they drew 2-2 at Sunderland before the international break.

Mikel Arteta‘s side sit four points clear at the top of the Premier League going into this weekend’s North London derby.

Tottenham have the Prem’s best away record and have not yet lost a league game on the road under Thomas Frank.

And this Sunday they’ll face a Gunners side missing a number of key men, albeit without the likes of James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani themselves.

Key defender Gabriel Magalhaes limped off during Brazil’s 2-0 win over Senegal at the Emirates on Saturday.

The 27-year-old subsequently pulled out of the squad, with his national team confirming that he’d suffered a right thigh injury.

Gabriel has started every single match in the league and Champions League so far this term.

Boss Mikel Arteta must decide whether to replace his key defender with either Cristhian Mosquera or Piero Hincapie.

The latter’s left-sidedness could give him the edge over fellow summer signing Mosquera.

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Jurrien Timber will get the nod over Ben White at right-back, with Riccardo Calafiori shaking off a minor issue on international duty to be selected over Myles Lewis-Skelly on the left.

Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice will continue in midfield, although the match may come just too soon for skipper Martin Odegaard, who has been suffering with a knee injury.

Eberechi Eze, who declined a move to Spurs in order to sign for boyhood club Arsenal in the summer, will likely complete Arteta’s midfield trio.

Up top, the Spaniard may still be missing Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres.

Bukayo Saka will be selected on the right, with Leandro Trossard likely to continue on the left.

Should Gyokeres miss out, Mikel Merino may deputise up front.

MICHAEL OLIVER is set to take charge of an Arsenal clash for the first time since his controversial decision to send off Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The referee has been confirmed as the man in the middle for the Gunners’ North London derby against Tottenham on Sunday.

Oliver had not been handed an Arsenal game since showing Lewis-Skelly a straight red card against Wolves ten months ago.

The left-back was dismissed for a cynical challenge on Matt Doherty, who was looking to break away on the counter-attack but was still 90 yards from the Gunners’ goal.

PGMOL chief Howard Webb later confirmed that Oliver was wrong to give Lewis-Skelly his marching orders – and admitted that VAR should not have allowed the decision to stand.

Although the Gunners went on to seal a 1-0 win at Molineux in January, the man in the middle still came under fire.

Former head of PGMOL Keith Hackett called for Oliver to be dropped by the Premier League following his major blunder.

And the 40-year-old ref also had police guarding his house after being subjected to death threats and disgusting abuse in the wake of sending off Lewis-Skelly.

But the Premier League confirmed that Oliver will be in the middle for the meeting between Arsenal and arch-rivals Tottenham this weekend.

Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring have been named as his assistants, with Michael Salisbury on fourth official duties at the Emirates Stadium.

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Stuart Attwell will be the VAR, with Constantine Hatzidakis also keeping tabs on proceedings from Stockley Park.

Arsenal are going into the meeting sitting at the top of the Premier League, having only suffered one defeat in 11 matches.

But Mikel Arteta’s side will be looking to bounce back after being forced to settle for a draw in their final game before the international break thanks to Brian Brobbey’s stoppage time leveller for Sunderland.

Tottenham have the best away record in the top flight, after collecting 13 points from five matches on the road.

But Spurs will arrive at the Emirates Stadium having failed to win either of their last two domestic games against Chelsea and Manchester United.

MANCHESTER UNITED striker Benjamin Sesko could be out for up to a month with a knee problem.

The 23-year-old was forced off in the 88th minute of United’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on November 8, having come on as a second-half substitute.

Sesko withdrew from the Slovenia squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Kosovo and Sweden but United’s initial assessment indicated he had not suffered a serious injury.

United manager Ruben Amorim had dropped Sesko to the bench at Tottenham, where Matheus Cunha started up front as a false nine.

Amorim benched Sesko for United’s 2-1 win at Liverpool last month.

Sesko has scored two goals in 12 games for United since his £73.62million transfer from RB Leipzig in August.

Premier League great Alan Shearer was critical of Sesko’s decision-making for two chances he had at Spurs.

United’s first choice striker target was Liam Delap yet he opted to move from Ipswich Town to Chelsea, who triggered his £30m release clause.

Victor Gyokeres was set on moving to Arsenal and Aston Villa refused to budge over Ollie Watkins, so United eventually turned to Sesko.

Sesko rejected the chance to join United in 2022, when he chose to join Leipzig instead.

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For a brief moment, United were also looking at Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson, who was being pushed out due to the arrival of Delap.

But Ruben Amorim was satisfied with his striking ammunition, especially after the capture of Bryan Mbeumo.

The Cameroonian star joined Matheus Cunha, who also arrived from Wolves for £62.5m.

United have since improved and are now five Premier League games unbeaten.

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TROY PARROTT scored a brilliant hat-trick in the Republic of Ireland’s crucial 3-2 win over Hungary.

The striker was in tears at full-time as he netted a dramatic 96th-minute winner to keep his country’s hopes of qualifying for next summer’s World Cup alive.

SunSport brings you the lowdown on the Irish hero and the Premier League side he came through the ranks at.

Who is Troy Parrott?

Parrott was born in Dublin, Ireland, on February 4 2002.

He began his career at local side Belvedere before making the switch to England to join Tottenham Hotspur in July 2017.

Parrott was held in very high regard at such a young age, as he was branded Ireland‘s best prospect since Robbie Keane and the next Harry Kane at Spurs.

But it never really happened in North London for the Irishman, making just four appearances for the senior team.

During his time at Spurs, he made numerous loan moves to teams lower down the English pyramid.

Parrott made temporary switches to Millwall, Ipswich, MK Dons and Preston.

The forward’s best scoring season in England came during his time at MK, where he scored 10 goals and helped the club reach the League One play-offs.

After four loan spells in England, Parrott went overseas to join Dutch club Excelsior Rotterdam for the 2023/24 season.

The Irishman scored a whopping 17 goals for The Kralingers but was unable to save them from relegation.

Parrott’s impressive goalscoring form in the Netherlands caught the eyes of Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar.

AZ signed the Spurs striker on a permanent deal for a fee of £6.7million on July 13, 2024 and penned a long-term deal with the Dutch side.

He has had a brilliant start to life at AZ, scoring 33 goals in 61 appearances and was named Eredivisie Player of the Month for December 2024.

International career

Parrott made his senior debut for the Republic of Ireland national team in their 3-1 win over New Zealand in November 2019.

The Spurs academy graduate claimed his first international goals two years later, scoring in a 4-1 win against Andorra, where he netted twice.

In November 2025, Parrott made the headlines as he scored a last-gasp hat-trick in a must-win game against Hungary to book the Republic of Ireland’s spot in the World Cup play-offs.

He kept his country’s dream alive with virtually the last kick of the game as The Boys in Green look to make the finals for the first time since 2002.

Life off the pitch

Parrott is the middle child of five and grew up in Dublin.

On his younger days, his mum Jennifer said: “He was always quiet. He always loved football. The area that we’re from, it’s a disadvantaged area in the inner city.

“Football kept him disciplined and kept him in line from getting in trouble.

“This is his dream and this is his time. He didn’t really get a chance to start many matches for Ireland. He was waiting for his opportunity, and he’s after getting it.”

Parrott has also scored off the pitch as he has been in a long-term relationship with Lauren Bowry.

She is often seen supporting Troy at football matches while he is playing for his country and at club level in the Netherlands.

Parrott’s grandmother, Josie, was very proud of him after he netted a hat-trick to keep the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup dreams alive.

She said post-match: “I knew he was gonna do it. I just had a feeling. He deserves everything he got. I’m so proud of him. He knows I love him to bits.”

TOTTENHAM legend Tony Galvin is recovering after suffering a stroke.

The club confirmed the Irish winger, 69, had been ill in a post on X on Sunday afternoon.

The club statement read: “Everyone at the club would like to extend their thoughts and best wishes to Tony Galvin, our 1984 UEFA Cup and 1981 & 82 FA Cup winner, who is now recovering following a stroke.

“We’re all behind you, Tony.”

Galvin was a key member of the successful Spurs teams of the early 80s, along with stars like Glenn Hoddle, Ossie Ardiles and Steve Perryman.

He was brough to the club from non-league Goole Town in 1978 by Spurs boss Keith Burkinshaw.

Galvin was part to the team that won successive FA Cups in 1981 and 1982.

He was also in the side that beat Anderlecht 4-3 on penalties to claim victory in the Uefa Cup final in 1984.

Galvin played a crucial role in the gruelling, two-legged final victory over the famous Belgian club, securing a famous European trophy for the North Londoners.

He played 201 games for Spurs before moving on to Sheffield Wednesday and then Swindon Town.

After he retired, he became Ardiles’ assistant manager at first Swindon and then Newcastle, until the Argentinian was sacked in 1992.

Galvin won 29 caps for the Republic of Ireland, despite playing for England schools.

He was one of the stars of Jack Charlton‘s team at Euro 88 and started all three games againstEngland, USSR and the Netherlands.

Tottenham fans were quick to send messages of goodwill to their former star.

One wrote on X: “Get well soon champion. Such a smart and funny raconteur.”

Another wrote: “A special player and a true legend. Get well soon Tony.”

And another fan added: “Best wishes Tony great player and equally great man.”

While another wrote: “Hope you make a full recovery Tony.”

A fan added: “Thoughts with Tony Galvin, part of the early 80s team I fell in love with and one of the good guys.”

THOMAS FRANK was interviewed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe for the Manchester United manager’s job the day before their 2024 FA Cup final triumph.

While Erik ten Hag was preparing for the make-or-break showpiece against Manchester City at Wembley, United co-ower Ratcliffe held discussions with prospective coach Frank in his London garage.

United spoke to several managers towards the end of the 2023-24 season amid the expectation that Ten Hag would be sacked.

Thomas Tuchel, Roberto De Zerbi and Kieran McKenna were among the other managers sounded out by United.

United had come eighth in the Premier League – their worst finish since 1990 – and finished bottom of their Champions League group in 2023-24.

Yet they progressed to the FA Cup final and, against all odds, defeated champions City 2-1 to spare Ten Hag of the sack at the end of that campaign.

Then Brentford coach Frank moved to Tottenham in the summer and in his new book, Thomas Frank – Diary from the Premier League: The Story of Denmark’s Greatest Coach, the Dane reveals that he interviewed for the United and Chelsea jobs on the same day.

“Sitting down to talk to two of the ten biggest clubs in the world – two hours apart – is quite unique,” Frank said to TV2.

“I know I didn’t get either job, but it was still huge.

“I remember walking through Battersea Park between the two interviews and thinking, ‘Thomas Frank from f*****g Frederiksværk – am I really experiencing this?’”

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It is understood that even after United stuck by Ten Hag – who was eventually dismissed five months later – that Frank still spoke glowingly about the club on the off-chance he could be hired in the future.

After an end-of-season review, United decided to keep Ten Hag and triggered the one-year extension in his contract in July 2024.

However, he was finally sacked after four defeats from the first nine Premier League games last term.

Ironically, Ten Hag’s last win and final home game in charge of United was against Frank’s Brentford in October 2024.

MANCHESTER CITY boss Pep Guardiola suffered a hammer blow when highly-rated teen Han Willhoft-King chose to study law at Oxford University instead of challenging for a first-team role.

The defensive midfielder regularly trained with the senior squad after shining for the Sky Blues’ under-21 side following his exit from Tottenham.

But Willhoft-King aced the law national aptitude test after applying to universities and was offered a place at Oxford in January.

Despite rubbing shoulders with the likes of Erling Haaland and former fan favourite Kevin De Bruyne in sessions, the ex-England U16 international chose to walk away from the pitch.

Willhoft-King told The Guardian: “I wasn’t enjoying it. I don’t know what it was, maybe the environment. I’m bored often, as well.

“You’d train, you’d come home and you wouldn’t really do anything.

“If you contrast it to now, I’m struggling to find hours in the day.

“I’m either studying, going out with friends, playing for the university first-team, also my college.

“I always felt understimulated in football. Don’t get me wrong. I still loved it. But I always felt I could be doing more.

“I was wasting hours of the day. I needed something different and Oxford excited me.

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“I guess that’s the reason. Injuries were a big factor but that’s the easy answer. I felt I needed something a bit more, mainly intellectually, which sounds quite pretentious.

“Best-case scenario – you’ll play for 10, 15 years and after that, what?

“I thought going to university would provide a platform for me to do something at least for longer than the next 10 to 15 years.

“So, it’s a bit of a long-term thing, as well.”

Willhoft-King joined Tottenham at the age of six, after playing alongside Arsenal duo Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri at grassroots level.

But he then turned down contract offers from Spurs and accepted a place at UCLA to start in January 2025.

Willhoft-King also signed a six-month deal with FC Cincinnati 2 in MLS Next Pro, but his head was turned when Prem giants Manchester City made an offer of their own.

“At that point, the plan was still to go pro and I felt like I’d always regret it if I didn’t join Man City,” added the 19-year-old.

“I would always say: ‘What if I’d taken that chance?’

“Now I’ve had that and I can step away from football knowing I’ve given it my best shot. That’s a lot more comforting for me.”

Willhoft-King did not enjoy training with Manchester City’s star-studded squad, which led to turning his attention towards getting a law degree at Oxford.

“Training with the first-team became a thing that no-one was really looking forward to, strangely enough,” he admitted.

“Because you would just be pressing.

“We would be running after the ball like dogs for half an hour, 60 minutes. It’s not a very pleasant experience, especially when you are trying to press De Bruyne or [Ilkay] Gundogan or [Phil] Foden.

“You can’t get near them, so the feeling of not wanting to do this overcomes being starstruck.”