The departure of Son Heung-min from Tottenham Hotspur this summer marked the end of an era, but for the thousands of Asian fans he brought to the club during his decade-long tenure, their connection to Spurs remains unbroken. Recent encounters outside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium reveal both the challenges and deep loyalty of these supporters.
The Unwelcome Confrontation
Sun Thaicharoenporn and his girlfriend Ang Ang experienced football's darker side before a recent match against Aston Villa. The 22-year-old Singaporean of Thai heritage, now living in London, had been happily posing for photographs in full Spurs regalia when a Villa supporter aggressively confronted them. "Fuck Tottenham," the man yelled, leaning directly into their faces.
Sun and Ang Ang visibly blanched but chose to brush off the incident. The unspoken question lingered: would this fan have targeted a group of white Tottenham supporters with the same confidence? Asian fans often face stereotyping as passive, timid, or 'bandwagon' supporters rather than legitimate fans.
Son's Transformative Impact
When Sun moved to London three years ago for university, he consciously chose Tottenham as his club, largely because of Son Heung-min's presence. "When I was in middle school he was the main Asian representation in the Premier League," Sun explains. His family supported Liverpool or Manchester United, making him the "black sheep" who deliberately selected a club that represented multicultural diversity.
Son's appointment as captain in 2023 - making him the first Asian player to lead a Premier League team - reinforced this perception. "As an Asian person coming to the UK, you know you're a minority, and Son's presence, his leadership, sort of signifies that this club at least knows how to handle multi-diversity and they want to embrace that," Sun says. This made him feel safer attending matches and participating in club culture.
Beyond Borders Fandom
The South Korean superstar served as a "cultural touchstone" for Asians worldwide, according to New Yorkers Mike and Paul Chung. The brothers made a Spurs game the centrepiece of their London itinerary, with Mike wearing Son's number 7 shirt. "He validates the idea that a Korean can be one of the best players for the most popular sport in the world," Mike states.
Even Japanese fan Yusuke Sasaki acknowledges Son's significance: "He is the best Asian player in England's football history, so as a Japanese person I'm proud." The global appeal translated into measurable economic impact, with stadium stall owners reporting continued sales of Son merchandise long after his departure.
Challenging Fan Authenticity
Austen Chan, who grew up "religiously" watching Tottenham in Hong Kong, has encountered online abuse questioning Asian fans' legitimacy. "I don't think being from a different part of the world makes you any less of a Tottenham fan," he asserts. Despite moving to London last year and attending three matches, he doesn't feel any "closer" to the team, noting that staying up until early hours to watch matches from Hong Kong demonstrated equal commitment.
South Korean students Junoh Yoon and Sehyun, studying in Ireland, flew to London for the Villa match without tickets, simply to experience the stadium atmosphere. "I'm a fan of the Spurs because of Son," Junoh explains, "But I'm a fan of the whole team. I've followed them for eight years now."
Positive Encounters Amid Prejudice
Despite occasional racism, Sun has also experienced welcoming gestures from fellow supporters. During his first stadium visit with Ang Ang for a Europa League match, older fans approached them on the train, likely because they were Asian and appeared young. They asked about their experience and shared their own long history supporting Spurs, creating a sense of inclusion and belonging.
As Tottenham moves forward without their Asian trailblazer, the fans he inspired remain steadfast. Their stories reveal both the ongoing challenges of racism in football and the powerful bonds that transcend individual players, creating lifelong connections to clubs that embrace diversity and inclusion.
