Having played for Spurs for 16 years (82-98), captained them for 11 years and won an FA Cup as well as a UEFA Cup, he also represented England 16 times, Gary Mabbutt is a real football hero to Spurs fans around the world.
His heroics know no bounds, even long after he has hung up his boots. He now spends 2- 3 hours each morning, during this Covid Pandemic, calling older, more vulnerable, Tottenham Hotspurs fans. They chat about their football memories and their beloved football club’s games in years gone by. Mabbutt made his 1,000th phone call to a surprised and delighted older Spurs fan, Roger, just the other day.
A Pandemic Can’t Keep a Good Man Down
Although Mabbutt’s Type 1 Diabetes made himself vulnerable during Covid and forced him to stop visiting dementia workshops for the Sporting Memories Foundation, Covid Pandemic ‘spurred’ Mabbutt on to help older people in the clu’bs community, in a different way. Gary Mabbutt has taken it upon himself to call other vunerable people by phone to see if they are ok. You can’t keep a good man down.
On their birthdays or anniversaries, he calls older Spurs fans who are living on their own and further isolated by Covid. Gary now spends up to three hours a day making these fifteen minute calls. Mabbutt says ‘it’s a lot of fun for me and a great way to pass my time at home during lockdown’.
Slammed Phones & Second World War Stories
Some of the stories that older folk share over the phone are fascinating. From WW2 stories to the Double-Winning Spurs side of 1961, to even some older fans slamming the phone down thinking it is a prank call. One old fan put the phone down three times on Mabbutt!
Fans Also Go Beyond The Call Of Duty
Mabbutt loves the Hotspur Heroes campaign (with partners, Cadbury) which recognises individuals who have gone beyond the call of duty, helping their community, during the Covid-19 pandemic
All Pull Together as One During and After Covid
“Everyone is talking about life’s new norm and I hope this will include all of the goodwill and compassion that has been so evident throughout these times. I also hope that it gives us all a real appreciation of what life is like for others and that we can all pull together as one, to make positive changes wherever they are needed.,” says Gary.
Club Collaboration – Fighting the Pandemic
“Even just looking at what’s been done since the pandemic started. We’ve given the stadium to the NHS, the underground car park is being used for drive-through testings, our away dressing rooms have become a maternity unit for Middlesex Hospital, there are scanning rooms, and the youngsters in our college have been making equipment for NHS staff” says Spurs hero, humanity’s hero, Gary Mabbutt – a true leader – both on and off the pitch, during and after his remarkable playing career.
You can listen to Gary here in this Talk Sport article.
Note: Ongoing Additional Help with Covid Economic Recovery: As part of their new partnership with Spurs, Cadbury, is also looking to support local businesses within Tottenham Hotspur’s community to help aid their economic recovery from the effects of the pandemic over the coming months.
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