The Hoddle of Coffee: Tottenham Hotspur news and links for Tuesday, January 17

good morning everyone

You wanna talk about a club in disarray? Let’s talk about Scunthorpe United.

This club was a mainstay in the third and fourth tiers of the English pyramid during my FM days.

But last year the club were relegated to the Vanarama National League, ending a 72-year stay in the English Football League. And it’s very possible that this club, once debt free, ends in administration.

They currently sit bottom of the fifth tier and dipping into semi-professional status.

Scunthorpe have won eight of their last 82 matches.

The freefall and financial catastrophe that Peter Swann brought onto the club came to a boiling point on Saturday, as fans stormed the pitch in protest of his ownership.

The club said interim boss Michael Nelson was “thoroughly disappointed” by the fans’ actions at the weekend, though he is quoted by the BBC as saying “I’m not going to tell them that they’re wrong for doing it”.

The club was earlier charged with a winding up petition over an allege unpaid tax bill. Swann is trying to sell the club.

A sale of the club won’t save Scunthorpe this season. They’re dropping down into the sixth tier of the football pyramid.

But for the city’s sake, and for the club with ties to Kevin Keegan, Graham Taylor and Billy Sharp, a takeover must be completed as soon as possible.

Fitzie’s track of the day: Welcome to my Island, by Caroline Polachek

And now for your links:

The Athletic ($$): How Scunthorpe became a club on the brink

Alasdair Gold on the coming fortnight for Daniel Levy, Antonio Conte and Spurs

Harry Winks makes his Serie A debut - finally ! (there will be a hoddle on this soon)

Shakhtar Donetsk to donate $25 million for Mariupol soldiers after selling Mykhailo Mudryk

I missed this from three weeks ago but I think it’s interesting still: Claudio Ranieri returns to manage Cagliari after 31 years