South East Thames Spurs play cupid to Patrick and Denise - with Glenn Hoddle in on the act!

In the late 1970s/early 1980s, Patrick Tickner stood behind the goal at White Hart Lane and called out to his idol, Glenn Hoddle, who winked back. Patrick was made up. Forty years later, Glenn was in on the secret as Patrick proposed to his girlfriend and fellow Spurs fan Denise Knight at a special legends’ night hosted by South East Thames Supporters Club. How life comes together sometimes...

Patrick began supporting Spurs ‘at a junior age’ when everyone else in his class at school supported Arsenal. “My friend Andrew and I used to go to Spurs when we were 15, 16 on a ‘red rover’ ticket, all the way from Swanley (Kent) to White Hart Lane - all on red buses,” he explained. “It took us over three hours each way. I became a Season Ticket Holder in about 1978 and have been ever since...”

For Denise, Spurs was a family affair. “My dad Ron and brother Clive always supported Spurs, so I used to go with them when I was younger, I reckon that was mid-1970s,” she said. “As I got older, I kept going and used to drag my mate along, she was never Spurs, but she always came with me. Once my brother and I left home, my dad and I would still go all the time. I’ve always been in the East Stand and had friends in that area. I eventually got a Season Ticket when we went to Wembley, just in time for the new stadium.”

One of our many official supporters’ clubs, South East Thames SC have taken the role of Spurs cupid for Patrick and Denise. “I remember we were all in the BOXPARK at Wembley, I was sitting opposite Patrick, and we got chatting. I didn’t think anything of it at the time,” recalled Denise.

“Not too long after that, we went to Madrid (for the Champions League Final, 2019), on a coach for 27 hours with Steve Button (chairman of SET Spurs), another friend Terry Collins and a few others and the first thing Terry said was, ‘oh, back seat of the coach, just wait until Tickner hears about this’. I was a bit oblivious to it. He then said, ‘I think he’s got a bit of a soft spot for you’. It wasn’t until we returned to Tottenham, and we were in LT’s (bar) one night that we got together.”

Fast-forward three years, and the pair decided to get engaged. They went together to Hatton Garden to choose an engagement ring for Denise, and that’s when Patrick’s plan started coming together.

“So, basically, I managed to get the jeweller to lie for me,” admitted Patrick. “Between us, we said the ring was going to take up to three months to get made. In truth, it was just four weeks! When it was ready, I went to collect it...”

“Obviously, I knew we were getting engaged,” added Denise. “The jeweller told us the ring was going to be six to eight weeks. If I knew Patrick actually had the ring, I might have had an idea that he might have done it. But I didn’t know he had the ring, and I didn’t even twig when some other friends turned up who wouldn’t normally go to these nights. I just thought they must have fancied it!”

The plan came perfectly together when SET Spurs hosted a night with Glenn Hoddle at Dartford FC back in November.

Patrick added: “I asked Glenn to get involved, he was happy to, and Steve got Glenn to call Denise up to the stage for some flowers for all the work she does for the club. She took her flowers, was just about to go off and Glenn called her back, ‘there’s something else...'

“I still didn’t have a clue when Steve called me up on stage to say thanks for everything,” said Denise. “So, while I’m watching all this on stage, I had no clue that Patrick was sneaking up from his seat onto the stage. So, yes, it was a bit of a shock! Glenn had a clue. I saw him give him a bit of a wink earlier. I was completely oblivious to it all!”.

Patrick said: “Glenn was my idol as a kid. I was 15, 16 when I started going regularly. I can remember one year, I was 17, 18, maybe older, Glenn was on the post for a corner, I shouted his name and he winked at me. As a fan, that made my day. To get him involved, 40 years later... what can you say? What a night!”

Patrick and Denise plan to marry in September, 2023 - we wish them all the best!