Anyone else feeling empty about football?

Of course the wellfare of Fabrice Muamba is at the front of everyone's minds at the moment. As many a post and article has said already, some things are just more important than football.

I live in the US so not seen as much coverage of the situation, but everything I've seen or read has been incredible. Horrible situation of course, but it's brought out the best in football fans.

I know it's of the course the very minor side to all this, but I wonder what our approach will be like to the FA Cup now this season, and even the upcoming games. A week ago, everyone was of course worrying about how our season would go from here... would we slide down the table, could we get back on track, could we get to Wembley, etc. But now I almost just feel a little empty inside even trying to think about our prospects for the remainder of the season, I would imagine at least some of the players will be the same. I played in a Sunday League game a few years back when our left back collapsed and suffered a stroke during the game. He wasn't of course Premier League football fit, but was only 38 and its still the last thing you expect when you go out to play. Play was at the other end at the time, as was everybodys focus, while I was playing in goal was the first to see him drop. I ran over and had to roll him over. Luckily he made a full recovery. His Dad was the manager of that team and he was on the field by his side shouting his sons name and trying to 'wake' him, and his face, his tone of voice, and the clear fear in his eyes, is something that I can still replay in my mind as if it was yesterday.

I imagine it will be a strange atmosphere for the Stoke game, and when we do eventually play Bolton again in the re-run, I just cant see how any fan or player could place any significance on the outcome. Getting to a Wembley semi, and maybe final, even lifting the cup is a huge thing for a football fan. However in the circumstances I don't feel I could celebrate beating Bolton (if we did) and certainly wouldn't begrudge them a win over us. Even if we went through and had success beyond that, I think it would be hard to see past that feeling of an almost empty victory.

I'm not in any way saying the outcome should be important, at times like this it certainly isn't, but it is a strange feeling at the moment, almost like that buzz you get out of just talking about your team, bantering rivals on here, looking at the fixtures, etc, just at least temporarily isnt there any more.

It's hard to find positives out of such situations, but if there was one, it has to be the way its brought people together. People talk about the 'football family' but its also just shown that we can still have faith in the power of the human spirit and people in general. You hear all the time about people in this World doing aweful things to each other, people talk about 'broken Britain' and all that, but it goes to show that when the chips are down, we can still see the good in people. I can really see us as Tottenham fans forming a strong bond with Bolton fans over this. I expect to see in future fixtures a new mutual respect between both sets, and that can only be a good thing.

It sounds like Muamba is doing better now, so let's hope he pulls through, and whenever we do next see the Bolton fans at the Lane, that the occasion will be one of celebration whatever the outcome, not one of mourning whatever the outcome.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Fabrice, and the Muambas.