Operating profit up slightly at Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur plc today reported a rise in first half operating profit before amortisation and player transfers to £3.3m (€4.95m) from £2.7m (€4.05m) last year.

Pre-tax losses at the Premiership football club narrowed to £3.0m (€4.50) to December 31 2003 from £8.6m (€12.90) a year earlier.

Turnover rose slightly to £33.2m (€49.81) from £32.8 (€49.21m).

Gate receipts were lower than in 2002 for league matches with average attendances reflecting the club's poor start to the season.

Cup gate receipts were up £1.1m (€1.65m) from the same period in 2003, as the team played four Carling Cup matches in the period, three of them at home.

Tottenham include Irish internationals Robbie Keane, Stephen Carr and Gary Doherty among their players.