JAMES MADDISON OFFERS APOLOGY TO COVENTRY CITY SUPPORTERS

James Maddison said he would apologise to Coventry City supporters who objected to his celebration after he scored for Tottenham Hotspur in a 3-1 win on Monday. He kissed the Tottenham badge after opening the scoring against the club he supported as a child. Maddison said he had planned the gesture to thank Tottenham for supporting him and his family during his recovery from injury. “I will 100% apologise to anyone who thought the timing was bad,” he wrote on social media. He said his first goal back had happened to come against his hometown club.

Maddison scored within 14 minutes of his first Premier League start since 27 April 2025. He had been recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury. The midfielder made 42 senior appearances for Coventry City earlier in his career. Omar Marmoush and Ben Davies also scored for Tottenham in Monday’s match. Maddison later shared a photograph of himself with Coventry supporters while holding a Coventry shirt.

Tottenham’s win gave the club its first Premier League victory of the campaign and lifted it off the bottom of the table. Maddison said he remained a Coventry City supporter and would always be one. He wished Frank Lampard and Coventry’s players well for the rest of the season. Maddison said Tottenham had supported his family through what he called “the darkest days of my career” over the previous 18 months.