SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 28: Ryan Mason and Harry Kane of Tottenham pose during a Tottenham Hotspur Official Arrival Media Conference at Overseas Passenger Terminal on May 28, 2015 in Sydney, Australia. Hotspur are playing Sydney FC in Sydney on Saturday, May 30th, 2015. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesKia ora folks! Matty Flatt here again now counting down the days until I have a trip to Sydney.Thats right, Cartilage Free Captain is going to be covering next weeks Tottenham Hotspur preseason matches in the flesh!This is pretty special for me, as its my first time seeing the club play in person. Ive been following Spurs closely for about 15 years now, and as most of you know, Im based in New Zealand which makes watching (and now covering and writing about) matches a special kind of commitment.Ive never visited London, so dont quite have the same grassroots connection to the club as a Tottenham local; there is something organic and special about how these clubs originated as community initiatives and grew into cultural touchstones, despite the very cynical capitalist behemoths these organizations have become. Theyre not franchises; theyre reflections of the people of the area (apologies for the GPT-esque phrasing there).Footballs in the blood. But that doesnt make any of us not from North London any less of a fan; the fandom just looks different.As a Kiwi, I make a different kind of sacrifice to follow my club. Often the matches are scheduled somewhere between 1 and 4 am my time; European matches are often around 8 am, right when Im starting work. Its tough being a fan here, and I rarely miss a match (though at times it is tempting to throw in the towel). A good friend of mine who emigrated from London (and is a Spurs fan) who I met at a previous job often joke about the horror of a Monday at work on between four to five hours sleep following a dour 1-0 loss to the likes of Nottingham Forest. Its not a fun time.But thats why we love football: the low lows, and the high highs.So as an international fan I hoped someday I would get to see the club play in person. Sure, an international tour is not quite the same as standing amongst the North London faithful, but its something. And its something I am ecstatic that I get to experience in a few short days (and against another Premier League club, Chelsea no less)!I just wish Spurs had announced the New Zealand fixture in Auckland before I booked my flights to Sydney might have saved me some money. A trip overseas (by myself, without kids) is a bit of a luxury though so I am not going to complain!Have you seen Tottenham Hotspur in person? When? How was the experience?Matty Flatts track of the day:Never Tear Us Apart, by INXSAnd now for your links:Eden Park News: Spurs expected to draw record crowd in Auckland friendlyAndy Robertsons first interview as a Spurs player, via the official Youtube channelThe Athletic ($$$) on each Premier League teams representation at the World Cup (spoiler: Spurs good)Heres a round-up of todays transfer gossip, courtesy of the BBC