Tottenham fans lash out online at James Maddison and Brennan Johnson

Tottenham's Brennan Johnson and James Maddison found themselves at the centre of controversy after their appearance at the World Darts Championship.

The two players were spotted at Alexandra Palace, sparking an online backlash from some fans who were unimpressed by their socialising so soon after the disappointing result just hours after Spurs' frustrating 2-2 draw with Wolves.

While fans vented their frustrations, some even calling for manager Ange Postecoglou’s exit, the situation quickly caught the attention of TV commentator Ian Darke.

Fans lash out at Tottenham players

Ian Darke weighed in on the matter, stating that such criticism was out of proportion and that the players deserved some downtime despite the club's struggles.

This sparked further debate on whether players should be free to enjoy their recreation time or if they should be solely focused on Tottenham’s performance.

After the draw with Wolves, Tottenham supporters were already on edge, with many disappointed by the result.

The frustration only grew when Brennan Johnson and James Maddison were seen at the darts tournament, which led to intense criticism from certain fans on social media.

Maddison, who was singled out by one supporter, didn’t hold back, calling the fan a 'wally' for questioning his choice of activity after the match.

Ian Darke, however, exclusively told Tottenham News: "It’s a good story for the newspapers I suppose, and in Tottenham’s current situation, people were going to pounce on it, I think," Darke said.

“Some of them look at the wall and feel depressed all night, and others get on with their lives. It’s a storm in a teacup, really. It doesn’t affect their ability to play for Tottenham or mean they don’t care,” he added.

A deeper look into the situation

The timing of the event, however, seemed to fuel the criticism further.

Tottenham's season has been a turbulent one, with the team failing to live up to expectations, putting additional pressure on Postecoglou to deliver results.

Despite individual performances from Johnson and Maddison, the overall team results have been lacking, which may have contributed to the anger surrounding the darts appearance.

As Darke pointed out, this is ultimately a 'storm in a teacup' and the situation would likely be forgotten quickly if Spurs can get back to winning ways, starting with their match against Newcastle United on 4 January.

The win could act as a much-needed confidence booster and help ease tensions among fans. For now, however, the controversy lingers—though it may fade if the team starts performing better.