Tottenhamhotspur.com, 8 February 2010

As a Belfast boy, renowned actor/director Kenneth Branagh first became aware of Spurs due to Danny Blanchflower's influence on the Northern Ireland team of the time.

His father loved Blanchflower and it was that link that first tied Branagh to Tottenham. And when the family moved to Reading, Kenneth maintained his commitment - but this time it was the team of Alan Gilzean, Alan Mullery and a youngster called Steve Perryman that cemented his loyalty.

Since then Kenneth's journey through major roles on stage and screen has established his own position as one of the most respected actors this country has produced. He recently starred in the BBC drama ‘Wallender' while recent film roles include ‘Harry Potter,' ‘Valkyrie' and ‘The Boat That Rocked.'

He is currently in southern California directing a film based on the Marvel comic hero Thor. But he continues to stay in touch with events at White Hart Lane - and is certainly optimistic as he reveals in an exclusive interview in the February issue of Hotspur magazine.

"Spurs have always been about commitment and style and, quite frankly, we've still go it," he says. "I think this is a very exciting time to be a Spurs fan. We possess some genuinely top class players and...the strength in depth to deal with the inevitable injuries.

"We're playing some good football with real courage. To my mind we seem to be doing all the right things to gatecrash that dance for fourth spot between the usual suspects. I genuinely feel that we've got a pretty strong chance to be in there right at the end."

Read the full interview in the current issue of Hotspur. We also talk to Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Gareth Bale, Michael Dawson, Vedran Corluka plus Peter Baker and look back on some of the great goalkeepers that have starred for Spurs over the years. One lucky reader will also win Benoit's signed shirt in our free to enter competition.

It's all in Hotspur - our official monthly magazine that is a ‘must' for all Spurs fans.