An old ground and a new era

I remember leaping from my bar stool and launching abuse at that Howard Webb, followed by a relentless Bale getting up, when others may have stayed down, and smashing the ball into the top corner from 30 yards past an, on the night, phenomenal Jääskeläinen. Webb was quickly forgiven and the following embrace between Bale and AVB showed two men locked in mutual admiration, with the same shared desire and joy as we moved up to third in the table. This was undoubtedly my favourite moment of the past few seasons.

This weekend will mark our last ever visit to Upton Park before the Hammers move to the Olympic Stadium, and also the beginning of a new era at Spurs as Poch takes charge for his first game.

Although that iconic Bale/AVB moment was magical and brought us Yids so much joy, it never felt sustainable. We were a one man team with Bale destined for greater things, and although ironically we axed AVB, even if we felt he was the long term solution for us, we were never in his long term plans.

[linequote]Last year we returned to the scene of that wonder strike from the world’s now most expensive star, to cap a humiliating third successive hammering of the season[/linequote]

So is Poch going to finally bring us the stability at our club that we so badly crave? And will the short trip to East London this weekend mark a long and glorious new chapter in our clubs history?

Last year we returned to the scene of that wonder strike from the world’s now most expensive star, to cap a humiliating third successive hammering of the season. Each defeat was as painful as I’ve witnessed as a Spurs fan.

Initially loosing 3-0 at home, which none of us need reminding of. The following 2-1 defeat at the Lane was personally more difficult to take as it marked a week that saw us sack AVB, and for me, another season which started with such promise written off. After Maiga’s first goal for the Hammers in over a year hit the back of the net I was totally demoralised, and felt we’d never had less identity as a club. Then of course the hatrick of humiliations to our supposedly far inferior neighbours was completed at the Boleyn Ground.

Anyway, on the eve of the new season its time for us to get excited. This article isn’t about living in the past or nostalgia, it is about looking to the future, a future which begins 3:00pm Saturday at Upton Park.

Maybe this is a fitting venue to start our new season, as it gives us the perfect opportunity to begin to right the wrongs from last season. This is also the scene that saw the, only possible to happen to Harchester United or Tottenham Hotspur, food poisoning incident in 2006. A year later we did get some slight vengeance with club legend Paul Stalteri’s injury time winner in an incredible 4-3 thriller, in a game which included thatBerba free-kick.

[linequote]We owe a lot of clubs revenge. Let’s start with some redemption on Saturday[/linequote]

Although I would take a 90th minute deflection off Harry Kane’s ass to nick a victory, I dream of Lamela recreating a Balesque moment. Lamela acting like a 12 year old girl on Instagram, proving he’s not locked in Sherwood’s basement, already had us all wetting our pants with excitement. This coupled with his pre season form and having a fellow Argentine in charge, whose system should allow Erik to flourish, has us all as excited as the time we thought it was ‘1-1 at Newcastle’.

Although we finished on a respectable points tally last year, we got there bickering, arguing, and getting regularly violated by the top teams. Our expectations are a lot more realistic this season. We owe a lot of clubs revenge. Let’s start with some redemption on Saturday and get the three points. And most importantly lets produce some memorable moments playing ‘the Spurs way’ under Poch, and start to fall back in love with our club.