A farewell to White Hart Lane

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Randomly as they come into my head.

First home game Aug 12th 1972 vs Coventry. 2-1 win, 2 goals for Martin Peters. First home game on my own Aug 25th 1976 vs Toon. Lost 0-2. First away game 1977 (Orient?)

Proudest moments 'One Danny Thomas' & invading the pitch & making the team come out to take a standing ovation after we had just been relegated. The players were a bit ashamed but as Pat Jennings later said 'you would have tought we had just one the league, not been relegated'.

Best moments - cup wins, especially 1984. Ossie & Ricky's debut at Forest when there were allegedly 18k Yids there (10k locked out) - they had to open up another away section!. Causing bemusement among the home fans when we lost 7-0 at Anfield as we started cheering the Liverpool goals rather than being all despondent like we were supposed to be.

All of the 1977-1978 season - the best away days ever. Our average away crowd (according to the Mirror at the time) was 10k. Southampton away when we got promoted. 9-0 at home vs Bristol Rovers. 52k home crowd vs Man U (very cosy) & 50k vs Bolton in Div 2. Millwall away boxing day 1977 - leaflets were handed around in the Park lane in the prior home game printed with the immortal words - Millwall Away, dont bottle it!

Getting off the coach at the White Hart pub after away games, going in & getting the players autographs. Will never see than again.

Taking the North Bank Highbury (regularly).

Inter Milan away when i was the only Yid in the whole block in the corner where Bale scored his H-T. The Italians gave the old nutter a pass.

Anderlecht away last year at O'Reillys. Quality.

Dinamo Zagreb Blue Boys at the Lane. Amazing support. Best i have seen at the Lane in recent years was the 5-1 cup win vs the Scum. Incredible volume from Tottenham.Inter home a close second.

Might add more.
 
Celebrating the new one is more important to me than saying goodbye to the old one. I know I sound like an old grump but all of my romantic feelings towards WHL are held with the old east stand, I simply do not have an attachment to this current version than the one I had with Mr Archibald Leitch's masterpiece & a terraced Park lane and Paxton. Obviously I'm very aware that for some WHL in it's current incarnation is all that is known and because of that the emotions felt would be the same as mine for the old, old WHL so I would respect a send off if wanted.

Seeing as we lose or at best draw every game that sees us celebrate something significant, I'd rather have the last game played as a testimonial game. A number of players left recently that were at this club for a very long time, so it would be appropriate for them to have a joint testimonial. By doing this it also keeps football at the centre of the celebration rather than some tacky variety show. Testimonials are also light hearted and good fun without the micro penis's getting anxious & twitchy.
 
I'm inclined to go for a testimonial type game, between the current team and any Legends that are up for a kickabout. Ledley's testimonial was an excellent example of how good it can be when done right. I don't want any other team ruining our last game at the Lane, especially our own!
I've been going long enough to see quite a few changes, and have always felt a little sadness and nostalgia at the time (especially my last game standing on the Shelf). I love the fact we are still going to be a stone's throw from the current site, so people's match day routine is going to stay much the same. And even if it is called something else, it will always be White Hart Lane to me.
If I can only have one standout memory, then for me, has to be when we beat Woolwich 5-0 in 1983 - when that 5th went in, I nearly hit the ceiling of the stand, I jumped so high.

Sod it, got to give mentions to:
My first game against Sheff W, 1969
UEFA Cup Final 1984
Every time we beat Woolwich, Chelsea and West Ham
Champions League against Inter Milan
 
Hopefully palace won't be our final game.

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As a 16 year old I started I in the old enclosure watching Jimmy Greaves score a hatrick against The toon on a mud heap.
Moved to the Park Lane behind the goal when fences segregated opposing fans.
Moved up to the Shelf when it was a proper standing terrace.
Moved to the lower shelf, now the corner in line with Park Lane.
Finished up back on the Shelf at the Paxton End.
Sat in all the big seated stands, preferred the upper Park Lane for better atsmophere.
I've seen this old stadium move with the times and will be joining the queue for a shared season ticket with my boy COYS
 
Where do you start..
For me low key as possible no gimmicks I think "Sir Bill's and his wife's ashes are around the pitch somewhere interned.
I would like to see his family and some of our founding fathers ancestors play a part.
I did read in a programme that some live in Australia and visited theLane recently.
My first game was Chelsea in 1975 as an 8 year old anyone who was at game will never forget it.
Favourite game Swindon Town FA cup 4th round reply 1980.
Loudest away fans Birmingham City 1980 FA cup 5th round1980..."Keep Right On till the End of Road".
Loudest other European Kaiserslautern,Wislaw and Zagreb.
Other teams players great performances Don Givens QPR Peter Barnes Man City David Armstrong Middlesbrough David Cross West Ham Liam Brady them.
Proudest moments from us "One Danny Thomas"Seville game at half time " Martin Jols Blue and White Army".
Too many of our players to mention but players who got the most stick John Lacey Gordon Smith Mark Kendall both Rip and plenty more...to be continued....
 
I have been meaning to reply to this post for a while but have been busy.

Leaving the Lane is a big thing to me and if we had gone to Stratford this last game in question may have been my last THFC game (especially if a Hotspur FC was being formed to play in Tottenham/North London, which I think would have happened). A large part of me does not want to leave the Lane even for our new ground, but I know that is a minority opinion and you've got to get with the times, we need a new stadium not to be left behind, and so more people who want one can get a season ticket.

For all the talk of the 17,000 one tier stand, which is an excellent idea and will hopefully be the saving grace of our new ground, I'd still be very surprised if the atmosphere is as good as at the Lane. (Hope I'm wrong). I love the older, less comfy grounds with that feeling of history, the look of White Hart Lane- the fans basically on top of the pitch- under the lights for a night game is something to behold. I think our new ground will have more corporates/tourists/plastic supporters, as this always happens when a team moves to a shiny new stadium (by tourists I don't mean the proper overseas supporters so don't take offence).

So to answer your questions:
1. For me this is just the same as West Ham leaving the Boleyn. Both clubs are moving to another part of their manors, it doesn't matter that we are only moving a matter of feet. It's saying goodbye to a ground which holds a lot of our history.
2. It should not be low key. It's massive. Personally I strongly don't think a testimonial will do it. Testimonials always have a different feel and having one would reduce the special-ness of our last proper game at the Lane at the end of the season. I can see Levy going down the testimonial route as he could charge £100+ for the cheapest ticket and still get a sell out.
3. Favourite memories...
All the great victories I've seen, beating Chelsea 5-3, Woolwich 5-1, City 4-1 this season just gone, the CL games espec. Inter 3-1, the game we beat Chelsea 2-1 after not beating them for ages, all the other victories over Woolwich I've seen since starting to go in 94/95, the buzz that goes through your body as you walk home satisfied after a great victory, hearing everyone on the High Road and in the pubs talking about the match, the times when even the Paxton and sometimes the West Stand get into the singing and the atmosphere!
Going back further watching Klinsmann (x2), Sheringham (x2, especially the first time) and Ginola.
All the last minute winners and equalisers we scored, e.g. Kane last year versus West Ham, Kaboul in the 4-4 125th anniversary game, went mental to both those! I can remember a couple of good ones from 98/99 but an unmentionable player who never played for us scored both those, so moving on...
Been mentioned but Martin Jol's blue and white army again and again when 4-1 down to Sevilla. Our home fans at their best I've seen them that day. Jol's speech at the end of the season that other time.
On a more personal note, my dad's 50th which was at White Hart Lane in the close season, as part of it we got the tour, saw the changing rooms etc, and I also managed to get on the pitch briefly for the first time (despite official condemnation and threats of being chucked out).

For our last game a pitch invasion is obligatory. I'll be disappointed in our support if it doesn't happen!
 
Tomo said:
1. Should we consider this the same as West Ham leaving the Boleyn or is this more just an upgrade and not so big?
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I think we should consider this the same. Yes the new stadium is right next to WHL, but it won't keep the name and, well, for those of us who have supported the club for a good number of years and have been to many many games at the Lane, it just won't be the same in the new place. So yes. We will lose memories....and you know, sometimes there are little things that you remember as well, like the time I had an emergency phone call from a client and one of the stewards understood and just let me sip out the wooden exit doors at the start of a second half and just winked me back in when I was finished, when policy was that omce out no getting back in. No way will that sort of thing happen in an ultra modern stadium.

Hell, where will the mad cow disease burger venders on the corner of the shelf and Park Lane be at the new place?
2. How should we handle this occasion, what would you like to see as we say goodbye or should it be low key?
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Given that the club has already missed the boat on the kit, I don't want to see any money making scheme. But it would be nice maybe if the last game got some true legend ex-players in, and I don't just mean Micky Hazard, Ozzy, Ricky, Ledley and Anderton, but rather the less frequently seen guys. Ginola, Teddy, Klinsmann, Gazza, Linekar, Keane, VDV, Bale and, if it were at all possible, Greavsey and the survivors from the double winning year. The sort of send off to make the Library scummers and pickies embarrassed.

What are you favourite memories of the Lane (I know we still have one season left)?
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EVERY SINGLE VISIT.

Seriously. I have never ever ceased to be excited by going into the stadium and seeing the lights and the lit pitch. That enough excites me. The memories that have come in addition to that? Golden.
 
Funny debating this thinking how if the hammers had never piped up we could have been the ones going to the Olympic stadium, so glad that never happened, it really would have felt like vandalism.
 
Biff said:
I have vague memories of bands on the pitch before games being a thing in the early 90s. I'm convinced that it was genuinely Chas and Dave at one match but as time has gone on I have become less sure if I just imagined it, or made it up?

Anyone help?!

:ap:
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Yea they did.

I used to like Linda Lusardi walking round the pitch:ledleylick:
 
Danny Rose goal v Woolwich and that whole game a highlight

Was going 8-10 times a season during Jol era and loved the atmosphere, coming from such a low point everything was upside, I remember even one of his first games the crowd rallying as we lost 3-2 to charlton trying to equalise, great times, no panic no plastic
 
Tomo said:
Yeh I would be all for a testimonial as our final game, it certainly would as you say make the event more light hearted.

For me I only know the current stadium, much as I like it I am looking forward to the new stadium on the account it looks bloody amazing. We are not selling our soul, we ain't leaving Tottenham so in that respect it won't be the end of an era like West Ham faced.

I would love to replicate the festival atmosphere we saw at Upton Park without all the negatives such as violence and crap night show.
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Agree. For me the soul is everything that is not bricks and steel. It's the walk up to the stadium with the smell of fried onions in the air. Helicopter buzzing above on derby days. The knowing nods to the people you don't know their name and the handshakes to those that you do. The bumping into an old school mate you have lost contact with or even an old teacher. Or it's smiling to yourself for being annoyed by that fat bloke who shouts "send it" everytime a CB has the ball. I watched The Guardian's short film they did on West Ham leaving, it reminded me what the soul of a club is (I posted it in the West Ham thread, well worth a watch), it's also why I am desperate to keep the historic buildings as part of the new build but looks like that ship has sailed.
 
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Tomo said:
Funny debating this thinking how if the hammers had never piped up we could have been the ones going to the Olympic stadium, so glad that never happened, it really would have felt like vandalism.
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Vandalism? Murder more like.
 
Whatever they do ,I hope its done tastefully.
Our original captain, Bobby buckle watched the team that won the title in 51 as an old man.So if they were in touch with him then,hopefully they can trace a family member to attend.Also I would like to see All hallows Church involved(and in the opening of the new ground) , as whatever your views on religion they were a major part in our formation and very early years. As many legend s and old players in the ground as well.
Chas and Dave being involved is surely a given?
 
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