White Hart Lane: Goodbye and Thanks

All good things come to an end… and so it is with White Hart Lane.

Even Wikipedia has been updated already to read: “White Hart Lane was the home of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club in the Premier League from 1899 to 2017 and had a capacity of 36,284”. ‘Was’ and ‘had’ of course being the key words now, past tense and all that.

It’s a bit sad – correction it’s very sad, depending on your point of view – and a part of me can’t help but think of the song, “You know I just can’t smile without you…”

Pass the tissues please!

We’ve already seen pictures of the bulldozers moving in, diggers on the pitch, the hallowed turf ripped up – and the dust has hardly settled after that emotional 2-1 victory over Manchester United (giving us our 14 th  home win on the trot and our first unbeaten home record since 1964-65 – take a bow lads! Great season..).

Many took a variety of souvenirs after that final historic match – some even bought them! – and to see so many of the Spurs legends return to the Lane to say goodbye with us all was special, be it Teddy Sheringham, Robbie Keane, David Ginola, Glenn Hoddle, Chris Waddle, Ledley King or Ossie Ardiles etc, etc, etc, I could go on – but you know who they were and we all have our favourites depending on our age.

It’s been… well emotional.

We knew it was coming, and there are some 750 million reasons to be excited about the new stadium. The hope is that it will take us to the next level or at least that is the pitch.

“I think we believe when the new stadium opens the doors it will help the club reach the last level” Mauricio Pochettino said post-match. 

“That is our expectation and our idea. 

“The facilities, the training ground and the new stadium will put the team in the last level of Europe…”

Will it actually enhance the sports-viewing experience though in the same way as say non-traditional bets have been used to the same affect by odd makers – something that is now common in football and various other sports – or will the club lose some of its soul, some of its essence? Only time will tell.

There is no denying, however, that the plans for the 61,000 seater ‘New White Hart Lane’ (or whatever it ends up being called) look mighty impressive.

We are being promised the atmosphere will be “unrivalled” and that the 17,000 single tier home southern stand will generate a “wall of sound”. We can only hope and pray to the football gods that that is the case. 

But now is the time to move on, to remember White Hart Lane, but also embrace the future. 

And for the 2017-2018 season, and while we wait for our new home to be built that means: “Spurs is on its way to Wembley…” (again).

Over to you Chas and Dave.

RIP White Hart Lane and thanks for all the very, very special memories.