Goodbye To The Lane: You'll Never Be Forgotten
All of us who follow Tottenham Hotspur Football Club have known for a while that this day would come. Or more specifically, Sunday 14th May 2017 when Manchester United are the visitors to one of the best known and iconic football grounds in the world, White Hart Lane.
The game is due to kick off at 4.30pm so sometime around 6.25pm referee Jon Moss (no not the former Culture Club drummer, although he'd more than likely be just as good) will blow the final whistle and therefore bring to an end 118 years of the clubs history. There's going to be a celebratory ceremony after the match ends. Hopefully Spurs will have avoided defeat meaning that for the grand old lady's last hurrah, we'd have managed to go unbeaten at home all season. Of course, depending on what happens at the Hawthorns on Friday night it may still be mathmatically possible to catch Chelsea in the 'Race For The Title' but most of us think thats highly unlikely.
But in a strange way the game itself is of little relevance. So much has happened on this former nursery site since the club moved in all those years ago, it will be impossible for the post match ceremony to cover everything. I'm sure the fans will create a party atmosphere regardless, tears will be shed, legends will come onto the pitch, people will clap until their hands are sore and some will try to take whatever souvenirs they can lay their mitts on.
I've not always been the biggest fan of Daniel Levy, but you have to admit that he's played a blinder with the new stadium. Keeping the club in N17 was essential. If we'd have moved, it wouldn't have been Tottenham Hotspur. The demolition of the old Lane is due to commence 48 hrs after Sundays game finishes. During this season, the new Lane has grown weekly around us swallowing up more space. After next Tuesday it will eat into what is now our sacred ground and eventually cover it completely. As much as I love my tradition this is a good thing. Its a cliche, but in modern football the increased revenue is vital. It doesn't mean we're going to start winning anything but without it we don't have a prayer.
The New Lane is about more than that though. Our proud club sits in an area of London that has been too long neglected by those in power. Regeneration in Tottenham has already begun with new businesses moving in, improved housing etc, some of it I'm sure is on the back of the Clubs plans. For those of us who are bothered about these things I'm proud of the work the club does with the local community. I love the fact that jobs have and will be created for local people and that facilities will be in place for those in society that need a bit more help than the rest of us. OK, there'll be things not necessarily associated with a football stadium like a 'Cheese' Room and an onsite Brewery, a Sky Walk and a top class climbing wall. They're even going to be playing the game that Americans call 'Football' there for at least 10 years. I think we all understand that these are aimed at maximising income for the club, after all we can't play football there every day of the year.
Anyhow, back to this coming Sunday at around 6.25pm. I can't say now how I'll feel or react. I'd like to think we'll win the game, but knowing Spurs there's a chance that won't happen. I think I'll take a moment to sit in my seat (which the club have kindly offered to sell me), close my eyes and remember Tony Parks saving that penalty, Glenn Hoddle walking through the entire Oxford United team to tap in his last goal for Spurs, Gareth Bale on the 'Taxi For Maicon' night or maybe even the time when football paled into insignificance as doctor that went along to watch a game of football on his night off ended it by saving the life of Fabrice Muamba.
So its a massive thank you from me to The Lane. I'll never forget my times there, some fantastical, some awful. The ups & downs of supporting the Worlds Greatest Football Team, Tottenham Hotspur. I've watched Hoddle, Ardiles, Perryman, Klinsmann, Sheringham, Waddle, Gascoigne, Mabbutt, Clive Allen, Paul Allen, Bale, Keane, Ginola, Defoe, Berbatov, Clemence, Modric, Van der Vaart, and countless others. They may not have been the greatest, but they played for us fans at the place we've called home since 1899. Make sure you take a good look around you and drink it in on Sunday fellow Spurs fans. Celebrate all that we have now and appreciate all thats gone before. Let's give the place the send off it deserves and once its over start marking the days off of the calendar until we return. We will be back, bigger, stronger, and more determined than ever.
Come On You Spurs.
The game is due to kick off at 4.30pm so sometime around 6.25pm referee Jon Moss (no not the former Culture Club drummer, although he'd more than likely be just as good) will blow the final whistle and therefore bring to an end 118 years of the clubs history. There's going to be a celebratory ceremony after the match ends. Hopefully Spurs will have avoided defeat meaning that for the grand old lady's last hurrah, we'd have managed to go unbeaten at home all season. Of course, depending on what happens at the Hawthorns on Friday night it may still be mathmatically possible to catch Chelsea in the 'Race For The Title' but most of us think thats highly unlikely.
But in a strange way the game itself is of little relevance. So much has happened on this former nursery site since the club moved in all those years ago, it will be impossible for the post match ceremony to cover everything. I'm sure the fans will create a party atmosphere regardless, tears will be shed, legends will come onto the pitch, people will clap until their hands are sore and some will try to take whatever souvenirs they can lay their mitts on.
I've not always been the biggest fan of Daniel Levy, but you have to admit that he's played a blinder with the new stadium. Keeping the club in N17 was essential. If we'd have moved, it wouldn't have been Tottenham Hotspur. The demolition of the old Lane is due to commence 48 hrs after Sundays game finishes. During this season, the new Lane has grown weekly around us swallowing up more space. After next Tuesday it will eat into what is now our sacred ground and eventually cover it completely. As much as I love my tradition this is a good thing. Its a cliche, but in modern football the increased revenue is vital. It doesn't mean we're going to start winning anything but without it we don't have a prayer.
The New Lane is about more than that though. Our proud club sits in an area of London that has been too long neglected by those in power. Regeneration in Tottenham has already begun with new businesses moving in, improved housing etc, some of it I'm sure is on the back of the Clubs plans. For those of us who are bothered about these things I'm proud of the work the club does with the local community. I love the fact that jobs have and will be created for local people and that facilities will be in place for those in society that need a bit more help than the rest of us. OK, there'll be things not necessarily associated with a football stadium like a 'Cheese' Room and an onsite Brewery, a Sky Walk and a top class climbing wall. They're even going to be playing the game that Americans call 'Football' there for at least 10 years. I think we all understand that these are aimed at maximising income for the club, after all we can't play football there every day of the year.
Anyhow, back to this coming Sunday at around 6.25pm. I can't say now how I'll feel or react. I'd like to think we'll win the game, but knowing Spurs there's a chance that won't happen. I think I'll take a moment to sit in my seat (which the club have kindly offered to sell me), close my eyes and remember Tony Parks saving that penalty, Glenn Hoddle walking through the entire Oxford United team to tap in his last goal for Spurs, Gareth Bale on the 'Taxi For Maicon' night or maybe even the time when football paled into insignificance as doctor that went along to watch a game of football on his night off ended it by saving the life of Fabrice Muamba.
So its a massive thank you from me to The Lane. I'll never forget my times there, some fantastical, some awful. The ups & downs of supporting the Worlds Greatest Football Team, Tottenham Hotspur. I've watched Hoddle, Ardiles, Perryman, Klinsmann, Sheringham, Waddle, Gascoigne, Mabbutt, Clive Allen, Paul Allen, Bale, Keane, Ginola, Defoe, Berbatov, Clemence, Modric, Van der Vaart, and countless others. They may not have been the greatest, but they played for us fans at the place we've called home since 1899. Make sure you take a good look around you and drink it in on Sunday fellow Spurs fans. Celebrate all that we have now and appreciate all thats gone before. Let's give the place the send off it deserves and once its over start marking the days off of the calendar until we return. We will be back, bigger, stronger, and more determined than ever.
Come On You Spurs.
MY OWN TEN MAGIC LANE MOMENTS
16th August 1976 - Tottenham Hotspur 1 Royal Antwerp 1 (Pre-season friendly)
Well, this is where it all began. My first visit to White Hart Lane.A vivid memory of being behind the goal at the Paxton Road end, plonked on my Dad's shoulders. At not quite seven years old I can't remember a thing about the game but it turns out that Sky Sports very own Gerry Armstrong scored our goal.
I know he'd scored a hat trick in the San Siro in a game we almost got a draw from after being 4-0 down at half time and down to ten men but this was truly the night Gareth Bale became a world star. Inter arrived at The Lane as European Champions and left with their tails firmly between their legs. Bale destroyed Maicon, then rated as the best right back in the world, and provided two magnificent second half assists for Peter Crouch and then Roman Pavlyuchenko which followed a first half goal from Raphael van der Vaart, set up by the magnificent Luka Modric. Samuel Eto'o scored for Inter. The Lane rocked like it hadn't done since the Anderlect match. What a night.
15th April 2017 - Tottenham Hotspur 4 Bournemouth 0 (Premier League)
I had to include something from this current wonderful season. The obvious choices would have been the Chelsea or Arsenal fixtures but for me its the Bournemouth game. It could be because it followed on from the 4-0 against Watford the week before where I didn't think they could play any better. But they did. They took it up another level. Mousa Dembele, Son Hueng-min, Harry Kane and Vincent Janssen scored the goals but that wasn't what was important. It was controlled, it was confident, it was assured, it was organised. It was everything you want your team to be. And the icing on the cake was the look on my Dads face when I met him outside the ground after the game. Thanks Poch, thanks lads. You made my Dad feel like it was 1961 again and I love you for it.
Well, this is where it all began. My first visit to White Hart Lane.A vivid memory of being behind the goal at the Paxton Road end, plonked on my Dad's shoulders. At not quite seven years old I can't remember a thing about the game but it turns out that Sky Sports very own Gerry Armstrong scored our goal.
24th September 1977 - Tottenham Hotspur 2 Luton Town 0 (2nd Division)
So five years after winning the UEFA Cup we found ourselves in the 2nd Division, not that this 8 year old cared a jot. We had season tickets in the old West Stand and sat close to a chap who had something to do with administration within the club. On this occasion, he got passes for us to meet the players after the match. I got my programme signed but it was meeting God, the giant (as he seemed to me) Glenn Hoddle that made my day (year, life etc). As an aside, Chris Jones and a Keith Osgood penalty won us the points.
23rd May 1984 - Tottenham Hotspur 1 Anderlect 1 (UEFA Cup Final 2nd Leg) Spurs won 4-3 on Pens
Everyone knows the story. First leg 1-1. Hoddle, Clemence, Ardiles injured. Perryman suspended. Anderlect go one up. Roberts equalises with minutes left. Goes to a penalty shootout. Danny Thomas misses his penalty. The whole crowd sing "There's Only One Danny Thomas." Tony Parks saves a penalty from Eidur Gudjohnson's Dad. Spurs have won the UEFA Cup again. Magic.
1st May 1986 - Tottenham Hotspur 2 Inter Milan 1 (Ossie Ardiles Testimonial)
This was the night that Diego Maradona played for Spurs. In the same team as Glenn Hoddle. Just think about that for a moment......now I've recomposed myself it was fitting that the Worlds Greatest Player should play in a match celebrating the clubs finest import. A real night to treasure. Goals from Mark Falco and Clive Allen won us the game.
2nd February 1987 - Tottenham Hotspur 5 West Ham United 0 (League Cup Quarter Final Replay)
In the first game we'd comprehensively outplayed West Ham at Upton Park but somehow left with only a 1-1 draw. David Pleat's magical side playing 4-5-1 years before anyone else even thought about it were in no mood let the Hammers off the hook again and took them apart. Clive Allen scored three, Hoddle scored a cracker from the edge of the area and Nico Claesen rounded things off. Paul Allen had the game of his life. Some of the football Spurs played that evening and indeed that season was the best I've seen at The Lane. It was until recently the best Tottenham side of my lifetime. A real shame we ended the season trophyless.
7th November 2004 - The Bill Nicholson Memorial Service
This was not a magic moment but I felt it had to be included. This was the day that the Spurs family came together to officially pay our respects to the man that had done more than any to make the club what it is today. Bill was simply the greatest manager the club has had and ever likely to have. He built our most successful team, this after winning the title as a player. His influence is felt throughout the club and will be forever. Its his mantra that we strive to follow.
5th November 2006 - Tottenham Hotspur 2 Chelsea 1 (Premier League)
In my opinion the moment that Jacques Santini walked out on Spurs and his assistant Martin Jol got the job is the moment when things began to turn around for our famous old club. Jol never played for us but he appreciated what Spurs should be all about. Although he ultimately fell short, we should all be eternally grateful. He gave us 'our Tottenham back'. A big part of that was beating Chelsea for the first time in the League for 16 years, finally getting that monkey off of our back. Incredibly, Claude Makelele opened the scoring for Chelsea but we hit back through Michael Dawson and then Aaron Lennon (Get Well Soon Aaron) smacked in the winner. Oh, and John Terry got sent off late in the game. No laughing at the back please.
22nd January 2008 - Tottenham Hotspur 5 Arsenal 1 (League Cup Semi Final 2nd Leg) Spurs won 6-2 on aggregate
After a credible 1-1 draw at The Emirates Spurs decided to have 'one of those nights' in the second leg against the Old Enemy. Jermaine Jenas scored early on, Bentner headed one into his own net, Robbie Keane scored a corker after half time but it wasn't until Aaron Lennon finished off a great counter attacking goal to make it 4 nil that I truly believed we were there. I sank to my knees because it had seemed like so long since we'd won a really big game that really mattered. Adebayor scored for them but half of the away fans had already left. Just for good measure Steed Malbranque tapped in the fifth. We then beat Chelsea in the final. Supporting Spurs doesn't always have end in crushing disappointment.
2nd November 2010 - Tottenham Hotspur 3 Inter Milan 1 (Champions League Group Stage)
15th April 2017 - Tottenham Hotspur 4 Bournemouth 0 (Premier League)
I had to include something from this current wonderful season. The obvious choices would have been the Chelsea or Arsenal fixtures but for me its the Bournemouth game. It could be because it followed on from the 4-0 against Watford the week before where I didn't think they could play any better. But they did. They took it up another level. Mousa Dembele, Son Hueng-min, Harry Kane and Vincent Janssen scored the goals but that wasn't what was important. It was controlled, it was confident, it was assured, it was organised. It was everything you want your team to be. And the icing on the cake was the look on my Dads face when I met him outside the ground after the game. Thanks Poch, thanks lads. You made my Dad feel like it was 1961 again and I love you for it.
Comments
Post a Comment