Tottenham Hotspur has always been worth a visit as a classic English club. They still are, but now for a completely different reason: the club has recently started playing in the most modern football stadium in Europe, and the reactions from friend and foe are positive.
For a long time Tottenham Hotspur was mainly only 'big' in name, not necessarily because of their performance. But certainly in recent years, the team has returned to the top of the Premier League and are now counted amongst the top six as has emerged in recent years. Trophies are still rare: Spurs have only won the League Cup in the 21st century, in 2008.
It may not be the club with the most silverware, but Tottenham is a top club with a rich tradition of great players, especially midfielders in: From Glenn Hoddle, Osvaldo Ardiles and Paul Gascoigne, to David Ginola and Luka Modric.
From the outside it takes some getting used to if you are used to the old White Hart Lane, because the stadium has become gigantic and with the many silver and mirror work which is far from subtle. Once inside, you can't possibly be unimpressed. A crushing stadium with three rings of seats in stylish dark blue, a beautiful roof construction and behind one of the two goals a continuous stand, emulating Borussia Dortmund’s famous Gelbe Wand, with fantastic acoustics to back it up with. In one swoop, Tottenham has the most beautiful stadium in North London.
With the arrival of a new, multifunctional stadium, many supporters are left speechless, including Tottenham. Because the plans for the New Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were big: they wanted to bring the NFL to London, top concerts had to take place and boxing matches had to be fought. The old White Hart Lane had served as the home of Spurs since the late nineteenth century, but had somewhat hindered the club from really connecting with the English elite. In addition, the new stadium was intended to boost area development in the Tottenham district, which is not the best area in London to say the least. In 2017 the time had come, Spurs closed the stadium gate for the last time, the demolition already started the next day. The club moved to Wembley for two years,
As skeptical as they were beforehand, today Tottenham fans are generally positive. The word 'fan experience' always turns our stomach a bit, but you could say that people understood it during the construction of this stadium.
The Tottenham Hotspur logo is as simple as it is recognisable, a ball topped by a 'cockerel', a rooster. This famous symbol has stood as a bronze statue on the roof of White Hart Lane since 1909, and the cockerel has also returned to the new stadium. A completely new, larger version has been made, and this time it is above the South Stand. What is special is that they have copied the old cockerel (except for the size) exactly, including all irregularities. There is a mysterious dent in the ball on which the rooster is standing.
Rumours had circulated for years that it was a German WWII bomb fragment, but the real story is even crazier: Paul Gascoigne (who else) was at White Hart Lane firing an airgun at pigeons and it wasn't long until he decided to fire at the famous cockerel, resulting in the dent. Not a German bomber, but the ingeniously crazy Gazza.
At Tottenham, the goal is to be even more visible in the neighbourhood. A nice first step was taken with a large mural of Ledley King, the former captain of the club who never played anywhere else. The club legend was honoured by the proposal and quite impressed with the result. You can find the artwork near the stadium along Tottenham High Road, in the parking lot opposite number 710.
Tottenham's big rival is, of course, Arsenal, about four miles away. For years the Gunners were miles ahead of the Spurs in every way, but in recent years the tide has slowly turned. Now it is Tottenham who finish higher every year, plays European football and has a better stadium. Regardless of the relationship between the two clubs, the North London Derby guarantees war and is one of the most beautiful adverts of English football.
We warn you, this is not for you if you don't do well with heights. In the new stadium you can 'climb' through the outside to the ridge of the stadium, up to the roof of the South Stand. Now the climb up is already quite exciting, but the last metres are the most intense, when you have to walk over the glass roof to the Cockerel at 46.80 meters up. The real daredevils can also abseil down, but we understand if you just stick to the fan shop.
The Bricklayers is a football pub as we like to see them: club logos on the wall, flags and scarves on the ceiling and within crawling distance of the stadium. Particularly striking is the variety of traffic signs and access signs from around the stadium (stolen from everywhere?). Also note the great black and white photos and the framed program booklets on the wall. The pub is on High Road (No 803) of Tottenham, the main street in the borough, a stone's throw from the stadium.
Of course, such a new stadium has a price, which is reflected in what you have to pay for a ticket. And that starts with a club membership for £43. Without this membership you cannot buy tickets for the competitive games.
If you find this a bit too much, it's best to wait until Tottenham plays at home against a small club in a cup game, or as this year comes out in the Conference League, then you usually won’t need a membership.
Tottenham is located in the north of London and is easily accessible from the city centre. With the Overground you are in 20 minutes from the centrally located Liverpool Street station at the White Hart Lane stop, around the corner from the stadium. Northumberland Park railway station is also not far from the stadium, about ten minutes away.
Images: Shutterstock, BSR Agency
