Goodbye White Hart Lane

[Gaz_Gammon]

Tottenham Hotspur prepare to play their last game at the ground on Sunday, 118 years after the first one.

Read the full article at The Guardian

 

[peter_the_yid]

I'm going to be honest, I've woken up very emotional this morning.
This is as big a game as any for a while. I'm glad our final game is against Manchester United, they are a great club no matter which way you look at it and worthy opponents for the final match at White Hart Lane.
I'm expecting the players and fans to be up for this à la Inter Milan in the Champions league and devestated I won't be there.

 

[Gilzeanking]

I just seem to have a different take to everyone on this .

We aren't moving away from White Hart Lane . From a satellite mapping pov bits of the current pitch will still be played on after this massive 'change' .

If we were moving to (say) the Olympic stadium then yes , get out the hankies , but this is just a big upgrade of WHL stadium for me .

 

[bigspurs]

I just seem to have a different take to everyone on this .

We aren't moving away from White Hart Lane . From a satellite mapping pov bits of the current pitch will still be played on after this massive 'change' .

If we were moving to (say) the Olympic stadium then yes , get out the hankies , but this is just a big upgrade of WHL stadium for me .

The ground is being demolished after 118 years, and you can't get a bit sentimental about it? You must be a very cold and emotionless person. Just kidding, but a lot of fans will be sad today. I've got mixed emotions about it. Sure, I'm feeling a bit sentimental about it, but I'm also looking forward to an exciting new chapter in the club's history!

 

[Gilzeanking]

The ground is being demolished after 118 years, and you can't get a bit sentimental about it? You must be a very cold and emotionless person. Just kidding, but a lot of fans will be sad today. I've got mixed emotions about it.

I get emotional about the iconic white White Hart Lane stadium pulled down in the 70s if that helps ....

 

[Roynie]

I just seem to have a different take to everyone on this .

We aren't moving away from White Hart Lane . From a satellite mapping pov bits of the current pitch will still be played on after this massive 'change' .

If we were moving to (say) the Olympic stadium then yes , get out the hankies , but this is just a big upgrade of WHL stadium for me .

Not everyone else. We will actually be nearer White Hart Lane and the current North stand will be the new South stand. We are upgrading the stadium and staying in the same place. The was a small part of me this morning that was a bit sad, but I got rid of that with a good dump!

I'm now just looking forward to a shiny new stadium and gaining even more ground on the so called big clubs that finished below us, despite having much more financial clout than us. I see this as the start of a new era in the history of THFC.

#COYS!

 

[Danners9]

I'm now just looking forward to a shiny new stadium and gaining even more ground on the so called big clubs that finished below us, despite having much more financial clout than us. I see this as the start of a new era in the history of THFC.

#COYS!

Me too. Looking at the old photos and montages around, so much of it was before I was born, and before my parents were born. It went from a field with fences to add walls and terraces, a roof, another roof, lights, big stands, bigger stands, filling in the corners, and now it's getting a full make over. It deserves it and it needs it. Still love the place though.

This is a bigger, better, shinier version of WHL - regardless of what they call it. I fully trust them to get it right and when the fans pour in for that first game - most likely a tepid pre-season friendly - to have a look around, it will feel like home again.. and even more so when the league campaign kicks off.

 

[bigspurs]

I get emotional about the iconic white White Hart Lane stadium pulled down in the 70s if that helps ....

Fair enough, I'm too young to remember that!

 

[Ironskullll]

I just seem to have a different take to everyone on this .

We aren't moving away from White Hart Lane . From a satellite mapping pov bits of the current pitch will still be played on after this massive 'change' .

If we were moving to (say) the Olympic stadium then yes , get out the hankies , but this is just a big upgrade of WHL stadium for me .

I agree but that makes the occasion even greater, in my opinion. The Lane is dead, Long Live The Lane!

 

[davidmatzdorf]

I guess it depends on how important buildings are to you, as opposed to their locations. I have a strong feeling for the genius loci, the spirit-of-place, and as someone who studied architecture and has worked in development for many years, those feelings and associated memories are written into the walls and floors and the quality of the space, as much as they are into the neighbourhood where the building resides.

The experience I can compare it to is when I lived through 4 years of our tenants' co-operative doing major rebuilding and refurbishment works to our tenement estate in the early 80s. The day before the last block was handed to the building contractors, we had a huge all-night party in it. Because it was never going to feel the same, even though we would still be living in the same place. The old blocks were primitive: heating with coal fires and paraffin stoves, no hot water, shared WCs & washrooms off the communal stairwells, no plumbing or kitchens inside the flats. But the loss of that Edwardian character and its associated inconveniences was sad in itself. Just because it was gone. It also made a difference that we had saved the whole estate from demolition in the 70s. There were a lot of meetings, campaigns and threats of eviction or demolition, as well as late nights socialising (and trying to keep warm) in friends' flats.

But when I visit old neighbours there, I can still see the way the place was in my mind, because the buildings are still there, not just the location. WHL won't be like that, because the structure will be gone and something totally different will replace it.

So I think the old stadium building is important. Nothing will ever be like that place again.

 

[timfrancis]

Will miss the old ground like mad, but we need something bigger and better now.

I think that I'm like a lot of supporters of my age and older, in that the ground I grew up watching football in was gone a long time ago. I feel that the only remaining part of the old WHL I loved is the outer wall on Worcester Avenue. When I used to come with my dad, uncle, brother and 3 cousins (7 of us in a Cortina!!!) we always stood in the East Stand lower and as my brother and I grew up and came to games on our own we moved up on to The Shelf.

I'll stop now as it's making me think of my dad and uncle and I'm all ready emotional enough today!

 

[whitesocks]

I get emotional about the iconic white White Hart Lane stadium pulled down in the 70s if that helps ....

I don't think anything got pulled down in the 70's - the East stand was still referred to as the New Stand in the late 70's early 80s and it was nearly 50 years old.

The west stand went in the early 80's and we lost the enclosure, the iconic entrance to the ground, and offset tunnel entrance.
We no longer had standing fans at all sides of the pitch and those enclosure fans were quite lively especially by the park lane. "You're supposed to be up here.." we sang. And then they were.

The shelf side was gutted in the late 80's. Everyone claims that was where they stood, and I certainly was there for Hoddle's famous goals against ManU in the league cup and the one that did not touch the ground against Forest. We had the same view as the TV cameras.
But as the only standing area that was covered with the best views, it was hard to get in and ridiculously over crowded. And you could get lifted off your feet approaching the stairs at the back after the game.

So I spent most of my time in the Cage - a fenced off area in the corner of the east stand overlooking the Park Lane. It was partly covered, had its own private staircase, and its own songs, fierce reputation and plenty of space. I don't know why it was caged in - that was very rare back then and can only think it was originally the away section.

Anyway all long gone.

 

[Gilzeanking]

I don't think anything got pulled down in the 70's - the East stand was still referred to as the New Stand in the late 70's early 80s and it was nearly 50 years old.

The west stand went in the early 80's and we lost the enclosure, the iconic entrance to the ground, and offset tunnel entrance.

The shelf side was gutted in the late 80's.
But as the only standing area that was covered with the best views, it was hard to get in and ridiculously over crowded. And you could get lifted off your feet approaching the stairs at the back after the game.


Anyway all long gone.

Ah right , pulled down in the 80s eh . That old stadium , was instantly recognisable in any photo . I was always in the white West stand . Christ they packed us in back then as you say . 58 k and feet off the ground leaving the place !

Ahh I've just noticed my nice new avatar , pleased with the change

 

[Sweetsman]

Me too. Looking at the old photos and montages around, so much of it was before I was born, and before my parents were born. It went from a field with fences to add walls and terraces, a roof, another roof, lights, big stands, bigger stands, filling in the corners, and now it's getting a full make over. It deserves it and it needs it. Still love the place though.

This is a bigger, better, shinier version of WHL - regardless of what they call it. I fully trust them to get it right and when the fans pour in for that first game - most likely a tepid pre-season friendly - to have a look around, it will feel like home again.. and even more so when the league campaign kicks off.

It may be actually a closer version of the original stadium than the present incarnation, because The Shelf will be restored.

 

[Sweetsman]

I guess it depends on how important buildings are to you, as opposed to their locations. I have a strong feeling for the genius loci, the spirit-of-place, and as someone who studied architecture and has worked in development for many years, those feelings and associated memories are written into the walls and floors and the quality of the space, as much as they are into the neighbourhood where the building resides.

The experience I can compare it to is when I lived through 4 years of our tenants' co-operative doing major rebuilding and refurbishment works to our tenement estate in the early 80s. The day before the last block was handed to the building contractors, we had a huge all-night party in it. Because it was never going to feel the same, even though we would still be living in the same place. The old blocks were primitive: heating with coal fires and paraffin stoves, no hot water, shared WCs & washrooms off the communal stairwells, no plumbing or kitchens inside the flats. But the loss of that Edwardian character and its associated inconveniences was sad in itself. Just because it was gone. It also made a difference that we had saved the whole estate from demolition in the 70s. There were a lot of meetings, campaigns and threats of eviction or demolition, as well as late nights socialising (and trying to keep warm) in friends' flats.

But when I visit old neighbours there, I can still see the way the place was in my mind, because the buildings are still there, not just the location. WHL won't be like that, because the structure will be gone and something totally different will replace it.

So I think the old stadium building is important. Nothing will ever be like that place again.

I thought they might want to keep the back wall of one stand and put a huge TV screen on it, so that they can have a fan zone for Spurs supporters to watch the game if they can't get tickets.

 

[Mr.D]

In the Pride of Tottenham. Pretty relaxed. Not manic. The lull before the storm.

 

[Colston]

Not everyone else. We will actually be nearer White Hart Lane and the current North stand will be the new South stand. We are upgrading the stadium and staying in the same place. The was a small part of me this morning that was a bit sad, but I got rid of that with a good dump!

I'm now just looking forward to a shiny new stadium and gaining even more ground on the so called big clubs that finished below us, despite having much more financial clout than us. I see this as the start of a new era in the history of THFC.

#COYS!

Oh, no wonder then, a good dump can fix almost anything.

 

[Armstrong_11]

Didn't get to visit WHL.. hopefully will get a chance to see the new stadium in real life. Before I kick the bucket.

 

[truebluespur]

Even though it's inevitable, unfortunately in this day, it would be truly awesome if the new stadium didn't have a multi national corporate name... hate it.