It feels like 15 minutes ago that it was May 2006 and we had qualified for the UEFA Cup through the league for the first time since... forever.
It was only just over 2 years since Levy had realised that the previous strategy of buying one or two superannuated ex-stars to pep up a team of mediocrities wasn't going to work (and had ceased to fool the fans) and had appointed Frank Arnesen to develop our youth programme. Martin Jol was our manager, Michael Carrick was in midfield and the topic of the day was lasagne.
It's worth listing our finishing places for the previous years since the start of the Premiership. Working backwards: 9, 14, 10, 9, 12, 10, 11, 14, 10, 8, 7, 15, 8. Admirable consistency. Aimless rubbish, but consistent.
It feels like 10 minutes ago that I was watching Man City v. Spurs, but it was 5 May 2010 when Peter Crouch scored and I nearly hit my head on the ceiling, jumping up and down and screaming "we're in the Champions League! we're in the Champions League!" over and over.
It feels like 5 minutes ago that Gareth Bale was ripping Maicon a new one as we beat Inter Milan 3-1 at the old place. For me, that was The Result, the game that signified that we had changed. Until this season's win over Real Madrid, it was my favourite Spurs match ever and my favourite ever moment was when the 3rd goal went in and I knew we were in the next round.
Now here we are. Finishing 5th represents failure. Qualifying for the Champions League is, if not an expectation, a realistic ambition every year. The old "top 4" is history. We have one of the the best youth systems in the league and our squad is populated with players who grew up on Spurs. Arsenal are trailing in our wake. Again.
We expect to score, we expect to win, we expect to see exciting football. Other clubs covet our players. And we're playing, for the third time this season, the elite of European football on equal terms. We have a slim advantage. We may or may not win this time, but we're part of the world football elite now. We ought to get used to it and enjoy it, because it might not last forever. Ask Arsene Wenger.