The result was great, to find with a victory was the perfect send off. I wasn't overly impressed by the after show. I think that a lot of the ideas were in the right place, including allowing legends to take to the pitch, but the elastic nature of that word was a bit too much. I think perhaps a narrative could have been better that talked about the development of the team over the years, pivotal games at White Hart Lane, and successs stories and then introducing players in an order of oldest first, so as to guide through the story in a chronological order.
That way, some of the player's appearances would have been made more fitting rather than just seemingly have a former Spurs player directory where someone took a pen, flicked through the pages randomly selecting some additional players to invite.
Lot of legends, not enough time, rain pouring down would have made the ones who went first miserable by the time the last ones walked on. Plus, it would have delayed the end - and I will never, ever forget that end, watching a goddamn rainbow appear over the west stand right at the end when our songs rose in unison from thirty thousand voices.
I'm not a huge fan of song sheets or fans being led in song. Especially when the version of the song is sung in a way that doesn't reflect its terrace performances..I mean none of the choirs sung the Arsenal fan on a string song.
I think there should have been videos of chants and action through the years, that led the crowd to join with the video prompts, rather than a choir.
Fair enough, but I really enjoyed that choir's performance, nonetheless - I even enjoyed the brass band with the lips and lungs of iron, playing all through the pouring rain until the very end.
I think that the videos of speeches would have worked better with live speeches rather than the filmed versions.
True, and Kenneth Branagh's occasional shake of the head or purr of delight during the montage felt a bit...I dunno, staged to me.
Might as well have had Danny boy come down and give his speech himself, too - he was in the directors' box, as always, so it wouldn't have been a schlep. But I dunno, maybe he's just shy or something - it's fine, he got his message across and it was a good one in the end.
I think that they could have auctioned off, for charity, the chance to take a penalty at White Hart Lane at the end. That could have been Unofficially the last chance to score at White Hart Lane and could have helped to raise funds for the club's chosen charity.
What, during the game or afterward? Mourinho would have paid fifty million quid for Rooney to take it and spoil our big day, because that's just how he is.
I don't know, maybe I'm being too critical of the closing ceremony, perhaps that's because I couldn't experience the event first hand. But, it's a sad time that the end has arrived for White Hart Lane. So many magical memories over the years. Let's hope that the new stadium can create memories and success which will be equal, or better, than those enjoyed at the Lane.
I will never forget that ceremony, and I think, in the end, it proved simple, endearing and memorable - not perfect, but then, we're not perfect as a club. And thank GHod for that.
