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Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - Licence To Stand

AjaxDeSuperYids said:
Well it hasn't exactly been that long that WHL has been in its current form - when was that revamp finished? 1996? Perhaps even later.

Remember as recent as the early 90s we had some different stands and before that there was the dearly loved old shelf side stand. The re-birth and change of these stands at WHL have happened time and time again.

What's happening now is just the latest in a long line of changes to the stands that surround the WHL pitch.
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There is a difference though. All those previous changes took place within the existing stadium environs, whilst it was still up and running and matches continued to take place. With the new stadium development ahead of us now, we are going to physically leave the current WHL ground for a whole season. And when we go back it will be to a totally new build stadium. Substantially on the same land space, yes. But brand new as well. So leaving the current WHL is the end of an era and therefore a time for recalling sentimental memories. Even though I now sit (although mostly stand) in an all seater lower East stand, I can still look around me and recall the contrasting memories of standing in the same stand when we got relegated, and standing in the same stand when we won the UEFA cup. I am totally looking forward to the new stadium and all that will mean for us, but it doesn't mean that I will be wrong to shed a tear for the passing of our current home.
 
And many will have memories of watching reserve matches at the Lane, in the old days any club home match was included in the season ticket (inc Europe??).

It was the Club's home, not one among its sporting portfolio
 
greatwhitenorf said:
When you next go to White Hart Lane, take some pictures or record a few video clips. Do it again next time you go. Do it every time you go.

Try to capture all the mundane, everyday aspects, not just stadium views. Lineups, people you regularly see, whether passing about the stadium or chatting with as you wait in line for food or drink, stuff that happens as you make your way to or from the game - pubs you visit, people you banter with as you line up for concessions. Skip the toilets, eh?

Photograph details. Seat numbers. The view down an empty row of seats where you normally sit. The texture of a wall. A view looking down an interior hallway. The view from the interior of a vomitory as you are about to pass through into the stands. And, of course, moments that occur during a match - turn away from the action and shoot the faces behind you. Focus on upraised hands celebrating a goal. Scarves held up or twirling.

Gather up as many of the little threads that form the fabric of a day watching Spurs in White Hart Lane. If you didn't quite capture what you hoped to on the first try, hopefully you have other opportunities to improve or refine what you capture or record. If you chip away at it, little by little, you'll have a wonderful document to refer back to.

You'll love yourself forever for doing this.

Because, no matter how wonderful the new stadium is, it won't be the same. In so many ways, it can't ever be the same. It will take years before you get back to the same point you're at now in terms of feeling familiar and at home. So start to preserve your memories and experiences now. I've been professionally involved in the transfer of major sports clubs from their beloved, historic homes to wonderful, new facilities.

I have friends or colleagues who can quickly get teary-eyed looking at images of the old hockey arenas they once visited - the Montreal Forum, Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens, Pittsburgh's Igloo, the Boston Garden. Plus Detroit's incredibly intimate baseball ground, Tiger Stadium. They were all cosy, cramped relics, each with their own unique sightlines, distinctive shapes, nooks and crannies - full of atmosphere - yet they were constantly griped about for what they lacked. Eventually, those gripes spurred the building of new arenas.

The new homes are amazing places and serve each club well, but the old ones are now missed terribly. You still have time. Use it well.
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I already captured one great moment. When I was 17. The teams entering and theme tune for the Champions League for Spurs vs Inter Milan. What does it sound like? P#####shhhhht#########!!!!!!### swttrrrrrrrrrshhhhhh

Majestic. Made me realise mental mememories of the Lane are worth 1000x some bricky recording drowned out both by atmosphere and the Skys Choosen ones tune.

EDIT: FWIW always loved the chants of "Come On You Spurs" that drowned out the Champions League music every time we played in it. Was one hell of a way on making ourselves known.
 
I loved it when going as a teenager with my mates that we could move to be behind the goal we were attacking in each half and taking a ball to reserve games and playing under the East Stand at half time. Also remember the Enfield Town Band playing on the pitch ever game and the team changes and halftime scores being put up along the alphabetic boards each side of the ground, trying to buy a beer and being told you're too young and the wide selection of food on offer, hot dogs and peanuts. I know that the new stadium will have many improvements and provide new memories but these were of my golden youth when I was full of hope and optimism.
 
What will be weird is seeing a different stadium when we drive over the Leeside Road railway bridge, which is usually our first view of WHL when we drive to the ground
 
greatwhitenorf said:
When you next go to White Hart Lane, take some pictures or record a few video clips. Do it again next time you go. Do it every time you go.

Try to capture all the mundane, everyday aspects, not just stadium views. Lineups, people you regularly see, whether passing about the stadium or chatting with as you wait in line for food or drink, stuff that happens as you make your way to or from the game - pubs you visit, people you banter with as you line up for concessions. Skip the toilets, eh?

Photograph details. Seat numbers. The view down an empty row of seats where you normally sit. The texture of a wall. A view looking down an interior hallway. The view from the interior of a vomitory as you are about to pass through into the stands. And, of course, moments that occur during a match - turn away from the action and shoot the faces behind you. Focus on upraised hands celebrating a goal. Scarves held up or twirling.

Gather up as many of the little threads that form the fabric of a day watching Spurs in White Hart Lane. If you didn't quite capture what you hoped to on the first try, hopefully you have other opportunities to improve or refine what you capture or record. If you chip away at it, little by little, you'll have a wonderful document to refer back to.

You'll love yourself forever for doing this.

Because, no matter how wonderful the new stadium is, it won't be the same. In so many ways, it can't ever be the same. It will take years before you get back to the same point you're at now in terms of feeling familiar and at home. So start to preserve your memories and experiences now. I've been professionally involved in the transfer of major sports clubs from their beloved, historic homes to wonderful, new facilities.

I have friends or colleagues who can quickly get teary-eyed looking at images of the old hockey arenas they once visited - the Montreal Forum, Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens, Pittsburgh's Igloo, the Boston Garden. Plus Detroit's incredibly intimate baseball ground, Tiger Stadium. They were all cosy, cramped relics, each with their own unique sightlines, distinctive shapes, nooks and crannies - full of atmosphere - yet they were constantly griped about for what they lacked. Eventually, those gripes spurred the building of new arenas.

The new homes are amazing places and serve each club well, but the old ones are now missed terribly. You still have time. Use it well.
Click to expand...

I made sure I did the stadium tour the morning after the Fiorentina match. I've never been bothered about it before, but it felt like a last chance to step into the changing rooms and dugouts etc.
 
One anecdote from the tour. Apparently they are going to exhume Bill and Darkie Nicholson from under the pitch and move them to the new stadium too!
 
Gutter Boy said:
One anecdote from the tour. Apparently they are going to exhume Bill and Darkie Nicholson from under the pitch and move them to the new stadium too!
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With some of the bad luck we have had over the years, makes me wonder whether there is something else under the pitch...
 
Gutter Boy said:
A15 on p59 of the first link is worth noting - we can't demolish the 3 buildings until Historic England has implemented a programme of recording of them.

Some of it is really laughable - B30 p65 - we can't demolish the old stadium until we've provided replacement bird nests!
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This could get expensive...

82163825_3116085b.jpg
 
A saboteur, he's been programmed to dive-bomb the construction workers.... being serious, it's great to see the foundations starting to take shape....
 
AjaxDeSuperYids said:
Well it hasn't exactly been that long that WHL has been in its current form - when was that revamp finished? 1996? Perhaps even later.

Remember as recent as the early 90s we had some different stands and before that there was the dearly loved old shelf side stand. The re-birth and change of these stands at WHL have happened time and time again.

What's happening now is just the latest in a long line of changes to the stands that surround the WHL pitch.
Click to expand...

The recent timeline is:

1998 - New North Stand Upper Tier opened to acommpany lower tier which was completed the year before. Wraps around into West and East stand providing bowl-like feel.
1995 - New South Stand completed with Jumbotron screen on roof and security 'spaceship' under South West roof.
1994 - South Stand knocked down and gradually rebuilt throughout 94/5 season
1993 - North Stand structure rebuilt (although still only included one tier of seating until 1998 giving a rather unfinished look to it)
1993 - Seating replaced terraces on East Lower (shelf) and South Lower
1988 - Old East Stand reconfigured (roof and seating structure replaced) although outside walls and structure remained. Row of exec boxes added at back of lower tier (the shelf) - not completed on time for start of 88/89 season and game v Coventry was postponed on morning of match! (we were docked 1 point!)
1980 - West Stand demolished and replaced by current structure which included state-of-the-art 2 rows of fully enclosed exec boxes + cantalever roof and curved shape so that all seats facing centre of pitch.

Although it's one of the old stadiums it's a bit like Trigger's broom. Really its only the exterior of the East Stand (dates back to the 1920's) and the concourses in the East Upper which give away the true age of the stadium.
 
GPRD81 said:
The recent timeline is:

1998 - New North Stand Upper Tier opened to acommpany lower tier which was completed the year before. Wraps around into West and East stand providing bowl-like feel.
1995 - New South Stand completed with Jumbotron screen on roof and security 'spaceship' under South West roof.
1994 - South Stand knocked down and gradually rebuilt throughout 94/5 season
1993 - North Stand structure rebuilt (although still only included one tier of seating until 1998 giving a rather unfinished look to it)
1993 - Seating replaced terraces on East Lower (shelf) and South Lower
1988 - Old East Stand reconfigured (roof and seating structure replaced) although outside walls and structure remained. Row of exec boxes added at back of lower tier (the shelf) - not completed on time for start of 88/89 season and game v Coventry was postponed on morning of match! (we were docked 1 point!)
1980 - West Stand demolished and replaced by current structure which included state-of-the-art 2 rows of fully enclosed exec boxes + cantalever roof and curved shape so that all seats facing centre of pitch.

Although it's one of the old stadiums it's a bit like Trigger's broom. Really its only the exterior of the East Stand (dates back to the 1920's) and the concourses in the East Upper which give away the true age of the stadium.
Click to expand...
Well, it's ugly as hell from every angle. Looks like a makeshift job done with leftover materials. It's full of uneven and weird angles. Charming maybe, but certainly not pretty. The new one can't be finished soon enough!
 
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