Sunday’s loss to Manchester United marked the 28th occasion that Spurs have played a competitive focus at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium without a full audience and in the pandemic, which corresponds to the amount of games held there with 100% capacity.
When Tottenham left White Hart Lane in 2017, they could not possibly have foreseen what the first two years in their new home would have looked like. And as the anniversary of the long-awaited opening rolled around in early April, fans have longed for the time back when their connection to the club was greater.
Results and performances have not helped, but the starvation of a real experience on match day has definitely not.
The Spurs have consistently averaged around two points per home game since leaving White Hart Lane, wherever “home” can be. In the 28 matches with fans on the new gaff, there had been few occasions where Tottenham have looked like the real owners of a billion pound stadium. In fact, their coronation time since returning to the N17 came less than a week after the opening day.
A 1-0 quarter-final victory over Champions League favorites and potential Premier League title winners Manchester City has not yet been topped.
Part of Daniel Levy’s vision was to make a day at football feel more like an opportunity outside of the match itself. That’s why so much time and money was invested in the other facilities at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the longest bar in Europe and hundreds of food and beverage choices.
Two years anniversary of this later this week btw pic.twitter.com/TzLI6l4uRV
– Sean Walsh (@SeanDZWalsh) April 6, 2021
Spurs fans danced in the halls well into the night. The song that gave the 90mins Spurs podcast its name was initiated by thousands of followers lining the wide corridors and corridors of the southern stand.
These are the memories I choose to cherish in that arena and rejoice with my dad under the bowl beyond the last order. But since then, Spurs have lost 7-2, been humiliated by rivals, and fans have been shut down. No wonder the feeling is not universal.
Every stadium and every fan base shares many of the same problems. The pink glasses of nostalgia get the original White Hart Lane as a place that was always loud and worthy of being the 12th man, that the love of design and aesthetics in the old arena is not at all like Trigger’s broom in Only Fools and Horses.
“This old broom had 17 new heads and 14 new handles in its time.”
– Trigger
My first game at White Hart Lane was on April 8, 2006 – a 2-1 win over Man City (what a coincidence, huh?). I was so excited – football Christmas was delivered. Sure, the arena was a bit rusty and very “20th century”, but I was so fond of everything about the match day experience.
Goals from Paul Stalteri and Michael Carrick saw Spurs past Man City in April 2006 ODD ANDERSEN / Getty Images
The journey from west London by public transport made me love trains, the smell of burgers and onions eventually forced me to try one when I was a notoriously careful eater. I went back to school next week and recited ‘Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur’ to my friends because I thought it was a striking tune, I imitated Pete Abbott and read out the lineups and goal scorers when I was on the playground.
Sure, this is testimony and adoration from an eight-year-old loser, but the feeling of going to a game can not be replicated, and today’s Spurs have been a misery to watch from home – at least if fans were present they could boo the team and express their feelings. , or Eric Dier could climb the stands after them (by the way, Tottenham should package this as a 4D horror experience for adrenaline junkies).
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was not much of a popular spot for Spurs fans to go when the pandemic struck (you know, in an intangible way, thousands of people apparently still bought tickets), and their declining fortune means it’s still pretty unwanted to think about looking at them now. When full crowds can be welcomed back, Harry Kane may have left the club. Then Jose Mourinho can have it too.
The stadium is an architectural masterpiece | Catherine Ivill / Getty Images
But for all the mistakes and all the criticism that can be put on Levy’s door, he has ultimately delivered a world-class stadium that retains the feel and traditions of the one who stood in front of it, maximizing modern technology and architecture and buying all the necessary property to ensure the club do not need permanent up sticks – it is difficult to find space to build a giant stadium in one of the largest cities in the world.
Results and performances will always be the ultimate barometer of fan joy and success. Whenever Spurs catch steam in a post-pandemic world, fans will warm up to the new arena. It will feel like home.
