Wednesday
Apr012009
The 'New White Hart Lane' - Looking good on paper
Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at 12:10PM The club have released more progress updates on the re-development plans for the new stadium. So far there is little to be critical of. Yeah, yeah....you heard me right. I guess this is as close as a pat on the back (that's just a single pat of hand to back) I will get to giving our esteemed chairman. Please do not take this as a form of weakness from myself. I'll still be greeting him with a water balloon, as per usual every Monday morning as he drives into work. No reason in either of us getting slack.
SnazzyThere's perhaps one or two minor design quirks (what's with the wavy upper tier?) and no apparent news of whether the Cockerel on the ball will re-appear on the new east stand but all otherwise looks good (isn't this also a good time to think about a statue for Sir Bill Nicholson?).
The general re-generation potential for the local vicinity will also go down a storm. Upmarket Tottenham, eh?
Here's a quick look through some of the updates below:
- 58,237 capacity - Wonderful. And with a possible 45k+ being made up of season ticket holders (meaning less of the corporate ilk), the new stadium will have no excuse to ever be on the quiet side.
- Fans being kept together to retain the 'camaraderie which has built up over the years' - This is a simplistic master-stroke. One of the most important ingredients and vital to retain the current atmosphere WHL is capable of. Have to say, of all the things announced by the club, this one makes me smile the most. Evidence that the club actually listens to the fans.
- Stadium 'bowl' tightened to maximise atmosphere (8.2m from the pitch) - Compared to Arsenal, City and Wembley we'll be far closer than the three of them to the pitch. Not as close as we are now, but close enough. Which is a nice touch.
- Re-location of the away fans - Interesting this, as the away supporters will be moved from the South-West corner where they preside now to the North-East corner of the new stadium which means the new North stand (or new Paxton if you want) will be, in-effect, the new Park Lane - as long as they move the Park Lane residents to the new North stand. That would make the new South stand a family designated area (as having them sat next to the away fans would not make sense). You dig?
- New public square on Tottenham High Road - Nice touch. Can imagine a sing-a-long or two occurring here.
- New supermarket with parking - Guess the locals will like this one, and might even mean an improved pre-match diet for me personally.
- Only concerns are the travel aspects where several 'hoped' improvements are subject to 'discussions'.
Check this for more info:
PDF Guide from Tottenhamhotspur.com
Or just visit the official site.
Reader Comments (11)
You going soft Spooky?
Can't wait for this to push on from planning to actual building. I'm not a season ticket but I'm on the waiting list and really looking part to this new chapter for the club. Hopefully we can coincide it with Champs League qualification.
:)
Travel in that part of North London will always be shit. Guess all they can do is improve the trains into Seven Sister with more regularity. Can't see a new tube station being built any time soon.
Love the design, don't care too much about the wavy upper tier. Who is complaining about that? Far better design than the Emirates and we're already onto a winner with the fans being 'kept together' in the move. Fantastic stuff.
A new supermarket! We've finally arrived!!
do you go to the game to "provide atmosphere" for the TV audience or just go for a leisure activity
Loving it - just pure loving it, roof an' all.
That Billy Nick statue will go in the pedestrianised square, you can guarantee that.
Yes it's ticking all but one box for me. Ever since I've supported Spurs (late 50's) the Arsenal people have always said they are the biggest London side based on capacity. Is it impossible to increase the capacity to 60,500 so we can put to bed the mini-Emirates jibes. It will also give us an extra belief that we are equal if not better to the Gooners. But the rest is great.
No statue for Darren Bent then?
It's invisible, perfect.
"The Darren Bent Stadium"
can we have a Dean Austin Stand?