If Stratford Hotspur happens, it ends there...
Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 7:10PM Guest blog by Jack aka tehTrunk.
Yes hello, you may remember me, I was the bloke what done them little cartoon things with the voices and stuff. I'm here today in a different capacity, to share my thoughts on the eerily quiet new stadium goings on at Stra...Tottenham Hotspur. I say quiet, but thankfully Karen Brady's constant barking does serve some purpose, if only in reminding us of the fact that we could well, genuinely, be leaving not just White Hart Lane but Tottenham itself.
Yeah, this could actually happen. WTF OMG?!!1! (I'm writing on the internet, it's allowed (lol))
Now, I'm not from Tottenham, I don't even live in North London. My allegiance with Spurs is the age old father son connection familiar with many football fans. You know, when dad creeps into your bedroom at night, gagging you with an Arsenal scarf in order to play hide the magic banana? Since those days, anything bearing the cannon of them lot down the road turns my stomach and reminds me of those mornings where I'd have to swagger into school like a cowboy. This then reminds me of cowboys which I also hate (I always preferred Indians). Suffice to say that sitting through Brokeback Mountain was a nightmare.
Alas, I digress.
Where was I?
Oh yes, I support Tottenham but I'm not from Tottenham, there we go.
These recent mutterings that we could be leaving Tottenham to take up residence in the Millennium Dome (er Olympic Stadium mate?!)have created a strange and uncomfortable conflict within my thoughts, much like when I catch a glimpse of Niko Kranjcar. As I've already covered but will tell you again, Tottenham isn't my home, the team Tottenham Hotspur isn't my local team so why should I care where the team plies it's trade? I don't know really, but I do.
History has always been an important part of this club, given that during the years I've supported them there has been little success, but it's been instilled into me that this is a club with heritage, with tradition. I'm sure most clubs think this way, but we support Spurs, we don't care what myths other clubs supporters perpetuate amongst themselves. We're onto a new chapter now, who knows where it goes. I'm enjoying, while it lasts, us grabbing headlines and having a squad filled with world class players, but this isn't why I support Spurs.
We all know about our cup runs, and double heroics and European glory glory nights so I'll save the maudlin mush.
Football is a business (no sheet Sherlock). It's easy to say, but it's hard to grasp what this actually means. Business' exist to make money. The chairmen, the board, they don't care about you, they don't care about me (they should care about me, I'm awesome. Not you though. D*ckhead) Does the CEO of McDonalds care that your burger doesn't look like it does in the picture on the board?
Daniel Levy is a business man. Don't ever forget that. For all his 'Spurs fan' talk, he's a business man. He's not big Dan from down the pub who wears a Spurs shirt on match days and gets asked to leave the pub when he's had a few too many and is getting loud sweary cross and scaring the couple who just popped in for an ale and glass of house white after finishing shopping, whilst he watches Spurs lose to Wolves at home (all in 3D mind). Levy, and the people surrounding him want to make money. This isn't all a bad thing, money has allowed us to assemble the squad we see before us today. Moving to the Olympic Stadium makes perfect business sense.
It's cheaper than building an entirely new stadium. It has a massive capacity. It looks well nice so will entice new fans. Having a massive, well nice stadium increases the club's prestige both at home and abroad. This will see a rise in the attendance, fan base and the type of investors and players we can attract to the club. Maybe it'll even see us become a more attractive option to a super mega rich foreign owner, who'll buy us Messi and we can win everything and be the best team in the world and even make it onto Sky Sports montages and have our players pictured on the front of the packets of football stickers found on the newsagent's counter.
Spurs, nay, football in general is entering into a dangerously vacuous and shallow era. This potential move to Stratford is a perfect example of that. Forget the history, forget about the locals, forget the name, we're going to move. We'll be Stratford Hotspur, it'll be just the same just we'll make more money and maybe win more stuff and then football will be more better, honest. Yeah, worked well for Wimbledon.
You can scream at me until you're blue faced, the endless clichés that 'we have to do it to compete', 'we want to win stuff what with City getting better now', 'Liverpool will bounce back sooner or later'. I don't care. I didn't support Spurs because they competed, because they were amazing, I support Spurs because they're Spurs. Sacrificing what we are in order to get to what we perceive is a higher level is like the bloke who ditches all his ugly best mates because he wants to be more popular with women. He's a lonely, boring, desperate tool and everyone can see it but him.
I know my thoughts don't represent those of all Spurs fans, and I don't look down on anyone for feeling differently (I really do to be honest). I just see this as one of many examples of how appalling our society is now. It's like saying that I think my mum is fat and ugly and I want a new one with less droopy wangers that way it'll reflect better on me and then I'll be happier. I don't think you're fat and ugly by the way Mummy, Trunky wuvs woo.
If Stratford Hotspur happens, it ends there for me. FC Hotspur of Tottenham or whoever else likely pops up it'll be. You can take your Gareth Bales, VDVs and whoever else and shove them. Along with your reality TV, IKEA furniture, tabloid newspapers, celebrities, Thomas Cook holidays and most of all your Sky Sports.
If all of you told Levy where he could stick his plan, it wouldn't happen, fact. But you won't.
Think on.
Be sure to visit We are N17 for your anti-Stratford fix and latest news. You can also find them on Twitter and Facebook.
Previous Stratford/N17 articles by Spooky:
N17: Home is where the heart is
A nail in the coffin of Stratford?
For some, it's a brutal interrogation...
Reader Comments (559)
YID ARMY - GET ON THE MARCH
YID ARMY - GET ON THE MARCH
YIDAL go on wearen17.co.uk and visit the 'what you can do' section. some good letters you can send from there as a start. keep visiting, things are and will happen :)
Jep says we wont lose the name tottenham if we move. okay maybe true but how obsurd that a team plays in east london and stratford and is called tottenham? do me a favour ffs!
why would pro stratford people want to keep the name tottenham anyway? they dont care or support the area as they keep saying so why care about the word tottenham and the MANY things the word represents, not to mention the yid army being in relation to the abused jews of TOTTENHAM.
pro people love stratford sooo much they should go live there
:-) are you speeding? Your 'jog on' comments sound a bit wet spammy, calm down and go for a walk.
Spooks, being pro-move is not flippant. The writing is on the wall, if we want to progress there is a one-off opportunity coming up. Abramovich and every other top 5 owner will be pissed off to see us get the move to the Olympic park. DL can see this, he's a fan and a businessman and is not held back by cloying nostalgia. We will still be Spurs.
DONT LET THE SUCCESS WE ARE HAVING TAKE YOUR MIND OFF WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO OUR HERITAGE.
WE ARE TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR UNIQUE THE ONE AND ONLY HOTSPUR. WHL SHOULD BE A LISTED BUILDING WITH SUCH RICH HISTORY.
GET ON THE MARCH
:-)
me inglish , me support tottingham,
you are need amboolance hospital
you no mayka di sense...
We were promised a big kop like end in a brand new ground at WHL. Stratford is a shithole and will be a sanitised sterile place too perfect for rhe likes of me post olympics. All these thick cnuts above Stratford ra ra ra. A new ground at WHL would mean your wife and kids could go numb nuts, FFS think before you write. I like Tottenham as I have written elsewhere after home and work it is the place I have spent most time being.
For all us Spurs fans who wont travel to Stratford and hand North London to Arsenal, dont worry there will be former West Ham fans sneaking in to take our place. Believe me West Ham will cease to exist if we go to Stratford but that doesnt matter because nothing does. What a crock of shite.
Ive put in almost 45 yrs with Spurs of course I want success but not the Citeh way,greed, not the Utd way, debt,and not the ever faltering Chelsea way. Abramovich ' One man went to leave, went to leave his club'
In all honesty I preder the way Arsenal have gone about their business frustrating for fans for a while but regretably they will come good soon.
Success at any price, like Supermarkets, the bullies on the high street crushing all around them. Not worth it not for me.
I remember all the hype around that Kop end and how proud the club were and how excited the fans were.
pro stratford is anti tottenham - see what i did? im a clever sod arent i? arent i? oh i thought i was. ah well
what you have just written is completem BS and spooky's a good clever boy and will see that. we go to all the games head dick. i went milan, bremen, twente and will go milan again.
you lay on your bed wanking over hams 42yr being.
If we want to progress this is the one of chance??????
W A L O A F B
Mr Levy is stalling, this cockeroach has been patient but come 2012 we will be stratford hotspur, I think levy will slip the plan in while were all staring at beckham, like a magician at work, we will get sold the we have to move bullshiy blah blah blah, why can't we leave whl exactly as we are no 60,000 no real debt, were doing alright at the moment.... coys?
Ah the kop end
i am looking at the booklet the club sent to all ST holders. it is beautiful.
We are faced with this wonderful dream or death.
WHAT A CHOICE hey ham;
ME - ham you can be King of England.
HAM - hey?
ME - yes KING OF ENGLAND. one problem
HAM - whats that old matey friend lovely sir gorgeous old smiley?
ME - it would be cheaper to chop your head of at dawn
HAM - oh done deal then - would it be cheaper to do it now?
ME - any last words?
HAM - please bury me at the centre of the earth - lots of gold there. is levy coming?
STLSpurs-Is that you, Tom or Assim, from Barristers?
Excellent thread and i'm joining in with my two penneth. From 2004 til 2009 I worked in the Irish centre just off WHL. Then my job ended and I got another one in Stratford. I did fret about not being in the shadow of the hallowed turf every day at first but of course I soon got over it and I still cycle down the high Road every day on me bike and it takes about another half hour to get to Stratford and its really not that big a move. I would love WHL to last forever, but nothing in the universe is permanent it's all temporary. If they go to Stratford I dont care. I was brainwashed at birth and I cant switch it off. I'll go to my grave having brainwashed my own children and taught them to brainwash theirs. I'll also make sure they all know all about the Lane and its part in my life and my Fathers. If there's a team called Spurs playing in lillywhite with the cockerel on their breast I'm with them from the bottom of my heart. I dont want the upheaval, but I really cant be bothered fighting it, Tottenham Hotspur FC is a very spiritual, emotional and powerful force in my heart and its all rather internal. I can take that with me anywhere, I dont care about concrete, I do care about history and culture and thats what WHL will become, folklore to be passed on. WHL is ours yes, but Stratford will be our Childrens and grandchildrens. I am a bit uncomfortable with the West Ham thing, I really think they should have it, or preferably Orient, who are a bit closer. The worst aspect is of course us doing a Woolwich and parking up on someone else's land. Thats hard to swallow that. Dont go Tottenham, but if you do, I shall of course follow.
I say we get the message across old school style.
Simple; a piece of A4 white paper with the words "I'm saying NO to Stratford"
Bold and plain to see. If every fan turned up 15 minutes before kick off and held them above their head Levy, the supporters and most importantly the cameras would be able to see how we feel.
We could print off our own sheet instead of one person taking it in the pocket.
Cost effective; easy, non violent, get the message across to the media and the police can't heard us into a corner and tell us to do one.
Simple but effective, Levy would be proud.
@ : - ) im there, just a bit drunk, ha ha but these blogs are just as important to make other spurs fans realise they are being led through a haze of success into another part of london where we dont belong, leaving behind our home.
If you say ok to Stratford then you have missed the point of what it is to be a Tottenham Hotspur fanatic. Im not saying I will not support them if they leave but I will be devastated and as WHL is torn down and I see the footage I will feel such a loss and a guilt that I didnt do my upmost to stop it happening.
The funny thing is at one point I even contemplated what it would be like to move and all the benefits and realised how we are being set up.
if Levy had not proposed the northumberland project and given us the choice between WHL and moving to Stratford we would have said f-off.
That they have run two options parallel leaving us guessing if it is playing one off against the other or a real desire to get the Olympic site has left (even me) us in a daze, one that we may wake up from in complete shock only to realise it is to late.
Im no longer prepared to 'chance' that Levy is playing his master hand to ensure we get the best deal. I don't want my club anywhere else.
Ill never complain again about the walk from Seven Sisters or the state of the high street.
Wake up everyone, this is our moment to step up and ensure we dont sell out, dont lose part of our soul and show the rest of England who has the best fans in the land.
Would Newcastle move out of Newcastle, Liverpool out of Liverpool, Man Utd out of Manchester?
Tottenham is a sh1thole, but it is also my second home. Stratford is a complete b1tch for me to ge to and being out the house for an extra three hours on match days just won't cut it with the family.
Sadly I fear my 28 year run of missing 1 or maybe 2 home games a season is coming to an end. There will no longer be any pride in North London...
Were the tescos, were the tescos, were the tescos stratford, I'm going to copyright that. Rip tottenham, I will always love the mediocar times.... how can we look at ourselves in the mirror winning the league like that, hollow springs to mind? Coys were going but I want to hear that cockeroach levy admit what he's been planning sooner rather than later, why can't we stay as we are.... no move, no new stadium, just stay the same, no debt, just continue to improve and win pl in front of those monster poles ? That would do me coys?
Every major team sport on the planet has two things in common: mercenaries and bean counters. Unfortunately this is the reality, which is not going to change anytime soon.
It would seem that whether we the fans like it or not, once the bean counters make a decision to move...it will happen.
Even though I live 14,000km away from N17, I like most, am a traditionalist regarding where we play football. It's just a shame that tradition doesn't appear on the spread sheets of the bean counters.
Maybe as foreigner my opinion won't count for much, but as far as I'm concerned, anyone who wears the white shirt with the Proud Cockeral on their breast represents Tottenham Hotspur and always will. They can play on Mars for all I care and I will still support those that wear the shirt.
For those that want to give the shirt away because of a geographical, financial decision which you or I have no control over...you can follow the Scum if you wish because you obviously don't support the shirt.
Good idea THFCLATEST
You and yidal email wearen17 with your ideas and thoughts and i will as well.
I like the holding up of simple pieces of paper like that.
no goonies or mike lee posters in my park lane or the shelf boys thats for sure.
And defo no hams in there either
I LIKE IT - WE'RE NOT DEAD YET!!!
Much as it pains me to say this but; lets hope West Ham keep up because they are better positioned to move into Statford as a PL team than if they are a Championship side, & we remain 'Tottenham' Hot Spur at our spiritual home. I do believe WHU are at current favourites but only with PL status intact so good luck to em, ouch!
I grew up around Tottenham as the grandson, son and nephew of Spurs fans. Spurs are in my genes... but I left Tottenham 20 years ago.
We are N17? Don't make me laugh...
Run by people who come from Chigwell. Not one of them lives in a council flat in Haringey. Their grand-parents moved out years ago (probably to Stratford and then to Essex).
Spurs will still be Spurs 6 miles down the road
No to stratford, no to new Tesco stadium, yes to staying exactly the same Mr levy/lord sugar
/ devil or who ever is behind this...
thanks mike lee - marco is a very original name to use.
i like it lordy lee..better than ham? defo :)
Yidal makes a great point, militantly fighting this move would prove to the football world which team in England really does have the most passionate fans. We must fight for the future of Tottenham and keep our club alive.
I'm with you Yidal, we can no longer risk which side of the fence Levy is really on and real action needs to be organised quickly.
exactly Yido9 - all the plaudits we are getting now, where we are, the progression. It wouldn't change if we remain in WHL.
If you are reading this Levy at 12:15 am - you have the chance to be a legend, written into folklore about the mighty Tottenham Hotspurs who under your direction became the symbol of what a top flight English football club should be about; Entertainment, Beauty, Tradition, Heritage, Loyalty, Respect and love for the game.
If you sell out; you will be richer no doubt, but in my eyes and many others you will have destroyed one of the last true top flight clubs that embrace what was ever good about the game. Do you really feel as one person you have this right?
TMWN said;
'Yidal makes a great point, militantly fighting this move would prove to the football world which team in England really does have the most passionate fans. We must fight for the future of Tottenham and keep our club alive.
I'm with you Yidal, we can no longer risk which side of the fence Levy is really on and real action needs to be organised quickly.'
WORD
I'll get the guns...
joking aside direct your thoughts to the wearen17 boys - there the resistance!!!
i think something has been missed in this debate. you can't get a ticket for love nor money at the lane if your not a season ticket holder and you can't even get a season ticket any more.at stratford the door will be opened to thousands of fans like me,i can't take my boy to the lane and spending £450 million will send us back to 1991 when we nearly lost our spurs for good and no REAL fan wants that.
bigmc makes the latest ridiculous remark...
on that note im finally ready for bed - night all...
The chances are that if the money men want this move, it probably will happen, but unlike the Stratfordites, let's not lose Tottenham quietly and cowardly.
No deal Mr levy, no deal, tottenham fans wake up, no to stratford hotspur! Who ever gets a piece of a4 paper as close to Beckham tomorrow is a true yidoooo in my eyes! Stratford no deal!
Good night : - )
@ bigmac - I was a season ticket holder for 5 years but had a bad year couple of years ago and lost my season ticket.
Even though Id love it again I wont sacrifice what we are about for my personal satisfaction.
As a bronze member I still get tickets to all the main games I want as long as I make sure I have in my diary the time to call when they go out.
We are being done with the whole bait & switch thing.
Read this VDV; talking about his experience at WHL
Rafael van de Vaart is player at Tottenham, but also a VIP sponsor. The former Ajax midfielder rented a VIP box in White Hart Lane for his family. During the CL match vs Werder Bremen, he sat there himself, being slightly injured. The speakers in the box, designed to allow the stadium noise into the box, was cracked open to 10.
“The fans here give me goosebumps!” the midfielder smiles proudly as he sees his team mates win convincingly with 3-0. “The singing, the noise, I don’t think you get this anywhere else…”.
It’s the untouchable magic of this legendary venue in North London, squeezed in between the old and defunct houses of Tottenham. The stands are steep and compact. Every time Van der Vaart scored here in the last months he was pulled like a magnet to the Spurs fans, sitting like sardines close to the pitch.
He would be drawn into their arms, literally, under the spell of the roar. “That simply happens automatically,” Van der Vaart smiles. “You can look the fans straight in the eye and you see this older lady overjoyed with you scoring so you go “RIght, prepare for a hug, grandma!” haha…”
The road to the venue is a picturesque. The sad looking phone-shops, the kebab take aways… Dozens of people making their way to the stadium. Rafael’s name is everywhere. On jerseys, photo’s, cups… Dutch Master at the Lane, it says.
Other shirts declare: “Bale, Kaboul and VDV”, with the date 20-11-2010. The date Tottenham won against Arsenal away ( 2-3) for the first time in 17 years. Rafael: “Our team manager, Alan Dixon, can tell big stories of what that game means for the club and the fans. That goes very deep. The way he tells the story makes you feel it.”
Ask the fans and they’ll tell you. “Rafael is for us what Cantona was for Man United. An incredible player who impressed from the first minute he came here. And like Cantona, VDV was cheap! It’s unbelievable that Madrid let him go and that all the other big clubs in England took a pass. I swear, if I ever get a son, his name will be Rafael!”
Players in England get their own song. For Rafael, the fans picked the song Yellow Submarine by some obscure little English band. The lyrics are Monty Pythonesque. On the tune where the singer ( Bongo?) sings: “In the town where I was born…” the fans sing: “And number one, is Van der Vaart. And number twoohooohooo is Van der Vaart. Number threeee is Van der Vaart… etc etc. It is really funny when you’re wee bit drunk. And they keep on singing it till they reach number eleven and then they start at “one” again until they have to take another sip of beer….
The admiration is tremendous. He’s only there for half a season and die-hard fans, who see him before practice, tell him: Rafa, mate. It’s unbelievable, but you’re a legend here already.”
Which means mission accomplished for the former Ajax captain. “I do hope the people will remember me here for a bit.”
Van der Vaart likes the comparison to Cantona but is more a Bergkamp fan himself. “I’ve seen what Bergkamp did with Arsenal and I would be grateful if I could do a little bit of what he did for the Gunners. I would love to be able to help Spurs become a top club. They are in so many ways already: fan-base, stadium, history and current material. But now we need to win silverware and I feel it’s all possible here.”
Whatever happens, the current stadium is being demolished.
N17 4ever we are tottenham hotspur of White hart lane north London we are tottenham hotspur!! Enough said......
Fantastic Piece
Summing up my thoughts exactly....
Where has been the consultation with the fans?
Tottenham Hotspur , It's in the name.
I have to question any fan following the team to Stratford.
u can shout, whinge, call pro stratford fans cunts as much as u like, threaten to never don a lilywhite spurs shirt with it's beautiful proud cockerel as much as u like... cos whatever u do, no matter how many marches u waste ur time walking and making banners for, it won't make the slightest bit of difference.
NDP was doomed the moment the recession began, the writing was on the wall as soon as we knew the line wasn't to be extended and we weren't able to secure government funds to support the project, and the straw that broke the camel's back was when we lost the bid for the WC.
It's a mission to get to WHL with 35k fans, it'll b impossible herding 55k of us in there!
As painful as it is, I think the writing's on the wall. It probably won't b the same but I'll b the proudest man in the world taking my baby boy to watch the mighty Spurs. Us fans will never let the heritage or tradition be forgotten.
White Hart Lane is a place with massive emotional attachment, certainly to me - but it's never stayed the same, new stands have been built a fanbase has genuinely grown for the club and 36000 doesn't cut it.
A lot of mentions go here to Wimbledon and 'Franchise FC', are you not missing the point there? They'd sold out when they moved to Selhurst, that was never their ground, they existed by the grace of god without a ground. A football club is not a football club without a ground. Their fans were sold down the river when they were turfed out, Spurs aren't in that horrible position.
There are just a few examples where we are comparing 'apples with apples', Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Bolton, Man City, Southampton, Derby, the scum. All of them moved where they played because they knew it had to happen, it must have been gut wrenching to leave the old grounds and to leave those memories must have been traumatic but when the head takes over it just makes sense, progress is like that.
Football at any level is a battle of survival and Levy is not planning for spurs to fail, whatever his motivation it's not a not a decision with the intention to piss us off, even if you vehemently disagree with Stratford and all that it goes with you have to see the logic, however cold, heartless and soulless it may seem.
If we can make the New White Lane is in Tottenham that's what I want but if we go to Stratford and become a stronger, better club for it, well I can take that too.
Was born may 1961 in North London been a Tottenham supporter ever since,moved to Luton and then to Norwich.Get to quite a few games each season and there is a large Spurs contingent here in Norwich,although most agree for us it would be easier to get to the Olympic stadium we would prefer to stay at N17.It may be a dump and it may cost more but its a very special place for us Spurs fans maybe even spiritual,i am really serious about that.The only figures being quoted about staying or moving are coming from those with a possibly vested interest.Statistics can be made to say whatever you want after all is the glass half full or half empty.
Walker goal for Villa. Absolute beauty. How about that?
An emotive and thought provoking topic Spooks. I guess you know as well as the rest of us deep down
that the diry deed has been done. The decision is purely financial and those Harrangey twunt's should have been bending over backwards from the start of this fiasco instead of giving large with their threats & demands.
The future to me would be
So you support Tottenham then?
You say that's in Stratford?
Is'nt Stratford in East London?
There's no Yid's in Stratford?
So you local is a Slug & Lettuce est 2012 ?
Your support is shit, sounds like an under 12's school sports day.
You've started allowing Vuvuzela's?
:(
It's not the piece of ground that a team plays on, or the building that it occupies, or even the players in the team that make a club, it's the fans. Wherever we go we will still be Tottenham Hotspur.
My clear preference would be to stay in Tottenham but it appears that the difference in cost is just two great. Assuming that we are selected as preferred bidder for the Olympic Stadium, the club cannot afford to pay 200 million simply for the privilege of having N17 in its postcode.
It's not the piece of ground that a team plays on, or the building that it occupies, or even the players in the team that make a club, it's the fans. Wherever we go we will still be Tottenham Hotspur.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Have to respectfully disagree with every single bit of that.
It's everything + the fans that make the club. We'd be Tottenham Hotspurs in name only and nothing else because of it.
FIGHT ON SPOOKY
Have lived "down under" for some 12 years now so most of my supporting is done at midnight or later transfixed in front of the TV shouting and screaming (yes a real sad bastard) but when in the UK I never miss a game... S'funny I still get the same buzz of excitement and cold shivers going through the stiles as I did in 1959 sitting on my grandads shoulders !!!!
Will I get that at Stratford ?????? sadly I think the answer will be NO
End of an era and of my much loved memories of WHL
Beautiful piece and a lot of beautiful sentiments here by a lot of yids. Wonderful to see for me as a yank where professional sports teams move cities in a heartbeat and no one seems to care, that there is so much passion about roots and tradition.
I just know I love Spurs because Spurs is Spurs. I hope and pray that Spurs never becomes anything other than the wonderful and beautiful thing it is.
Born North London in 79. Supported Tottenham since a family friend took me to the Lane at the age of ten. Mived away from London as a teenager so could only go to the occasional game but always followed the club I love. Moved back to London 5 years ago and quite deliberately moved near Tottenham - despite how crappy the area may be. Only in the last four years have I started to have the disposable income to get on the season ticket waiting list and get along to games.
A move to Stratford would get my season ticket without the wait - but I don't want it. I want to hold a season ticket for the Park Lane End a ticket that would get me a seat within a few hundred yards of where our club was formed on the corner by some school kids. I don't want to be 5 miles from where the club started - I want to be 5 minutes away. I'd actually prefer that WHL stays as it is. I love the ground. I'd take the Northumberland Project but I love the turnstiles, the cramped stands, the intimidating concrete interior and the bustling streets outside. Yes the journey to the ground annoys me but I put up with it quite happily.
Any idea that we'd remain Tottenham Hotspur is ridiculous. In the future the club will eventually change the name to reflect the local area or it'll just become Spurs - even if the History remains. How many gooners now care that their roots were in Woolwich?
Like the idea of bringing a sheet of paper - will do tomorrow! Also think some songs from the stands are in order. I'll do my best to start something in the Park Lane End tomorrow too. COYS
I find it funny that some of the Stratford folk are now using the argument "Well, everyone will be able to go to the Olympic Stadium!"
That is ridiculous---the new ground in Tottenham would also have a similarly increased capacity---56,000, to be exact.
Don't really like the idea of Stratford either, but when i think of 450,000,000 hanging around our necks and no money to spend on players, all of a sudden i'm thinking shit we might have to start selling a few.
Would hate to see the best of this squad sold off because of a stubborn few.
"I didn't support Spurs because they competed, because they were amazing, I support Spurs because they're Spurs".
If so, wtf do you care where they play?
"If Stratford Hotspur happens, it ends there for me."
Hope you'll stick to those words. For me, it's the Spurs, regardless if they move to Stratford or stay at WHL.
"Football is a business (no sheet Sherlock)".
If you know this, then why do you want Spurs to adopt some socialist approach to few commies? Business is and should be run as a business, and all else is a big fat BS.
“You can take your Gareth Bales, VDVs and whoever else and shove them”.
As far as I’m concerned you can fuck right off rather sooner than later. You’re one disrespectful and selfish baboon
I've said it before on this site and I will say it again, I want us to have the best possible stadium we can have.
The game has moved on so much since I started supporting us in 1961. In those days clubs were owned and run by local businessmen. I know there are some of us who absolutely despise Levy (as there were with Sugar), and suspect his motives. At the end of the day, he is in it to make a profit, so we should not be surprised at what he may or may not do after the move, whether it be to E15 or N17.
Regardless of that, I find it hard by any stretch of the imagination to compare a move to Stratford with the move to Milton Keynes by Wimbledon. On the question of geography, I was born in Hackney, which bears comparison with N17. I would not want to live in either place, though to be honest, the worst place I ever lived was Silvertown, which is right in the heart of Wet Sham territory.
Some of the things that have been said in this debate are to put it mildly, spurious. I see that the majority of people on this side are anti-Stratford, and I wish them well whatever the outcome. I wonder what their opinions might be were we not fortunate to have a plan a in N17? Would so many of us be so vehemently against it, if the option was the current ground, or the OS only? Those of you have lambasted the OS supporters as not being real Spurs fans, all I can say is that you remind me of a certain former England Captain who complained when a fan was supposed to have insulted his wife, that the fan should not be allowed to wear the England shirt he had on at the time.
What needs to be said is that when people start to distort the argument, it's a sure sign they think they are losing. If you need an example of this, think back to Gold predicting riots if Spurs were award the OS.
Incidentally, anyone aware of the fact that QPR have played at ten different grounds? i mention this because whatever happens I am sure that the Spurs name will survive in one form or another, whether it be in Tottenham or Stratford, and somewhere in the 2042 edition of the latest club history,this debate will be a footnote and the younger fans will wonder what all the fuss was about.
One final point: I have tried to imagine a crisis of such great importance that would make me change my allegiances to Spurs, or I stop following football completely, and I simply cannot see that ever happening. Living in Dublin, it is Ok for me to say that I will boycott the new stadium, but I only manage about two games max per year nowadays, so that would not be much of a protest. However football teams are like errant children, we can disown them publicly, but secretly, no matter what they have done to us, we still love them, and though we may not admit to it, we will always worry about them. As I said, Spurs will survive in one form or another
If we didn't have a plan in North London, we'd be those desperate cunts in East London with Lego towers outside our stadium.
Anyway, people will get a say---I think. The club is still waiting on an s106 agreement with Haringey Council, which is an agreement that every developer must complete. As it's a public meeting, everyone has the right to ask at least one question (provided they live in Haringey/have a business there). We've also got to wait until at least March to find out who the Olympic Park Legacy Committee prefers---us or West Ham (it's *preferred* bidder, mind, not selected bidder, so we could still move there even if they end up preferring West Ham).
If we want to remain in Tottenham, a few things need to happen before then:
a) Those who have season tickets/are on the waiting list and want to remain in Tottenham should start flooding the club with calls threatening to cancel if we move. Spooky disagrees, but oh well, I think it's a tried and tested strategy...money talks.
b) similar calls should be made to the silly programs like talksport, etc. Holding up signs at the next match is a great idea (passing them out pre-match works even better), yellow t-shirts or something that say "Say NO to stratford" are better still.
c) Lammy needs to start pulling his weight and trying to sweeten the deal in any way he can, and folks need to call his office, tweet him, email him, etc. to push him on this. People can also call their own MPs.
d) Anybody from Haringey can show up to the next council meeting and ask those bastards what they are doing to keep the club there.