Farewell to the Lane

[skiathospurs]

Really should start talking about the inevitable I guess,yes I know we havent confirmed next season at wembley yet,but (alledgedly) stewards have been notified they will not be working at WHL next year,and it seems preparations are in full swing for a final match bash.Spurs legends being lined up for the Man U game,as you can see from the letter below.

Very mixed emotions,the grand old girl getting demolished will hurt like hell,but hopefully the new will feel like home and serve us as well.Any old experiences,memories welcome here for our own little tribute to the Lane.
Anyone post that fucking fiorentina picture and your dog meat

 

[Don Diaz]

The game has now been moved to my old mans birthday. He was the one who transferred my initial Leeds United support to Spurs (we used to live up Norf) shame is he won't remember much these days, I'm taking him probably for the last time on Saturday for Bournemouth. It is mixed emotions, but one of the great things is that the new Stadium is being built on the same site, so it will always be White Hart Lane to me, it's just evolution not revolution like moving to Stratford would have been. We have a new White Hart lane to look forward to, thats all. Let's celebrate that.

 

[skiathospurs]

Ok me,me me first.
Before @Wotspur gets in 1st
First went to the Lane 14th feb 76 vs the great QPR side,birthday treat,sat in the sparsely populated south upper,the old brown wooden seats,was thrilled to see Jennings,perryman live,two of my hereos as a kid,I remember a bearded Chivers getting the spurs fan treatment,how many cup finals did he score in??40 years and players still cop it from fans . Incidentally at the greaves benefit,perryman spoke and one of his lines was about the stick he got from spurs fans early on,im sure word for word he said "you know who`s fucking number is on your shirt" lol obviously a reference to 8 and jimmy`s old number.
Well ever since then I ve been and addict,some amazing highs 84 UEFA the best match ever,what a night,but some other excellent memories,87 in a few weeks we beat west ham 4-0 and 5-0 in cup and league,arsenal 5-0 and the cup smashing more recently,oxford and hodds last game,southampton playing the day after news of the world broke the shilton wife beater story,I swear half of the shelf went in the park lane just to taunt him (me included).Notts forest,think it was the first sunday TV game,i remember the club apologising in the programme for breaking the sabbath,how times have changed!!Another early live match vs Liverpool in the 80s,a stage was set up middle of the park lane,gerry and the pacemakers played first not that you could hear them from the chorus of boos from spurs fans,then chas n dave played and the place went mental.And that takes me up to the last few Kane NLDs,amazing matches and atmosphere,as good as the 80s,even now I feel choked up about this relationship actually ending,some many good times,shits and giggles.

 

[Dorset]

Ah memories, I remember having memories, but all them chemicals in the 70s have wiped most of them from my brain. I do remember my first visit to the Lane, it was 1964 and my mate's dad took us both as a birthday treat to see Tottenham play Villa, I think my dad was what my mum used to call 'away on business' at the time, yeah banged up. We won 4-0 and I remember Jimmy Greaves and Dave Mackay scoring - see that shows how fucked my memories are because Dave didn't score that day, anyway I remember the wonder of White Hart lane and I was hooked for life. My favourite memories are players from the 70's - Chivers, Coates, Knowles, Peters, England, Gilzean, Jennings and of course Mr Tottenham Steve Perryman, but I can't for the life of me remember any individual games. I remember going to see Frank Bruno vs Joe Bugner at the Lane, my usual nice ringside seat, I used to have some iffy connections back then and went to most of the fights, I was of course squeaky clean , I just knew a few dodgy gangster types, I think it was a shit fight, fucked if I can remember, but I do remember the bloke behind me shouting 'fuck off home skippy', that made me laugh.

I remember the fucking journey from South London was a cunt, my journey from Dorset these days is probably quicker. I remember just turning up and queuing for a ticket that cost about 5 bob, I remember running from Plod and luckily never getting caught, and of course I remember the Shelf, being carried along with both feet off the ground, fucking brilliant.

 

[skiathospurs]

Ah memories, I remember having memories, but all them chemicals in the 70s have wiped most of them from my brain. I do remember my first visit to the Lane, it was 1964 and my mate's dad took us both as a birthday treat to see Tottenham play Villa, I think my dad was what my mum used to call 'away on business' at the time, yeah banged up. We won 4-0 and I remember Jimmy Greaves and Dave Mackay scoring - see that shows how fucked my memories are because Dave didn't score that day, anyway I remember the wonder of White Hart lane and I was hooked for life. My favourite memories are players from the 70's - Chivers, Coates, Knowles, Peters, England, Gilzean, Jennings and of course Mr Tottenham Steve Perryman, but I can't for the life of me remember any individual games. I remember going to see Frank Bruno vs Joe Bugner at the Lane, my usual nice ringside seat, I used to have some iffy connections back then and went to most of the fights, I was of course squeaky clean , I just knew a few dodgy gangster types, I think it was a shit fight, fucked if I can remember, but I do remember the bloke behind me shouting 'fuck off home skippy', that made me laugh.

I remember the fucking journey from South London was a cunt, my journey from Dorset these days is probably quicker. I remember just turning up and queuing for a ticket that cost about 5 bob, I remember running from Plod and luckily never getting caught, and of course I remember the Shelf, being carried along with both feet off the ground, fucking brilliant.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOTTENHAM...L57-19-DIV-1-FOOTBALL-PROGRAMME-/252507947402

Oh forgot Ossies testamonial,maradona in lilywhite!!

 

[Don Diaz]

Alright so we're off and running then....I remember those old programmes, my dad had loads. So first game was Leeds vs Spurs at Elland Road, I was shorting Leeds at the time and I think it was a draw, first game at Spurs was a 0-0 draw vs Ipswich Town, we were sat in the back row of the Paxton on the old brown wooden seats and I remember being more interested in those getting taken out for fighting. Other memories from that time, don't know what years it would have been, include a grey haired Sheff United winger - Woodward I think, the red cinder track edge around the pitch, the boards going up with the half time scores from the other games. I saw Jennings, Gilzean, Perryman of course, and my dad had a chat with Ralph Coates on the high road when he got stuck in traffic in his car. I think it was a Ford Corsair....but that's a maybe. We used to stay after the game to watch the TV match report from the television gantry in the East Upper.

When I started going on my own it was always in front of the same barrier on the Shelf. About level with penalty area at the Park Lane end. We used to get in an hour before kick off just to get a good place and be safe from the Knees up mother brown malarkey!

I can't remember all the games but do remember beating Bayern Munich and conversely losing 4-1 to Burnley in a league Cup game, got into a spot of bother that night having had a bit too much whisky prior. In those days they used to open the gates about 15 mins before the final whistle, which meant you could walk out and get in with the opposition fans....anyway UEFA Cup final excluded one of my faves was beating Chelsea 5-1 in a league Cup semi, Hoddle was manager and pissed down all night. Think we sang for the whole second half and lost to Blackburn in the final in Cardiff. Lots more highs and lows including getting run by West Ham after a 2-2 draw....

Which brings us almost up to date I've been lucky enough to go to the Inter Milan CL taxi for Maicon game and more recently NLD's, Chelsea this season even Wycombe and Millwall they're all brilliant and all good times!!! Love this club.

 

[Chavhater01]

Standout memory, wasn't a good one!

Guess it must've been late 90's, Graham's first season in charge, I took a mate to the game, he was a Leeds fan, we were in the South stand lower. I told my mate, under no circumstances should he celebrate if they scored, just sit there and smile inside and if we scored, then just go with it, you know stand up and kinda applaud apologetically!

Anyway it was a pretty intense atmosphere anyway, we battered 'em in the first half, Sherwood gave us the lead and we should've been 3 or 4 up at the break, then it all went a bit pear shaped in the 2nd half, they got an equaliser, can't remember who scored, my mate played it cool, the boy done good I thought, then with about 5 mins to go Ian Harte scores, what turned out to be the winner, with a thumping free kick, not only were we all fucked off, I remember vividly hearing a shout of YESSS and then looking up to see my mate jumping up next to me, it was all kind of in slow motion for a bit and then all hell broke loose, you can imagine the sheer hatred and anger in the voices coming at him from those around, "YOU DIRTY FUCKING LEEDS CUNT...FUCK OFF", it literally came from everywhere, I was actually pretty freaked out, any way it didn't really die down, there was no way of pacifying the situation and I was pretty fucked off with him and the fact that they had probably won the game, there was a barrage of hostile swearing all around us and it was being aimed at him and me, as those around us knew we were together but then the bit which made me perk up a bit, was when the 3 lads next to me, said "Oi mate, if it gets physical just duck, we got ya covered!" That put a smile on my face!

Needless to say we left pretty rapidly at full time!

 

[conor1]

I have to admit lads, my visits to the old lady won't have been as frequent as a lot of you but they will all remain long and fond in my memory. So here goes......
Would you believe my first game was the NLD in 1978/79 season, evening kick off and still to this day the most incredible atmosphere Ive witnessed at a game and I've been lucky enough to be at a cup final. We lost the game 2-0 but the noise was incredible, flares in the ground and all and wild abuse being handed out to paul davies. The game was over the Easter period when you had 3 games in 5 days or something. Next up was 2 days later at home to Ipswich, they were a good side at the time and stuffed us. Rounded off with an away trip to Wolves which we won 2-1, Chris Jones getting a brace. Bit of a lean period then until the mid 90s when I was able to get back over for 2 games vs qpr and wolves again.
More recently then I was fortunate enough to bring my youngest lad, Conor, to a few games at The Lane, both 3-0 wins against Stoke and Bolton. Lennon scored in both and we were even lucky enough to witness a Bobby Soldado penalty lol. I must admit, the games I've been to recently with my son I hold dearest, I'm just so glad he was able to see and witness what a game at WHL was like, walking up the High Road, savouring the pre match buzz, pictures with the players as they arrive at the game, chance meeting with Ossie at the gates on Bill Nicholson Way.
I'm resigned to not getting over again this year but it will always be my ground.

Oh, and the programmes above @skiathospurs the middle one!!!! I collected programmes from about 1976, the year we got relegated, and that was the style at the time, the narrow one with the cockerel on the front...brings a tear to my eye ffs. Must get them down from the attic someday, I've about 10 full seasons worth home and away.

 

[Motspur Hotspur]

Shit pitch, shit game (or so my Dad said),long ball, Armstrong goal! That was it I was hooked, we (my and my sister) pestered to go two more times that year and then went straight in for season tickets! Can you imagine just applying and getting a ST now (yes we really were that bad).

Happy days (well sort of),Block 102 SINGUP! my sister calling Beckham a bastard to his face at a thrown in, getting a mouthful back and the block congratulating her! Klinsmann, Ginola, fox, domiguez, nethercott, austin - the names they just roll of the tongue!

Then later Bale last minute against Lyon, Muamba! and taking my girl for her first game in the Park Lane against Burnley in the cup. Gonna really miss the Park Lane, the new one is going to have big shoes to fill even though it's only half the size.

Edit: I've only found it! My 1 second of YouTube fame lol eat you heart out @skiathospurs !

 

[Thfcire]

We will be playing there next season believe me so dry your eyes you fannies

 

[J.spurs]

We will be playing there next season believe me so dry your eyes you fannies

Honestly I hope so. My brother just made a spur of the moment trip to the Watford game, and I couldn't go. Fucking heartbroken, probably my last chance.

 

[skiathospurs]

We will be playing there next season believe me so dry your eyes you fannies

Cant see it with all the evidence mounting,would be a PR nightmare for Levy,he will make it happen egyptian pharoah style with all the brexit immigrants before they get interned

If you`re right,who wants a man u ticket

 

[skiathospurs]

Standout memory, wasn't a good one!

Guess it must've been late 90's, Graham's first season in charge, I took a mate to the game, he was a Leeds fan, we were in the South stand lower. I told my mate, under no circumstances should he celebrate if they scored, just sit there and smile inside and if we scored, then just go with it, you know stand up and kinda applaud apologetically!

Anyway it was a pretty intense atmosphere anyway, we battered 'em in the first half, Sherwood gave us the lead and we should've been 3 or 4 up at the break, then it all went a bit pear shaped in the 2nd half, they got an equaliser, can't remember who scored, my mate played it cool, the boy done good I thought, then with about 5 mins to go Ian Harte scores, what turned out to be the winner, with a thumping free kick, not only were we all fucked off, I remember vividly hearing a shout of YESSS and then looking up to see my mate jumping up next to me, it was all kind of in slow motion for a bit and then all hell broke loose, you can imagine the sheer hatred and anger in the voices coming at him from those around, "YOU DIRTY FUCKING LEEDS CUNT...FUCK OFF", it literally came from everywhere, I was actually pretty freaked out, any way it didn't really die down, there was no way of pacifying the situation and I was pretty fucked off with him and the fact that they had probably won the game, there was a barrage of hostile swearing all around us and it was being aimed at him and me, as those around us knew we were together but then the bit which made me perk up a bit, was when the 3 lads next to me, said "Oi mate, if it gets physical just duck, we got ya covered!" That put a smile on my face!

Needless to say we left pretty rapidly at full time!

Lol i took a northern irish liverpool fan on the shelf in the 80s,we went 1 nil up from a gobbler cock up i forced him to jump up and down with us,inevitably all their backpassing to the keeper bored the team to death and we lost 2-1,when they scored he just leaned into my ear and went "yup",he had the good sense to not celebrate in public.I ve been in with home fans interesting to hear their comments on our team fans without turning round and replying!!
A side note,best away fans I ve seen at the lane,well recently PAOK,but for numbers and atmosphere,benfica edge it.

 

[Dorset]

We will be playing there next season believe me so dry your eyes you fannies

Then we'd have to dry our fannies not our eyes?

 

[Dorset]

A shocking memory has just bubbled up to the front of my brain. It was the 9th February 2013 (I obviously don't remember the date I looked it up). We were playing Newcastle and I was sat in the front row of the West stand, posh or what? The bloke 2 seats down from me arrived 10 minutes into the game and so he missed Bale's triffic goal from a free kick, he then spent the rest of the match shouting at Gareth to 'play on the left', I could see that the Welsh wizard was getting umpty and finally he cracked and turned t the wanker and said '.......oh, shut up', I was shocked, such an outburst from Bale! I had been telling the cunt to shut it for ages and was reprimanded by a lardy steward for using the C word - oh the horror, the C word in the west stand, I of course told him to fuck off as well, and he did. I seem to remember thinking later in the game when Gareth took another free kick from a similar distance 'he could not do it again could he?' - he only fucking did, or was that another game? Dunno, I've already remembered a lot about that game, so who knows? That was one of the few games I left WHL after watching an AVB team not thinking I had been mugged. Another one was obviously the NLD, what a game that was, we totally mullahed the fuck out of them and the 2-1 scoreline did not remotely tell the story of the game. So, Poch out, AVB in!

 

[Dorset]

Who could ever forget the mighty Cyril? Well I could obviously because my memory is fucked, but I haven't forgotten him and the song will live in my brain along with the "it's s small world" song from Euro Disney, fuck that cunt, now I've woken the fucker up and it's in my head again - aaaarrrgggh, fuck off you song cunt.

 

[Motspur Hotspur]

Who could ever forget the mighty Cyril? Well I could obviously because my memory is fucked, but I haven't forgotten him and the song will live in my brain along with the "it's s small world" song from Euro Disney, fuck that cunt, now I've woken the fucker up and it's in my head again - aaaarrrgggh, fuck off you song cunt.

You fucker Lol It's spreading de, de,de,de,de. de,de,de,de,de...ARGH!

 

[Dorset]

Fuck it, I'm not suffering this alone, I'm sharing the hurt!

 

[Chavhater01]

Lol i took a northern irish liverpool fan on the shelf in the 80s,we went 1 nil up from a gobbler cock up i forced him to jump up and down with us,inevitably all their backpassing to the keeper bored the team to death and we lost 2-1,when they scored he just leaned into my ear and went "yup",he had the good sense to not celebrate in public.I ve been in with home fans interesting to hear their comments on our team fans without turning round and replying!!
A side note,best away fans I ve seen at the lane,well recently PAOK,but for numbers and atmosphere,benfica edge it.

It's really hard to not celebrate a goal wherever you are but as much as you try and suppress it, it sometimes just pops out. I went to the bridge with a mate of mine who's a chav season ticket holder, it was the season where we picked up 2 pts from our opening 8 games and one of those was Bents? equaliser that day, I couldn't help myself, funny thing was no one gave a shit, most of them had gone off to get a drink and a prawn sandwich, I almost felt like starting a one man chant of 'we are Tottenham'!

Worst one was when I worked at itv, our boss got 3 of us tickets for the league cup final up in Cardiff, he told us we would be in the hospitality/neutral zone, we got there and realised we were surrounded by all Blackburn fans and had to drink out of our pints emblazoned with the Blackburn crest, anyway we couldn't help ourselves but celebrate when Ziege scored, well all hell broke loose, we had to get a police escort out at half time and they managed to find us seats (I don't know how or remember how),with the Spurs fans, pretty scary time though!

 

[TettenhallHotspur]

In the 90's we used to go to villa park and sit in the home end cos it was our nearest top flight team.

Before the game our dad's would always tell us to keep quiet if we scored - which wasn't often - but we still celebrated while our dad's pretended we were nothing to do with them. We got away with it because we were kids.

I wouldn't sit in the home end at an away match now I'm all growed up. I don't want to not celebrate.

 

[Thfcire]

Cant see it with all the evidence mounting,would be a PR nightmare for Levy,he will make it happen egyptian pharoah style with all the brexit immigrants before they get interned

If you`re right,who wants a man u ticket

Levy has said it's not a done deal we're moving it might be a bargaining tool but I'm not sure

 

[skiathospurs]

Levy has said it's not a done deal we're moving it might be a bargaining tool but I'm not sure

He`s got 2 weeks left to sign up wembley next year,so we will know soon,all the evidence is we are prepping for departure though,which I guess we would,but sending ex-players letters to get them to the lane for the last match is a pretty strong hint IMO,the letter in the OP is quite specific,"last match,farewell to the lane."

 

[TettenhallHotspur]

Said my goodbyes today. Stayed in the stadium until we were thrown out and took lots of pics.

The result was an ideal way to remember the old place and the sun shone.

I felt a lot of sadness but at least as much excitement seeing the new stadium going up. The future is bright!

 

[Basskadet]

I dunno how anyone can remember their 1st game! My memory is a total mess.

I do remember going to White Hart Lane on Teddy's 1st home debut, but I'm pretty sure I went a few times before then too.

My childhood is just a blur tho...great times!

 

[Wotspur]

I REALLY started going around 82, thou my annual birthday trips, started in 76, 14th Feb v QPR , lost 0-3, next Feb 77 WBA lost 0-2 and we got relegated, next year the ONLY game we lost at home v Sunderland 2-3 but at least I saw them score ! No I can't remember my first game we won, but over the next 40 years, I have many wonderful memories following Spurs .
It used to start off in Warrington house, then round to the park lane , where you queued up yo get in for , 1.10 for under 18's , 2.20 for overs !!!
I once took a mate, for his one and only game.......I must have been 18, he was 17, cause he asked why, we were queuing in the u 16's,......it wasn't his scene .
I then later took residency in the same spot on the Shelf, park lane end, always had a barrier BEHIND me, cause I'd be caught in an " under the table you must go" , once too many times..
Apart from the obvious , 84 final, where I'd also been away( what a trip) I think the game v Everton midweek game was the most intense exciting game , where we lost and lost the chance of winning the league disappeared. When we did score, I ended up snout 40 ft and 10-15 steps from where I started........getting back to where I started was almost as much fun.
And another game, us v LFC , I believe, around a Xmas period and the pikeys away game hot cancelled so they came to the Lane, they put them where today's away fans are, moved all the Park Lane Yids to other areas, so surreal with 3 sets of fans in there ......

 

[skiathospurs]

I REALLY started going around 82, thou my annual birthday trips, started in 76, 14th Feb v QPR , lost 0-3, next Feb 77 WBA lost 0-2 and we got relegated, next year the ONLY game we lost at home v Sunderland 2-3 but at least I saw them score ! No I can't remember my first game we won, but over the next 40 years, I have many wonderful memories following Spurs .
It used to start off in Warrington house, then round to the park lane , where you queued up yo get in for , 1.10 for under 18's , 2.20 for overs !!!
I once took a mate, for his one and only game.......I must have been 18, he was 17, cause he asked why, we were queuing in the u 16's,......it wasn't his scene .
I then later took residency in the same spot on the Shelf, park lane end, always had a barrier BEHIND me, cause I'd be caught in an " under the table you must go" , once too many times..
Apart from the obvious , 84 final, where I'd also been away( what a trip) I think the game v Everton midweek game was the most intense exciting game , where we lost and lost the chance of winning the league disappeared. When we did score, I ended up snout 40 ft and 10-15 steps from where I started........getting back to where I started was almost as much fun.
And another game, us v LFC , I believe, around a Xmas period and the pikeys away game hot cancelled so they came to the Lane, they put them where today's away fans are, moved all the Park Lane Yids to other areas, so surreal with 3 sets of fans in there ......

Thats almost the same begining,except my 2nd game was sheff utd lost 4-2 tony currie what a player,also went to the sunderland match and my 1st away game was charlton,we lost 4-1,but thats what really hooked me.Guy who worked for my dad took me to charlton for about 3 years,they were 2nd&3rd div then,but I already was spurs,even tho just a kid.Anyway normally at the valley (cap 75,000 then) normal gate was 3,000-4,000,then spurs rocked up,wow was over 30,000 there,mostly spurs,we had just installed our support in their covered end,millwall kicked off in there on a day trip,but when charlton came out to warm up and were roundly greeted by "who the fucking hell are you" the humour of being a fan was lit in me.
When you think now,corporate boxes,restaurants,it was just the guy pushing through selling "hot roasted peanuts" and floppy plastic beer glasses you could take on the shelf.Start of the 2nd half carrying a few up the stairs to the shelf,and boy if we scored early,beer ticker tape throwing.We would always be at the back part in the KUMB area and mind the gap sheenanigans,close to the stairs for the run down to the concourse for refreshments!!The bad old days and yet in the whole area not one steward or police!!

 

[skiathospurs]

Over 100 photos through the ages,brings back a lot of memories,seeing the 70s/80s shelf ones.

Check it out,some real good ones.
http://iansblogstuff.blogspot.gr/2013/09/old-photos-of-white-hart-lane-28.html?m=1

 

[Basskadet]

Over 100 photos through the ages,brings back a lot of memories,seeing the 70s/80s shelf ones.

Check it out,some real good ones.
http://iansblogstuff.blogspot.gr/2013/09/old-photos-of-white-hart-lane-28.html?m=1

Those are great, particularly the really old ones. Loving the ref with a blazer, shirt and tie, and trousers tucked into his socks, lol. That's back when men would dress properly!

 

[skiathospurs]

Those are great, particularly the really old ones. Loving the ref with a blazer, shirt and tie, and trousers tucked into his socks, lol. That's back when men would dress properly!

Reminds me of this.....

 

[Basskadet]

Reminds me of this.....

There's Woolwich Arsenal's captain, Charles Charlie Charles, one of the famous Charles brothers


Lmao