Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
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Last Update:
August 12, 2024
Well, it may have been late opening and come in over budget, but the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been worth waiting for. To say that it is fantastic would be an understatement. With a capacity of 62,303, it is the second-largest stadium in the Premier League. Not only is its size impressive, but so is the design and quality of the build.
The stadium has been built very much with the fan experience in mind and it boasts some great facilities, that are already the envy of other clubs. The pints that are poured upwards on the concourse are a particular gimmick that has gone down well with other supporters.
Walking along the High Road, then from the outside, the stadium has very much a modern look with a large glassed frontage and metallic coloured cladding. There are large LED screens too on the external walls, adding to the overall feel and look. Also noticeable on the sides of the stadium are large open flaps, which I assume are to allow more to get through to the pitch.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: West Stand and East Stand
Inside the stadium, you can’t help but notice its large imposing curved roof that sweeps around the ground. Although essentially a bowl design, the new Spurs stadium offers something a little different. The main West Stand on one side and the East Stand opposite, are very similar both being four-tiered. Both have a large top and lower tier, with two smaller tiers sandwiched in-between. These two smaller tiers are mostly for corporate hospitality areas. Above the tiered areas below the roof, there is a glassed fronted area running along the length of the stands, that I assume is also used for corporate guests. The West Stand is the ‘Main Stand’ having the team dugouts situated out front.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: Paxton End and South Stand Kop
At the North End (or Paxton End as it is also known), the stand is three-tiered, whilst on the opposite side, the club have built the single largest “end” in the country. The stand is an imperious, single-tiered stand that has a staggering capacity of 17,500. Above the South Stand, mounted on the roof, is a large gold-coloured cockerel. Very impressive looking too are the four large video screens, one situated under the roof in each corner.
Where is the away section at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
Away fans are housed in the lower tier of the staduim’s north-east corner.
What is the away allocation at Tottenham?
Up to 3,000 fans can be accommodated for Premier League matches. A much larger visiting allocation of up to 9,000 can be made available for domestic cup ties. For these matches visiting fans will be housed in the same area of the stadium but over the three tiers.
The leg room in this area and views of the playing action are generally good, with fans being located close to pitchside. However, at the beginning and end of the season, away fans may find that the sunlight shines directly on that part of the ground, so some shades or a cap may be required.
How to get into the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Entrance to the stadium is gained by first going through a security cordon at Gate 11, where tickets are checked. Then fans are to go through a metal detector (the type of which you would see at an Airport) and are subject to a pat-down search. Lastly, tickets are presented at the automatic turnstiles, for the barcode on the ticket to be read to get inside the ground.
Please note that the club operates a strict policy for bringing bags into the stadium. Any carrier bags must be clear of colour and be no more than 30cms long and 30cms high. Whilst only personal bags that are A4 in size or smaller (maximum 21cms x 30cms) will be allowed. The club do not operate a bag drop off or creche facility, so if arriving with a bag larger than these dimensions you may find yourself with a real dilemma. The gates open to the stadium two hours before kick off.
What’s the away concourse like at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
Inside the stadium, you are presented with a stylish-looking concourse, that also has a number of television screens dotted around. The facilities are generally very good and even the toilets are quite ‘posh’ by football ground standards. The ‘Tap Inn’ refreshment area offers a range of pies and Sausage Rolls. No cash is accepted inside the stadium, only cards, so make sure you take a bank card with you.
Away atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
With the stadium roof quite high above the away fans section, it can be difficult for visiting supporters to really make themselves heard within the stadium. Visiting supporters for Premier League matches will be pleasantly surprised to find that standing rails are in place along each row of seats. These were built in anticipation of the change in legislation which permitted ‘safe standing’ sections.
Overall it is an excellent venue and one that should be quite a spectacle on matchdays and have a good atmosphere. You can also enjoy a pre-match light show for evening kicks offs, if that’s your thing.
One other positive is that the stadium has been designed with the modern fan in mind and has free high-capacity Wi-Fi available, including all major networks. Simply select on your mobile phone Wi-Fi settings the network called ‘Stadium_Guest.’ After you have accepted the club’s terms and conditions, you will then be connected.
Most pubs in the area of the stadium are for home fans only with doormen present. There is the Antwerp Arms on Church Road which normally has a good mixture of home and away fans. This community-owned pub serves real and enjoys a pleasant position, looking out over Bruce Castle Park. It is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and serves beers from the nearby Redemption Brewery.
The nearby Compass Industrial Estate has a number of units brewing beer that open up their doors on matchdays. Each has a small bar and are only a five-to-ten minute walk from the away turnstiles and close to where the away coaches are parked. On Tariff Road there is the Tottenham Brewing Company, which houses three craft breweries; Watling Street Beer, Trial & Error and Oddly. It is family-friendly and hot dogs are also available to purchase. On West Road is the One Mile End Brewery and around the corner from there are the Redemption Brewery and the Bohem Brewery (the latter specialising in brewing Bohemian Lagers).
Where to drink before Tottenham away?
It may be an idea to drink in Central London before the game and then take a train to White Hart Lane Station. If getting the overground train there from Liverpool Street Station then there is a Wetherspoon outlet called the Hamilton Hall which is popular with football fans.
Is alcohol served at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
Alcohol is available inside the ground. You get to see it poured in front of you in just three seconds. The new stadium has an American system whereby the plastic glass is placed on a machine and is filled up from the bottom. When the server lifts the filled glass a magnetic disk sticks to the bottom, sealing it tight. Ingenious! However, don’t be tempted once you have the beer in your hand to push up the magnetic disk at the bottom, as it will empty all over the floor quicker than it was poured!
Leave the M25 at Junction 25 and take the A10 towards Enfield. Continue on the A10 through Enfield and at the roundabout with the Northern Circular (A406), turn left onto the A406 (Sterling Way). Turn right into Fore Road (the A1010) which becomes the High Road and you will come to the stadium on your left.
Where to park at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
There is no parking available at the stadium itself for supporters and a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) is in operation on matchdays, which extends up to a mile away from the ground. Within this zone, only local residents who have a parking permit and blue badge holders can park legally. The perimeter of the zone is up to a mile from the stadium and this has led to some private car parks near to the stadium charging up to £20 for the privilege. If you do decide to park away from the stadium then make sure that you take notice of the advisory parking notices attached to lamp posts, to ensure you are outside the CPZ Zone, as otherwise, you may find that your car gets towed away.
Which train station is best for Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
White Hart Lane Railway Station is the nearest to the stadium, which is only a few minutes walk away. It is served by trains from Liverpool Street. However visiting fans are being encouraged instead to use Northumberland Park Station, which is over beyond the side of the ground that the away fans are housed. It is only a ten minute walk away. On exiting the station cross the road and proceed along Park Lane. On reaching the stadium turn right and the entrance to the away supporters turnstiles is far down on the left. Northumberland Park is served by trains from Stratford.
What is the closest tube to Tottenham Stadium?
The nearest London Underground station is Seven Sisters which is on the Victoria Line. The ground is a good 30-35 minute walk away, but there are plenty of buses running up Tottenham High Road to the ground. On leaving Seven Sisters take exit 1, which leads up and out to the relevant bus stops. Chris Knibs informs us: “Although there are plenty of buses, not many of them go past the ground. Those that do mostly have numbers that end in a 9, so take 149, 249, 279 or 349. You can also get a normal overground train from Seven Sisters to White Hart Lane station.”
For travelling across London by public transport I recommend planning your journey ahead with the use of the Travel For London Plan your journey website.
Tottenham have come up with an interactive stadium access map via an app called Official Spurs + Stadium App.
The East stand is accessed via Worcester Avenue and the West stand is accessed via High Road.
The map below shows detailed information on the Tottenham Stadium entrances, including accessibility information.
As with most clubs nowadays, the ticket pricing at Tottenham’s stadium, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, is tiered depending on the ‘grade’ of game you’re watching and the area of the stadium you sit in.
Category A games are the most premium fixtures with Category C at the other end. Category A matches for the 2023/24 season are as follows:
- Adults: £65-103
- Seniors: £32.50-41.50
- Young adults: £49-62.50
- Juniors: £32.50-41.50
A full breakdown of the current pricing can be found on the official Tottenham website.
Official Programme: £4
The songs most commonly associated with Spurs are ‘Glory, Glory, Tottenham Hotpsur’ and ‘Oh when the Spurs, go marching in’.
Below is a selection of Tottenham fan songs.
Tickets to the new Tottenham stadium will cost you a pretty penny nowadays but it hasn’t always been that way; when the club first formed their games were played on what was essentially a field; it was known as the Tottenham marshes and was free to watch.
Before the century was out, the club had moved. The Tottenham ground was now on Tottenham High Road on a patch of land near to a pub known as the White Hart. Fast forward five years and the Spurs stadium had transformed with over 30,000 people able to fit inside including over a third of them being treated to a roof overhead. Not too much later, Archibald Leitch were drafted in for redevelopment and before you knew it the stadium could hold over 50,000 people with a special spectator also being added – a bronze cockerel; it remains a huge part of the Tottenham story to this day.
Over the years numerous changes have been made to the stadium with the biggest alterations perhaps occurring as they turned the Tottenham stadium all-seater; the final touches of this came after the Hillsborough enquiry although works to manoeuvre towards a seated experience had begun some time earlier with wholesale changes to the setup starting in the early sixties. From there on out alterations were minor until the huge change that saw a complete rebuild; that eventually resulted in their current stadium.
Tottenham vs Arsenal rivalry: This is a rivalry born purely out of geography. Tottenham and Arsenal are just a few miles away and their games are full of blood and thunder.
Tottenham vs Chelsea rivalry: Tottenham vs Chelsea is another game born out of the fact both teams are London based. There is more to it than that though. For a long time the two sides were on a fairly level pegging; it means there has been a lot at stake when they’ve faced off. Cup finals, relegation battles and more. Chelsea’s rise under Roman Abramovich will have really hit a nerve with Spurs fans.
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
With big bucks thrown at a new stadium, you have to have a plan for how you’re making that money back. At least part of the spend at Tottenham’s stadium comes in through stadium tours.
There are a couple of different variations to the tour, which are priced slightly differently.
Stadium Tour:
Adults – £27
Child – £16
Concessions – £24
Matchday Tour:
Adults – £45
Child – £35
Concessions – £40.50
Legends Tours:
Adults – £55
Child – £55
Concessions – £55
The Club have received permission from Haringey Council to add a total of 151 seats to the North and South Stands. This will increase the overall capacity of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to 62,213.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium record attendance
- 62,027 (Tottenham Hotspur vs. Arsenal, 12 May 2022)
Average Attendance
- 2022-23: 61,576 (Premier League)
- 2021-2022: 56,523 (Premier League)
- 2020-2021: N/A (Covid-19)
- 2019-2020: 59,384 (Premier League)
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Tottenham Hotspur v AFC Bournemouth
Premier League
Saturday 30th November 2019, 3pm
Paul Sheppard (AFC Bournemouth)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
My first trip to the new stadium so obviously intrigued to see what all the fuss was about and if it justified the hype (it did).
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Very. Took the advice of another reviewer on here (thanks to Martin H, Villa fan) and took the tube on the Victoria Line to Tottenham Hale for 12 minutes before getting a train to Northumberland Park for about two minutes, from where it only took me about 8 minutes to talk to the stadium. Took just under an hour to get from Euston to the ground. Most fans (home and away) got off at Seven Sisters but I wouldn't do that personally. The only faff is finding the train station when you get off at Tottenham Hale but it wasn't that big an issue.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Didn't engage with any home fans although they seemed friendly enough (Tottenham fans are amongst the least annoying home fans when they score against us I find!). Arranged to meet my friend and we had a couple of drinks inside the ground as we didn't find anywhere more appealing in our research on this website. I had a couple of pints of Heineken at £4.50 a pop and he had a pint of something trendier for £5.50 (and there was an inbetweener at £5 that neither of us had!). Do NOT use the bars nearer the TV screens within an hour of kick off but move down the far end where the serving points have MUCH shorter queues: when it came to my round there were massive queues near the TVs but I got served instantly at the far end of the concourse at about 2.15.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
Yeah very impressed. Not a lot else to say really: the view was great even though it was lower tier and it just looks really impressive all round. Unfashionably, I like to sit down and had enough points to buy our tickets as soon as they went on sale so bought the front row in block 116 (right in the corner of the ground and middle of the away fans) as it was slightly elevated but we had nobody in front of us so it was a great view.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Not bad until we went 3-0 down. This was not a true reflection of the game given we had 20 attempts on goal and 46% possession so the two late goals from our sub Harry Wilson gave the scoresheet a kore accurate reflection of the game. Spurs were far more clinical though and Dele Alli and Sissoke took their goals very well. The atmosphere is a little lacking but no more so than most modern grounds and the Spurs fans did their bit to create an atmosphere.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Very easy actually. I just did the reverse of my trip to the ground. Took a few minutes queuing in the southbound queue at Northumberland Park but as I walked right to the end of the platform the first carriage had plenty of space. Then I got a tube back to Euston and was there for about 5.50 p.m. (took 50-55 minutes to and from the stadium).
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Very enjoyable. For London, the beer was reasonably priced (and yeah I enjoyed seeing the pints fill up from the bottom!). The game was in danger of petering out when we went 3 down but in the end, we could have grabbed a very late equaliser although I think that would have been more than we deserved. The new ground is managed very efficiently and everything is clearly signposted. I found White Hart Lane a friendly and pleasant day out and this was exactly the same.
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool
Premier League
Saturday 27th August 2016, 12.30pm
Stijn (Liverpool fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting White Hart Lane?
As an international fan, it isn't quite easy to get tickets to away games, so it was a nice chance to support the team away from home and closer to where I actually live (Belgium). And because it was our last league game at the Lane, I was looking forward to just experience it at match day (had been there once at a non-match day, while visiting London).
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We parked our car a few miles away from the ground and took the tube to Seven Sisters. All went quite easy and fast, but the walk from Seven Sisters to the ground can be a long walk if the weather's bad (which was not the case on our late August trip!).
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Had a traditional pre-match meal (fries and a burger) and a drink in a pub called The Antwerp Arms. We had our Liverpool shirts on, but that didn't seem to be a problem to the many home fans who were inside. Most of them just ignored us, but they weren't hostile either.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of White Hart Lane?
White Hart Lane is what a traditional, proper football ground should look like; a bit old fashioned designed, close to the pitch, compact, a bit intimidating. Pretty good view from the away end! Shame it will be gone at the end of this season, glad I had the chance to experience it one last time.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Getting a 1-1 draw at the Lane should please us mostly, but with the game in mind and coming back from a disappointing 2-0 loss at Burnley the week before, we were a bit disappointed not to have won the game. Big parts of the game I thought we were slightly the better side, especially in the first half. We took a deserved lead with a well taken James Milner penalty just before half time. When Sadio Mané's goal was called off with the closest offside call ever I really thought we were going to roll over them. So it was a bit disappointing we lost the grip on the game in the last 20 minutes and to see Spurs equalise with a Danny Rose goal. Atmosphere was okay, not great. Both sets of fans were pretty quiet, which was definitely disappointing from our point of view as the travelling Kop. Had no food inside, so I can't really judge on that. Stew arts were friendly and could cope well with some Scouse humour.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Long walk back to Seven Sisters with a bit of summer rain falling, mixed up with Spurs fans without problems. Despite the huge amount of fans trying to get on the tube, we could leave pretty quick.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Despite the result, a good day out! As a Liverpool fan in a London borough, I expected a lot more hostility, which is a big credit to Spurs fans. White Hart Lane one final time was a nice experience. Shame those old traditional grounds are disappearing…
Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City
FA Cup Fifth Round
Wednesday 4th March 2020, 7.45pm
Andrew Davidson (Doing the 92)
Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City
FA Cup Fifth Round
Wednesday 4th March 2020, 7.45pm
Keith Barry (Neutral)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
From what I had read the stadium sets new standards, so I was interested to see if it matched the hype. Reduced ticket prices (£25) helped – my seat would cost £72 for a Premier League game.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Train from Stratford to Northumberland Park and a 15 minute walk. It was clearly signed from the station.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I went into the ground to try the in-house brewery. Had a pie & pint – if you buy them within an hour of the gates opening they £5.00 for pie & pint which is a good deal.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
I was impressed by the outside of the stadium, which is visually striking. I was in the top tier (thankfully I was able to use the lift!) and the seating & view were excellent. Decent legroom.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The DJ tried in vain to drum an atmosphere before kick off but so many fans were in the bars it fell flat. Having 9,000 away fans helped and when Spurs fans sang it was impressively loud.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
I left as soon as the penalties finished and walked back to Northumberland Park. Not too long a queue to get into the station and a Stratford bound train came soon. Then a tube and bus home.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I was very impressed. Unlike some other large grounds, the fans made a lot of noise, especially from the big stand behind one goal. It certainly raises the bar.
Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City
FA Cup Fifth Round
Wednesday 4th March 2020, 7.45pm
Tim Scales (Norwich City)
Tottenham Hotspur v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Premier League
Sunday 1st March 2020, 2pm
Mark Cadman (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton
FA Cup 4th Round Replay
Wednesday 5th February 2020, 7.45pm
Bob (Neutral)
Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton
FA Cup 4th Round Replay
Wednesday 5th February 2020, 7.45pm
Steve Andrews (Doing the 92)
Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City
Premier League
Wednesday 22nd January 2020, 7.30pm
Martin Thirkettle (Norwich City)
Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City
Premier League
Wednesday 22nd January 2020, 7.30pm
John Holland (Norwich City)
Tottenham Hotspur v Middlesbrough
FA Cup 3rd Round Replay
Tuesday 14th January 2020, 8.05pm
Jim Pedley (Doing the 92 – Update!)
Tottenham Hotspur v Middlesbrough
FA Cup 3rd Round Replay
Tuesday 14th January 2020, 8.05pm
Philip Brown (Doing the 92)
Tottenham Hotspur v Middlesbrough
FA Cup 3rd Round Replay
Tuesday 14th January 2020, 8.05pm
Dan Maguire (Doing the 92)
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool
Premier League
Saturday 11th January 2020, 5.30pm
Catherine Hayden (Liverpool)
Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea
Premier League
Sunday 22nd December 2019, 4.30pm
DaveF (Chelsea)
Tottenham Hotspur v AFC Bournemouth
Premier League
Saturday 30th November 2019, 3pm
Robbie Sargent (AFC Bournemouth)
Tottenham Hotspur v AFC Bournemouth
Premier League
Saturday 30th November 2019, 3pm
Lewis Wright (AFC Bournemouth)
Tottenham Hotspur v Olympiacos
Champions League Group Stage
Tuesday 26th November 2019, 8pm
Martyn Stimson (Neutral)
Tottenham Hotspur v Watford
Premier League
Saturday 19th October 2019, 3pm
Stephen Barrow (Watford)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
You've got to be an optimist to follow Watford away, particularly against Spurs. A total of zero wins and plenty of batterings since the Premier League began and the last away victory over 30 years ago. Added to that a tragic start to the season 2019/20 meant that the main appeal was to visit the new ground, have a sing-song and try and identify what QSF (our new/former manager) could do to turn around our fortunes.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
White Hart Lane has never been that easy to access. Either the trudge back and forth to Seven Sisters or the crush and queue on the Overground. Adding another 20,000 capacity and no improvement in infrastructure should only have added to the challenge. However, various forums suggested using Northumberland Park Station for away fans and so we traveled around the M25 by car and headed for Cheshunt Station. Fair to say parking was not straightforward. Although we got there 2 hours before kick off the station car park was full and surrounding streets were jammed, but electing for a 10 minute stroll we found street parking off Windmill Lane on Roundmoor Drive. Plenty of trains southbound every 8 minutes or so and having purchased train tickets via a mobile App we were able to avoid the long queue for the single ticket machine….bear that in mind. Once at Northumberland Park the true lack of proper investment meant it took a good 12-15 minutes to get from train to platform to exit via a complex series of ramps. So leave plenty of time. At least it wasn't raining.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
The stadium is located in an area which has absolutely no appeal whatsoever in terms of pre-match food and beverage, certainly for away fans. Best to either eat/drink in London/Cheshunt. We strolled the ten minutes to the stadium with largely home supporters and a perfectly friendly bunch they were too.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
The stadium has touched down in North London like a giant spaceship, looming over the un-prepossessing hinterland like something from another planet altogether. From the outside, it is truly impressive. Likewise the system of entering worked well, even with three different lines of security. Modern metal detector type entry worked well and the stewards were efficient and friendly. Once inside the concourses are actually not very spacious at all. So not only is there nothing to do close to the ground, there is little on offer inside either. Away fans seating is close to the pitch and the view was excellent. The seats have the crash bars for safe standing and these worked well as everyone stands these days, not something I am totally in favour….as the space is subsequently quite narrow. But plenty of opportunity to create a good atmosphere.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Two teams struggling for form but an absorbing match. Watford scored early and although Spurs had very substantial possession they struggled to break down a resolute and well-organised rearguard. Indeed come the second half, Watford created the more clearcut chances on the breakaway. It looked like a long-awaited, but deserved first win of the season, before a catastrophic error at the back and the failure of VAR to spot a handball gifted an equaliser to the home side. A result to satisfy neither sets of fans but the Watford fans at least had room for encouragement for the relegation scrap ahead.
Less so the home fans, whose expectations of the new stadium and a substantial investment in the transfer market might have been in part responsible for the tepid atmosphere. Another great stadium/poor atmosphere combination, dare I say just like the Emirates? It really wasn't at all intimidating for the away team and I found that surprising – still its early days but Id suggest the club needs to invest more in generating an atmosphere rather than on corporate advertising on the big screens in the run up to kick off.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the game the Cheshunt to Northumberland Park route really pays dividends for away fans. Out of the away end, down Northumberland Park Road and ten minutes later you are at the station. A short queue outside to wait for the platform to clear and we were on the train back to Cheshunt in no time. The queue for trains back into London also seemed to be quite well organised and moved swiftly enough. Plenty of chance to chat to the Spurs fans in the queue / on the train back and as ever they were quite a friendly bunch, albeit lamenting the collapse in form of their team over the last 12 months. Also, while obviously proud of the spectacular new infrastructure, they too commented on the current lack of big match atmosphere. Maybe it will improve if results and performances pick up. I think the stadium deserves it.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Spurs away has always been mainly about the match itself as the stadium location doesn't lend itself to much else. Using the route by train from Cheshunt was a definite improvement over the traditional transport methods, particularly given the location of the away fans seating. Ultimately I am sure the atmosphere will improve with results and as the supporters figure out a way to exploit the excellent new infrastructure. Hopefully, we will be back again next year……
Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton
Premier League
Saturday 28th September 2019, 3pm
Eric Spreng (Southampton)
Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton
Premier League
Saturday 28th September 2019, 3pm
Tim French (Southampton)
Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United
Premier League
Sunday 25th August 2019, 4.30pm
Louis McGivern (Newcastle United)
Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United
Premier League
Sunday 25th August 2019, 4.30pm
Jack (Newcastle United)
Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United
Premier League
Sunday 25th August 2019, 4.30pm
Stephen Anthony Harvey (Newcastle United)
Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa
Premier League
Saturday 10th August 2019, 5.30pm
Martin H (Aston Villa)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
After three years of watching Aston Villa in the EFL Championship, it was great to be back in the Premier League. And what a first game. Away at the Champions League runners-up and a chance to visit Tottenham’s super new stadium. I was really looking forward to it.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Fairly straightforward. Train from the Midlands to Euston. Then London Underground to Tottenham Hale, where we switched to the Overground and caught a train from Tottenham Hale to Northumberland Park. We intentionally headed for Northumberland Park as this is closest to the away section at Tottenham (10-15 mins walk).
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
On our way from Euston on the London Underground, we were debating where to go for a pre-match pint given that all the pubs around the stadium are for Home fans only. We then came up with the bright idea that it should be fairly quiet around Arsenal as they were not at home on this day. So we exited the London Underground at Finsbury Park and went to the Twelve Pins pub, which is one of the recommended pubs on the Arsenal page of this website. It was a good call as there was a nice-sized crowd in there. Not too quiet and not too busy either making it easy to get served. Quite a few Villa fans had the same idea as us as there were plenty of Villa colours on show in there. After a few beers, we went back to Finsbury Park to continue our journey to Northumberland Park. The continuing train journey to Northumberland Park was shared by both Spurs and Villa fans. Can’t recall talking to any Spurs fans but it all seemed very relaxed. As was the walk from Northumberland Park to the stadium.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
The stadium looks great from the outside. Obviously so different to the Old White Hart Lane. After a few photos, we made our way into the ground. For obvious reasons, there is a lot of security (some airport style) as you go in, but it all seemed fairly slick. The stadium is also impressive on the inside as well. The away fans are located at the lower level by one of the corners. The view was pretty good I thought despite being so low down. The only bad point for me was that the away concourse seemed small for circa 3,000 away fans. In addition, the design wasn’t very well thought out either as the food/drinks counter is directly opposite to where the fans enter the ground. It’s also by where there are two sets of exit stairs so it gets very congested there, making it nigh on impossible to get near the counter just before the game and/or halftime.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
I didn’t have food/drink inside the stadium due to the reasons outlined above. Villa started brightly and indeed took the lead from a well taken John McGinn goal. The atmosphere in the away end was superb with the Villa fans in good voice. Spurs fans seemed a little subdued but started to find their voices in the second half as Spurs increased the pressure on Villa’s resolute defence. I was hoping we might hang on for an unlikely win but in the end, the pressure told and Tottenham scored three goals late on for a deserved (if I am honest) 3-1 win. Needless to say, the Spurs fans were the loudest they had been all day towards the end. A great atmosphere overall.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Very impressive actually. We walked back to Northumberland Park train station. Spurs and Villa fans mixed together but, as before the game, all very relaxed. There was a big queue at Northumberland Park station for the trains however as you got closer the crowd was split into two separate channels. One for those travelling Northbound, the other for those (including us) who were travelling Southbound. On a matchday, extra trains are put on to help ease the crowd congestion at the station (every 10 mins or so). The trains also have several carriages so can carry more passengers, therefore it wasn’t long before we were on the platform. We did the reverse journey to earlier (via Tottenham Hale) and we were soon back at Euston in plenty of time for our train back to the Midlands.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Despite the defeat, I was encouraged by Villa’s performance and fairly confident that we can have a reasonable first season back in the Prem. I certainly enjoyed my first visit to Spurs impressive new stadium and look forward to visiting again at the next opportunity.
Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa
Premier League
Saturday 10th August 2019, 5.30pm
Andy Newman (Aston Villa)
Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa
Premier League
Saturday 10th August 2019, 5.30pm
Steve Smytheman (Redoing the 92)
Tottenham v Aston Villa
Premier League
Saturday 10th August 2019, 5.30pm
John (Aston Villa)
Tottenham Hotspur v Inter Milan
Pre-Season Friendly
Sunday 4th August 2019, 3pm
Sam Jones (Doing the 92)
Tottenham Hotspur v Inter Milan
Pre-Season Friendly
Sunday 4th August 2019, 3pm
James Walker (Re-completing the 92)
Attendance: 58,905
Grounds Visited: 140 (92/92)
Tottenham Hotspur v Everton
Premier League
Sunday 5th May 2019, 3pm
Howard Martin (Everton)
Tottenham Hotspur v Man City
Champions League, Quarter Final, 1st Leg
Tuesday 9th April 2019, 8pm
Stephen Welch (Manchester City)
Tottenham Hotspur v Man City
Champions League, Quarter Final, 1st Leg
Tuesday 9th April 2019, 8pm
Brian Moore (Neutral)
Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace
Premier League
Wednesday 4th April 2019, 7.45pm
David London (Crystal Palace)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
I was really looking forward to this game, as I go to all Palace games home and away, and this was the rarity of a 'new ground' that I hadn't been to before. This was to be my 111th different league ground watching Palace, so I've seen the complete range of good, bad and the ugly grounds! The added bonus was that we were lucky enough to be the first 'competitive' game at the stadium, so it would be a little bit more of a special occasion. I went with my wife and my 9 year old son, and we go to all away games as Crystal Palace 'away season ticket holders' (which is a scheme that guarantees we can choose our exact seat from the seating plan at every Palace away game)
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I always used to drive to the ‘old’ White Hart Lane ground, however, since rebuilding with a 62000 capacity, the local councils have massively increased the size of the ‘Controlled Parking Zone’. So now parking a VERY long way away and walking isn’t so attractive! So we took the underground to Seven Sisters station on the Victoria line, from which the ground is a good 30 minute walk away (if you are reasonably fit) or longer if you are slow like us!
The long walk is monotonous, and I think next time we play there I will be more organised and pre-book a driveway car parking space on one of the many such websites that offer this handy service so that I can drive and not have to walk so far! Respect to Spurs fans who do this walk every game – they must stay very fit because of it!
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
The long walk to the ground from Seven Sisters takes a fit person a good half an hour at least, and we are slower walkers than that! So we stopped off halfway along the High Road at the McDonalds for dinner, and it was coping very well with the large crowd. Got food and a table to sit at easily. The home fans were very friendly and it was an upbeat atmosphere as everyone was looking forward to the landmark game. No hostility at all (Spurs and Palace are in no way rivals)
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
We got to the stadium itself 1 hour before kick off, and quite simply it is vast! I have been to all the biggest grounds, however this feels so much bigger on the outside because it is plonked right in the middle of a residential area, so it towers above the neighbouring houses! It's like someone has dumped a massive modern shopping centre or airport in the middle of a residential area!
On arriving at the South End of the ground, we knew the away end was at the far (North) end of the ground but didn't know the quickest or best way there, so asked one of the "Fanbassador" volunteers (guides) outside the ground. They looked at their map, as they didn't know themselves, and they sent us the clockwise way round the ground, continuing up the High Road past the main glass entrance and the vast Megastore shop. This was a big mistake. When we got to the North West 'corner' of the ground, there was a bottleneck of fans as that is where their box office is and a lot of their fans were collecting tickets in a huge snaking queue which was difficult to get past.
A steward there knew where we should go (as we were wearing away team scarves) and directed us a weird route underneath a Sainsbury's underground car park which abuts the North end of the ground, and eventually you come out of there and follow some backstreets round to the North East corner of the ground where entrance 11 is. In hindsight, away fans arriving at the Southern end of the stadium should have been directed 'anticlockwise' around the ground as that would have been much quicker and a shorter route.
When we got to the away entrance (entrance 11) we were worried there would be vast slow queues, but actually, it was very efficient! At the bottom of some steps they scanned the QR barcode on your ticket to make sure you had away tickets, then at the top of the stairs, you had to walk through an airport-style metal detector arch. Then there was a pat down with another metal detector 'wand' being waved over you, and following that if you had a bag (only very small, under A4 size or clear plastic bags allowed but we had been told this in advance) this was searched at a table, with a 'bag checked' tag applied. Then finally the turnstiles, where stewards help you scan the QR barcode again.
Inside, the concourse is VERY posh, no expense spared, and lots of bars and food counters to choose from (assuming your club took the full 3000 allocation and has the full concourse) Everything in the concourse is high spec and in sparkling condition of course!
Into the 'stadium bowl' and all of the 3000 away seats have a rail in front, intended for when safe standing comes in. The away seats are in the bottom tier in the corner, and the views are good. Most of our fans stood, and the stewards did almost nothing to stop this apart from a feeble 'please sit down' about 2 minutes into the game, which was ignored. I was in sat down at the back of the block and the standing rails did not interfere with the view.
The ground inside is incredible – like a 'World Cup' quality ground. I can't believe anyone would have a bad view, and the sound system was very impressive and very clear. There were FOUR large video screen, one in each corner hanging from the roof. The Main 'home singing end' is the far end from the away section, and is a single tier, like the Kop at Liverpool, but with a 'curved' top edge. They had the rail seats in part of this end, and most of their fans stood at this end too.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.
Before the game was an 'Opening Ceremony' and this was very short, as it had to be squeezed in between the players ending their warm-ups, and the teams coming out, so it was just a couple of singers singing 'Glory, Glory, Tottenham Hotspur', some flag-waving, and a few fireworks. I guess they'd spend enough on the ground itself!
I guess most people don't read this guide to read about our particular game, which is just as well because Palace were poor! We didn't really get going on the pitch until the last 10 minutes when we were already losing, and the 2-0 score to Tottenham was a fair result!
The Tottenham fans were very loud when it got going, but only in short bursts, but I guess a stroll of a game against an out of form lower Prem side was not going to get their pulses racing. I'd imagine their noise would be more sustained in a 'big' game against a rival team or a 'big six' team.
Palace's fans struggled to get much singing going, I suspect because a lot of the away tickets went to longstanding season ticket holders who are mainly older fans, rather than the younger noiser element of our support. Also, the team on the pitch gave Palace fans little to get singing about!
A major flaw in the location of the away fans is that home fans are right above the away fans. I know this happens at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, but they seem to know how to manage that there. What we experienced was fans above chucking down a drink from above as well as throwing down the free commemorative flags, and one fan spitting on fans below, which was swiftly dealt with by stewards and the fan ejected. It was also very lively at the end of the game when away fans walk out of the seating area have to walk right up to where the home fans are behind them. I can imagine that when the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea or West Ham visit, that the police and stewards are going to have to really police these flashpoints and maybe 'net off' some rows of seats.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
At the end of the game, we didn't rush, as with 62000 fans, what is the point, it is going to be busy and congested. The roads around the ground were pretty full, and so walk away from the away exit was a bit slow, but then once on the High Road heading south, the crowds flowed away well, as the road was closed for about a quarter of a mile. We walked slowly back to Tottenham Hale underground station just by following the main road (High Road) and didn't get there until 50 minutes after the game had ended (told you we were slow!). Arriving at the station, you could see they had used queue barriers, but when we got there the queue had gone, and we got straight on a southbound Victoria Line train. Even when the tube train pulled into the next station, Seven Sisters, which is also a well-used station for the game, the platform wasn't that full, and everyone got on the train. We got off the tube at Victoria and headed home 'south of the river' by a train from Victoria train Station.
In summary, the stations we used coped very well, and I think even those out quicker, and at the stations earlier still got away fairly efficiently, with just some queuing.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I really enjoyed the 'occasion' and the Spurs fans were in good spirits. Obviously, I would have enjoyed it more if we had played better and not lost 2-0, but it's a very impressive ground, and probably the best 'new ground' in the country – better than the likes of the Emirates Stadium, Wembley Stadium or St James' Park in my opinion. Being a fan whose home ground is somewhat 'antiquated' we can only dream that one day we'll be able to enjoy such facilities at home games ourselves!
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City
Premier League
Sunday 2nd October 2016, 12.15pm
Stephen Welch (Manchester City fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting White Hart Lane?
It was a top of the table clash and nice to be watching City in England after visiting Swansea and Celtic in the previous week!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Very straight forward, no hold ups on the motorways; M6, M1 then the A406, but came back after the game via the M25. Found some street parking on Selby Road, which as this was a Sunday, it was free to park!
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We went to the Haringey Irish Centre with all the other Blues but getting served was a joke. There were about four people serving hundreds so you had to double up your order. £3.90 for a pint of lager but the food was just warmed up chips.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away en d then other sides of White Hart Lane?
As usual very neat stadium, although part of the far end was missing due to the construction of the new stadium.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Spurs were worthy of their 2-0 win and City weren't really in it. Stewards were fine, didn't taste the food inside as I usually find them overpriced. Stood near the home fans so we were getting plenty of flak coming our way, but banter in the main.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Usual hold ups getting away but nothing serious really.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Could have been better with the right result. Didn't encounter any trouble on the day.
Tottenham Hotspur v Watford
Premier League
Saturday 6th February 2016, 3pm
Peter Lee (Watford fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting White Hart Lane?
I hadn't been to White Hart Lane since 1988. I also appreciated that this could be my last opportunity I get to visit the current stadium, as Spurs are looking to build a new one. I thought I would make an effort as I still regret not going to Highbury before it was closed.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Watford FC had decided to partially offset the extortionate £41 ticket price by offering £1 travel on the club coaches. I took advantage of this offer and was dropped off on Tottenham High Road well before kick-off.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Being a bit of a cheapskate and a non-drinker my lunch was the £3 meal deal from the nearby Sainsbury's local. (For the record the sandwich tasted stale). The home fans seemed perfectly fine, just that there seemed to be 100,00 of them! On gaining entry to the ground then irritatingly, after a full body pat down (just like the 1980's) I then had to remove the top from my drink – can't remember the last time I had to do that!
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of White Hart Lane?
From the outside White Hart Lane is quite impressive and it was interesting to see the huge hole and foundations of the new stadium outside. The top tier of the away end is up a fair few flights of stairs and gives a great view. The most notable thing is the curve of the West Stand and how the middle is further from the pitch than either end.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
It didn't help that Watford set up ultra defensively and played even more cautiously so the first half was akin to watching us defend a siege. The Spurs fans, I'm afraid, really deserve the "Only sing when you're winning" tag as there was hardly a peep out of them until they scored. Many will consider me a heretic but I was very glad when the stewards politely asked people not to stand, particularly as the gent next to me had had 20 mins or so blocked by the large, foul mouthed fan in front of him who was something of an embarrassment, especially as he had his young son with him as he "called out" a neighbouring Spurs fan. I can see why Spurs would not want to spend money on a stadium that is going to be knocked down in the very near future and this was reflected in the one working hand dryer in the toilet and the chaotic queuing system for food and drink at half-time – eventually I gave up.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
In order to catch the coaches, there was a good 15 minute walk across a housing estate and industrial estate (we had been warned about this when we were dropped off) and helpful stewards to point the way. Unlike many other grounds I have been to, there was no Police escort for the coaches so we got stuck in the normal jams around White Hart Lane so it took a good hour to travel the 3-4 miles back to the M1.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
The game wasn't great and many of the facilities at White Hart Lane are on their last legs but I was glad to see it before it goes. Traffic around there will always be an absolute nightmare, worse so with the bigger crowds anticipated at the new stadium.
Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City
FA.Cup 3rd Round
Sunday 10th January 2016, 4pm
Thomas Inglis (Dundee United fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting White Hart Lane?
This was English ground number 61 for me. When I had originally booked this weekend in London for me and the wife, I checked the fixtures and was going to take in the Dagenham v Wycombe game as a new ground. Then the FA Cup was also scheduled for that weekend and I was able to secure two tickets for the 'soon to be no more' White Hart Lane. At only £25 a ticket (upper level East Stand), I couldn't pass up the chance.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We got the train from central London to Seven Sisters station, and it is pretty much one straight road march to the ground. So fairly easy.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We had given ourselves plenty of time to go for a few pre-match drinks and savour the banter. The first pub we visited was the Beehive, where we spoke to a few Leicester fans who couldn't believe the season they were having, talking of Europe and looking out passports. The second was the Elbow Room, good chat with Spurs fans, very friendly. Obviously the Scottish accent went down a treat and talked of football on both sides of the border. Also went to the bookies to put on the customary losing bet.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the White Hart Lane Stadium?
As there was almost a full house (35,705) about 500 below capacity, the whole place looked pretty impressive from our position in the upper level of the East Stand. The stadium seemed to be in fairly good condition, though I understand they need to upsize to accommodate more fans.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
As a neutral, it was an exciting game. Spurs took an early lead inside 10 minutes through Eriksen and were dominating the game. Leicester were playing a containing game, hitting on the break. Okasaki pulled a goal back to make the teams level at half time. We tried to get something to eat but the queues were enormous and it was really to crowded to move on the concourse. According to the wife, not many ladies toilets available either so big queues there too. The stewards were helpful enough, guiding us to correct entry point and inside to our seats.
So onto the second half, the Leicester fans were singing away as their team came more into the game. A great header from the Leicester defender Waselewski put them in front and their fans went wild, cue some song about Vardy being better than Kane. Spurs still had more of the play, and a fan beside me commented that Spurs were playing as if they were leading with all the pretty passing but getting nowhere! Five minutes to go, time for a super hero to emerge, and on comes Harry Kane. With three minutes left Spurs awarded a penalty 'you know who' scores from the spot to level the tie. White Hart Lane erupted with the Spurs fans singing about Kane being better than Vardy.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
As you would expect it was very busy coming out of the ground, with the road outside being closed to traffic. We went back to the 'Elbow Room' pub for a pint to let the crowds disperse. The Spurs fans that I had spoke to prior to the game came over to speak to us again and reassured me they would win the replay (they did, Spurs won 2-0). We then headed back to Seven Sisters Station and back to hotel.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Another ground ticked off. A good day overall with a four goal match and a bit of banter with both sets of fans.
By Myles Munsey (Tottenham fan for the evening!)
Reasons for visit:
A family get together with my two nephews (both Spurs fans) and my brother who was celebrating his birthday (I shan’t say which!) the following day.
These things aside, I was looking to revisit the ground after a long absence (about 20 years!) and the chance to see foreign opposition at a level I don’t normally relate to. A far cry from Gosport Borough indeed!
Getting there:
I had reason to be in London that afternoon, so it was an easy ride from Waterloo over to Liverpool Street. Meeting my two nephews there (they work in London), we travelled down to White Hart Lane by train in around 25mins. My brother motored over from Northamptonshire so we all met up with ease.
Before the game:
Although there was about an hour before kick-off there wasn’t a great deal to do except locate our seats which were in the North Stand and grab a quick cup of tea plus some programmes.
First impressions:
The stadium lit up the night sky and is dramatic both inside and out in terms of scale. The height of the stands is imposing but I struggled to find any distinguishing features amongst all this modernity. One feature I did like was a table area set aside by the food stalls so that people can sit, eat and drink in comfort.
The game:
It was a filthy wet blowy old night in North London (what more could one possibly want?), but a wet surface always seems to make for a good game. I was not disappointed.
Tottenham needed a point to win group J. Monaco had to win or else elimination for them was assured. I actually thought earlier in the week that this might be a low-scoring affair. That idea went clean out of the window on 1minute and 46 seconds as Eric Lamela’s cross-shot put Tottenham ahead. Eric was on fire and scored again on 15 and 37 minutes with two classy finishes. Half-time 3-0 to Tottenham. It got interesting after an hour when El Shaarawy scored for Monaco. It meant the man in the row behind (who kept bragging on about this all evening) would win a substantial bet on a 3-1 score line. In theory he then had to sweat for half an hour. Sadly for him, though not for the other home fans, with 13 minutes left Carroll scored with a neat finish from a tight angle and that was that.
Getting away:
Fortunately our seating block was close to the exit staircase, because there was a fair old scrum at the final whistle. Anyway I didn’t hang about and marched down Tottenham High Road to Seven Sisters in just 22 minutes. I comfortably made the 23.30 from Paddington railway station changing at Reading for Newbury.
Overall thoughts:
Like a lot of modern sports stadia these days the organisation is first class, as is the view, and I could not fault the entertainment. However as I have noted before at other grounds, the leg room was woeful. I have bad knees these days and it was a great relief to get up at the end and stretch those legs.
The Europa league has its critics yet this was a terrific game.
White Hart Lane is impressive, have no doubts, but next time I wouldn’t half mind a bit more leg space! Any executive boxes going begging?
Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley
FA Cup 3rd Round Replay
Wednesday 14th January 2015, 8pm
Billy Mallett (Doing the 92)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I always look forward to visiting new grounds and I had heard a lot of good things about White Hart Lane. I was looking forward to watching the likes of Lennon, Townsend and Trippier (for Burnley). Although this was a FA Cup match, it was an all Premier League tie and I was looking forward to seeing the standard of football that was hopefully going to be served up. I was expecting the football to be slightly different to my home grown team Oxford United.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I decided to go by train from Oxford as I didn’t trust the roads into London, especially midweek at rush hour. I went onto Nationalrail.co.uk and it seemed relatively straight forward to get out to Tottenham from Central London. From London Liverpool Street it was a journey time of around 20 minutes to White Hart Lane. I then followed the hoards of fans on the short walk to the stadium. There were a lot of stewards and stadium guides on standby which made me feel very welcome. I think more stadiums should have these guides. Overall my journey was a lot more easier than anticipated.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
I arrived 20 minutes before kick off so didn’t bother with any pre match drink. I didn’t see many pubs on my walk to the ground anyway. There was however a lot of the usual burger vans on offer with short queues so I decided to get a pretty average and expensive cheese burger (£3.80). There were also spurs shops selling flags and scarves etc but I didn’t stop to investigate.
I was wearing my Oxford hat which attracted attention from the locals but they were friendly and I had a nice chat with a few.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
My first impressions was will the game live up to the stadium. The away end is situated in one of the corners next to the main singing contingent of the home fans which creates a great atmosphere. The top tier can be opened to away fans if they bring enough numbers. It is a modern stadium, which I prefer, and has two big screens at the top of the stands each end of the ground. I was in the East Stand lower on the half way line and I had a great view. I was so close to the action that at one point I even caught the ball!
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was great entertainment. Burnley had been 2-0 up through a great lob and a deflected free kick before Spurs pulled one back all in the first 10 minutes. Lots of entertaining and fluid football with plenty of chances (mainly for the home side). Spurs eventually turned it around to win 4-2 in the second half. Even though the ground wasn’t full, there was a great atmosphere between home fans and the fairly sizeable away contingent.
The stewards were polite and willing to help anyone who asked. I attempted getting a drink at half time but quickly gave up after seeing the size of the queue. The facilities were average and similar to most grounds but very clean.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
I was a bit late getting out the ground after the game and walked the long way round the stadium to the station. When I got to the station there was a huge queue for trains and I feared the worst. But it moved very quickly and I was on the train home before I knew it. However I would expect the queues to be horrendous on a Saturday with a bigger crowd. They might want to put more trains on.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
This was ground number 60 of my 92 and one of the most enjoyable. It was a last minute decision to go and I’m glad I made the effort. Very nice ground with nice fans and I would recommend visiting White Hart Lane.
Tottenham Hotspur v West Bromwich Albion
Premier League
Thursday 26th December 2013, 3pm
Sam Stevenson (West Brom fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I had never been to White Hart Lane before. It is always nice to go to a new ground, shame West Brom seem to have been away on more than their fair share of Boxing Days recently. And with both teams having recently sacked their managers, I felt it was a good opportunity for us to get a result.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We drove, and parked very easily (for a tenner) in the Tottenham Community Sports Centre almost opposite the ground. It was probably easy because we arrived too early! Very simple access for away fans from this car park.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
I was with my parents, so ate some sandwiches in the car and listened to the Hull vMan Utd game on the radio. Saw the away coaches arrive, no 'trouble' on the road and happily walked to the ground in my colours.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Looked quite modern, very narrow turnstiles (I'm not that big, but it was a real squeeze) then quite a climb up to the upper tier. Had a couple of drinks in the concourse before the game (£3.50 for a 500ml bottle of cider). Pretty good view, although we were right in the corner (near Adrian Chiles). Decent Baggies support, other three (four) sides were almost full, the stand to our right had two or three large pillars that would have blocked some people's view.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Referee gifted Spurs a free kick which they scored from, we equalized very soon afterwards and probably edged the first half. Second half was more even, our keeper was the busier and we probably held on in the end. A fair result. Spurs fans were quiet in the first half, but better in the second half. Baggies fans loud all game.
The stewards were exceptionally friendly and fair.
Everyone from the ticket checkers and security outside the ground to those 'watching' us during the game. Don't remember seeing any police: they almost weren't needed. Big congratulations to Spurs for the quality of the stewarding!
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Disaster! Almost an hour to leave the car park: to be fair there was a sign warning that the exit would be closed until the away supporters coaches had left. But we were still not moving 30 minutes after that.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good day out, a decent ground and a vital point for the Baggies.
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
Premier League
Sunday 6th October 2013, 4pm
By James Weeks (West Ham United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Well, being a member at West Ham, games like Spurs and Chelsea away are normally sold out before Members can touch them, so hearing it would reach our goodselves, I could hardly resist. It was also going to be a new ground for my 92 count, so that added to the excitement.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We caught the 10:26 from Exeter to London Paddington, which took just 2 hours 7 minutes meaning we had some time to spare, but after eating we took the tube to Liverpool Street and then the Greater Anglia service to White Hart Lane. After leaving the station its a short 10-15 minute walk to the ground, on a busy match day just follow the numerous amounts of fans and you'll get there soon as the ground is visible upon arrival.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Because we suffered a loss of the tickets, we needed to pick up duplicates at the ticket office which was right outside the away end. There's a lot of nice looking food trailers around the ground which I couldn't ignore. The Spurs fans around us were pretty nice blokes and didn't make us feel intimidated or out of place. However, once we reached the area by the away section, the looks we were getting weren't so friendly, whether this was because of the whole Anti-Semitic incident last season or just because of the rivalry I wasn't sure.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
From the outside I was a little impressed. It towered above the near by houses and shops and stuck out remarkably. Because we were row Y of the upper tier (right at the back) we had a very good view of the stadium, which struck me as quite a strange ground, with four stands that had been filled to each side, giving it an enclosed but individual look. It did look smart.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
I tucked into a Burger and a coke which was the best meal I've ever had at a Football ground before, the Burger was superb and the two cost around £6, maybe a bit hefty. The game began and the first half was very poor, chances a few from both sides. A well worked free kick saw Nolan fire just wide but apart from that it was a bit of a damp squib. 0-0 would be a brilliant result if we could hold on, but we didn't hold on to a 0-0. Corner came into the box and a header from Reid struck Nolan who was stood on the line, prompting a man in front to say some words I'll never forget, "Nolan you're useless!! You can't do anything right-" before he could finish, Reid had put in the rebound and bodies flew everywhere, down the aisles, over chairs, in faces, drinks in the air… Then, Vaz te scored and the scenes were repeated again, and then again after an incredible solo goal from Morrison. The atmosphere was unreal and as the whistle blew, the ground was empty apart from the 3,200 Irons in the corner, celebrating a mind blowing 3-0 win!
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Joining the Police Escort we hopped on a train to Liverpool Street, crammed inside the small carriages the atmosphere was incredible, the hundreds singing whilst getting off the train at Liverpool Street made the day, the noise was electric and the whole day was summed up.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Very nice ground, best day of my life and the best away end I'll ever experience, I'd highly recommend visiting WHL if you're a travelling fan, the food is exquisite and if you have half the day we did, you'll have a ball. Definitely will be visiting in the future.
Tottenham Hotspur v Queens Park Rangers
Premier League
Sunday October 30th 2011, 4pm
By Ben Buckingham (QPR fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
The previous Sunday, QPR had won their biggest league fixture for over 15 years by beating our biggest rivals Chelsea 1-0 at Loftus Road. The whole club has been on a massive high and as fans we have never felt so proud supporting QPR. Neil Warnock has brought that feeling back for our supporters and heading to Tottenham for the first time in 15 years was going to be a big challenge. This was going to be our biggest test of the season as Spurs were on great form and had won six of seven games prior to this fixture.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
As for any London game, the tube is probably the best bet rather than sitting in hours of traffic going through Central London and with so many parking restrictions near stadiums these days, it is probably not worth the hassle of going by car. We set off from Hillingdon station at 1pm, the three of us Clive, Mark and myself. After kissing my 20 month old daughter Laila goodbye (in her new QPR shirt, thanks to Uncle Ian) we only had a 30 second wait for a met line train. Our plan was to head to Liverpool Street and jump on the overground train to White Hart Lane (instead of going via the Victoria Line and walking 20 minutes from Seven Sisters). The entire journey took over an hour and a half which did seem to drag slightly, this was with a 15 minute turnaround at Liverpool Street. My Twin brother (Ian) and his Thai (girlfriend) were the usual highlight of conversations! It was a simple 5 minute walk to the stadium from White Hart Lane station and was hassle free grabbing a programme en-route and admiring the surroundings.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Heading to this part of London we didn’t fancy venturing into any local pubs so we decided to head straight into the ground. I actually rank the Tottenham area as bad as going to Luton or Rotherham away – it is an awful place. It is grey, dirty and generally a place you don’t really want to be. The Tottenham High Road must have had 10 kebab shops that we passed and it just looked like a dump in general. We wasn’t tempted with the ‘Tottenham Family Kebab shop’ either! There wasn’t any hassle with the Spurs fans at all and we went straight into the upper tier for away fans. I wouldn’t go as far as saying the home fans were friendly, but there wasn’t any bad feeling.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The stadium actually doesn’t look overly impressive approaching it. The North Stand structure looks very bizarre on walking to the ground with the roof structure looking a bit out of place. Approaching the ground from White Hart Lane station it isn’t clearly visible and you basically walk the length of the West Stand to get into the away end. We opted for the upper tier tickets and the view from this section was fantastic, well worth the extra £5. We were in the closest block to the West Stand so looking straight ahead was looking into the South Stand. The whole stadium has a great look but isn’t like a typical new stadium bowl which is a good thing. Every side you look at has something different about it and is very impressive. One of the nicest stadiums on the inside I have been to! The upper tier does feel very steep but the view is excellent. One thing I found very odd was the lack of segregation in the stadium, it was literally a small wall between home and away fans on both sides with very few stewards, this must be different for high profile games.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The atmosphere I thought would have been better with a bit more banter from the home fans. I know QPR aren’t a big London derby now for Spurs but the home fans were a bit too quiet. The QPR fans were in good voice and quite rightly singing over and over about our 1-0 victory over Chelsea (which some South Stand Spurs fans applauded). I went for the pie and beer deal for £6.50 and the balti pie was very good and the Carlsberg was freezing cold which was a nice surprise and there was no queue either. The toilets were ‘a bit slippery under foot’ at half-time. The stewards were fine in the upper tier but I heard they didn’t control things very well in the lower tier and a lot of our fans were stood in the gangways.
As for the match – this to be fair was a Spurs masterclass! Just had to sit back and accept that man for man Spurs had such quality and were playing some amazing football. We were disappointed with how QPR started the game and we were 2-0 down at half-time. A couple of changes and formation at half time and we scored early on giving Spurs a scare. With 20 minutes left Gareth Bale scored a stunning goal with some brilliant link up play with Van der Vart. It ended 3-1 to Spurs but we were proud with how Rangers fought back and didn’t lay down and die.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We stayed to applaud the Rangers players and it took ten minutes to get outside. The fans were all mixing and didn’t see any problems. We walked back down the delightful Tottenham High Road to get back to White Hart Lane station. When we arrived at the station the queue seemed never ending and we thought we would be there forever. We walked back up to the road (White Hart Lane) which is the road the station entrance is on. A tip for fans doing this in future – cut down Whitehall Street as you will approach the back of the queue this way, instead of walking all the way around and past the entire queue. It took 45 minutes to get back to Liverpool Street where we grabbed a Samosa and cold drink to keep us going! (as we were wasting away!). The whole journey from Hillingdon to White Hart Lane return cost only £4.50 due to not swiping oyster cards on the overground which was a touch…I arranged for my lovely wife to meet me at West Harrow around 8.15pm and said goodbye to the boys who continued back to Hillingdon.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Definitely a stadium worth visiting and it was one of the best internally I have seen. I can see why Spurs want to move away from White Hart Lane though as they need a bigger stadium. Tottenham is a horrible place and I think we made the right call not looking for a pub before the game. If it was a normal Saturday kick-off we would have given ourselves more time for a beer at Liverpool Street. Disappointed with how QPR started the game but pleased we fought back and made a good game of it and our fans were excellent once again. The travelling time to London grounds makes the day feel so much longer than it should be, over 2 hours from North East London to North West London is ridiculous – I did Doncaster to Hillingdon in just two hours 2 seasons ago (with speed restrictions on the M1)…crazy! Onto Stoke away in a few weeks…