Old White Hart Lane

[Sussex Nomad]

Beautiful photos.
My home town club and used to go regularly when I was young until the family moved down to Brighton and I started to go the goldstone.
Never forget the 9-0 win against Bristol rovers.

Still think the ground is an absolute shit to get too, and with 20k more and no transport infrastructure included, it can only get worse.

This is the 9-0 v Bristol Rovers, then we had Rovers at home one or two weeks later expecting a goal fest... 0-0!!!

 

[Triggaaar]

i went one year and went in with the spurs firm in the side terrace next to the away pen as a" guest "

Typical prawn sandwich brigade.

 

[Brovion]

Like others I had a bit of a soft spot for the 'old old' (i.e. pre-Taylor) WHL; It was easily my favourite old-style ground. I went there twice with Brighton, and several times as a sort of Spurs fan when I was working in North London. I say 'sort of', the people I was working with were all Spurs fans and they were decent sorts, so it seemed rude not to clap politely when Spurs scored.

 

[Peter Grummit]

Some good memories, especially the 1-0 win in 81 against a Spurs team including Hoddle, Crooks, Archibald, Ardiles, Clemence and some fullback called Hughton.

My first ever top flight game was watching Spurs destroyed by Stan Bowles' QPR, the season they were relegated (76/77?).

Hopefully, we will get to play at the new ground in 2 seasons time...

PG

 

[N17]

Still think the ground is an absolute shit to get too, and with 20k more and no transport infrastructure included, it can only get worse.

This is the 9-0 v Bristol Rovers, then we had Rovers at home one or two weeks later expecting a goal fest... 0-0!!!

22 mins from Liverpool Street to WHL & a 5 min walk. No that difficult really.

They are supposedly putting (at least trying to) in a walkway direct from WHL station to the new ground although not sure what stage (if any) the planning applications etc are at.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Used to go to the London grounds when the Albion were ' up North ' WHL was always a sizzling atmosphere. Used to stand in the Park Lane End. So tightly packed that your feet hardly ever touched the ground. Spurs old timers used to tell me that nothing before or since has ever matched the European Cup Semi Final v Benfica 2nd leg ( 1962 ). Spurs lost the away tie 3-1 and had two perfectly good goals disallowed. Over 60,000 packed into WHL that night with thousands locked out. Spurs went a goal down early on and then had another perfectly good goal disallowed. They then battered Benfica, with non stop attacking for the rest of the game but the gods ( and the officials ) were against them. They hit the woodwork, had shots cleared off the line and eventually, could only claw back two goals, to lose 4-3 on aggregate. Benfica went on to beat Real Madrid in the final and Tottenham would have done the same. Those I know who were there say that you could only be there to describe it. It was a mixture of spine tingling bedlam, frenzy and hysteria, with grown men, women and children screaming and crying in equal measure.
In 1971, the script was written. Arsenal had to get a result at WHL, in the final game of the season, to win the title and go for the double. I was at school and through that morning, boys slipped away, feigning sickness or just absenting themselves. People started queuing in the morning for an evening kick-off ( pay on the day then! )We heard reports that 150-200,000 were expected to turn up. Some us ( myself included ) pulled out of going, fearing mayhem. Fourteen boys eventually travelled, all leaving school before Midday. Three got in!!!
I watched Greaves and Gilzean, Mullery and Peters, Jennings and England. I watched Best and Law and Charlton and Keegan and Clemence and Charlie George and Bobby Moore and many more. Whatever the new ground brings ( and for £800m ) its gonna have to be something special, it will struggle to recapture that atmosphere that WHL had, particularly for evening games. It rocked and it sizzled. It intimidated and it excited. It was similar to Upton Park. It made the hairs on the back of yer neck stand on end.

 

[N17]

Used to go to the London grounds when the Albion were ' up North ' WHL was always a sizzling atmosphere. Used to stand in the Park Lane End. So tightly packed that your feet hardly ever touched the ground. Spurs old timers used to tell me that nothing before or since has ever matched the European Cup Semi Final v Benfica 2nd leg ( 1962 ). Spurs lost the away tie 3-1 and had two perfectly good goals disallowed. Over 60,000 packed into WHL that night with thousands locked out. Spurs went a goal down early on and then had another perfectly good goal disallowed. They then battered Benfica, with non stop attacking for the rest of the game but the gods ( and the officials ) were against them. They hit the woodwork, had shots cleared off the line and eventually, could only claw back two goals, to lose 4-3 on aggregate. Benfica went on to beat Real Madrid in the final and Tottenham would have done the same. Those I know who were there say that you could only be there to describe it. It was a mixture of spine tingling bedlam, frenzy and hysteria, with grown men, women and children screaming and crying in equal measure.
In 1971, the script was written. Arsenal had to get a result at WHL, in the final game of the season, to win the title and go for the double. I was at school and through that morning, boys slipped away, feigning sickness or just absenting themselves. People started queuing in the morning for an evening kick-off ( pay on the day then! )We heard reports that 150-200,000 were expected to turn up. Some us ( myself included ) pulled out of going, fearing mayhem. Fourteen boys eventually travelled, all leaving school before Midday. Three got in!!!
I watched Greaves and Gilzean, Mullery and Peters, Jennings and England. I watched Best and Law and Charlton and Keegan and Clemence and Charlie George and Bobby Moore and many more. Whatever the new ground brings ( and for £800m ) its gonna have to be something special, it will struggle to recapture that atmosphere that WHL had, particularly for evening games. It rocked and it sizzled. It intimidated and it excited. It was similar to Upton Park. It made the hairs on the back of yer neck stand on end.

Nice post. Apart from the Upton park bit ;-)

1984 was special & since the ground was gentrified (if you could ever call WHL that!) the 5-1 vs Woolwich (League Cup semi) & 3-1 vs Inter (CL group stage) were brilliant atmospheres. The last two home games have been amazing, particularly Man U on Sun.

 

[SK1NT]

Saw Brighton play here in 2005 (can't believe it was that long ago) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/4139357.stm I use to be a Spurs season ticket holder however was in the Brighton end for this game, which felt odd)

Great game. Keane had to score a great goal to win it.

Will really miss WHL however it really is looking rundown outside and in. Some happy memories there for me however onward and upward. I still love the withdean. I'm weird like that, i like the old unloved grounds more than the new and shiny.

 

[The red pepper kid]

Terrible last away day there in the cup with like a 12hour round coach trip

lk

no was good only a moment of brilliance from Robbie keane stopped them having a replay at the withdean

 

[BN9 BHA]

no was good only a moment of brilliance from Robbie keane stopped them having a replay at the withdean

Different match, Wrong- Direction means the League Cup match when the traffic was chaos, I missed kick off.
The game where Keane scored was the FA Cup game in 2005, details in post above yours.

 

[theboybilly]

I thought he atmosphere for the NLD was off the charts but Sunday was absolutely amazing. So glad to have been a part of it and to see the old girl off in such a brilliant manner. It was both a joyous and emotional occasion. Loved it.

Been going since the very early 70s and have amazing memories - who can ever forget that night in 1984!

The New WHL may well be the best stadium in the UK once completed but the old place was special.

I think the 'there is nowhere for away fans to drink at WHL' thing is a bit of a myth. I can think of 3 pubs within a 5-10 min walk that accepted away fans.

You have a nice real ale pub along one of the back streets towards Bruce Grove that will be rammed on a Saturday. The only other place,an away fan would be welcome is the Irish Community Club which isn't all that. There used to be loads of places to have a drink without hassle near WHL but that is far from the case now. The best thing is to drink in town and head to WHL from Liverpool Street. It seems they are upgrading the station to accomodate the bigger crowds too. WHL used to be a very good away day. I'm looking forward to it being so again

 

[Albion my Albion]

Wusses compared to some.
View attachment 85425

I believe that is the workmen taking a break during the construction of the Empire State Building in New York City. (circa 1933)

 

[Is it PotG?]

I believe that is the workmen taking a break during the construction of the Empire State Building in New York City. (circa 1933)

It is

 

[Albion my Albion]

I really liked White Hart lane, been a number of times over the years, sad to see it go. And who can forget Chippy's superb free kick in the 2005 FA Cup?

They are wasting no time tearing it down....

https://twitter.com/itvlondon/status/864128423060525060

Schedules! Man, schedules!

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Went there for a ground tour when Margaret Sanderson organised a trip for the Junior Seagulls circa 1990. Amazed by how much the pitch sloped away on all sides from the centre - you couldn't see the far touch line from ground level at the players' tunnel. Kids got Paul Walsh's autograph - he was there on some disciplinary hearing! Did trophy room etc. Looked pretty damgerous at the front of the upper tier - not much of a wall stopping you from going over the edge.
Will they ever recreate the memories of the old ground, especially the early 60s.

 

[wigman]

Great memories of our one nil win there ( Michael Robinson ) back in 81.
That was some walk down the High Road post match.

 

[AnotherArch]

Used to go to the London grounds when the Albion were ' up North ' WHL was always a sizzling atmosphere.

That was me for a couple of years in the early sixties until I could get further round the country to see the Albion.
In those days for us paddling about in Divisions 3 and 4, the First Division seemed like another planet.
My first visit to WHL was Spurs v Liverpool on an Easter Monday. Spurs won 7-2 with Greaves scoring 4.
The pitch looked like rolled mud with some grass scattered on it. The most notable thing was how they used all the pitch, playing right up to the touchline, whereas the (comparative) hoofers in the lower leagues were more direct and inaccurate with their passing.
Tottenham, like West Ham, had very 'shallow' goals where the back stanchions were only what seemed like 3 feet behind the posts.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Amazing how quickly the old place has disappeared (bearing in mind they played their last game there, what, six weeks ago?). New stadium is going to be hugely impressive. Hope we're still in the Premier League to get a trip up there.

 

[whitelion]

Amazing how quickly the old place has disappeared (bearing in mind they played their last game there, what, six weeks ago?). New stadium is going to be hugely impressive. Hope we're still in the Premier League to get a trip up there.

Looking good and progress going seemingly well.

I'd still be amazed that football will be played in fourteen months time there.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Looking good and progress going seemingly well.

I'd still be amazed that football will be played in fourteen months time there.

I think Levy has already made noises to the effect that the timeline has slipped somewhat. Presumably they have a contingency, though from the point of view of flogging season tickets etc, they must be desperate for it to be on time.

Wonder what their ticket prices will be like