Tottenham Hotspur: The New Stadium

Finally meat has been put on the bones. In other words we’ve got a date for the eventual and much talked about new modern Spurs stadium. That is a 58,000 seater (depending on what you read, as the seating capacity changes) to compete with the top clubs of Europe. At the moment Spurs has one of the smallest seater stadiums out of all the top 20 clubs in Europe. It is estimated that the new stadium should be ready either by 2017 or 18.

When it was announced it was also stated that Spurs made a profit of £1.5m in their latest financial results. So it is looking on the up on two fronts, while Spurs (the team) are faltering and squirming on the football front. Was there a psychological or hidden message from Levy’s announcement timing, something like; “if you, the fans, are annoyed at such useless performances on the field, well then that is because we don’t have the financial flow to give us the squad our managers’ have wanted to put in front of you and challenge for honours. This new stadium will transform us into a giant contender for World, European and national glory. So accept the shit now and tomorrow (2017) you’ll get silk quality”. Or words to that affect. You never know the mind set of some of those directors. Plotting their under fire position with waffle and mind games. If not, then just put it down to the overactive machinations of this author.

So, where were we? Oh yes, the new stadium. So Levy expects to increase Spurs revenues, therefore enabling us to compete with the top teams of Europe. Not forgetting the extra bonuses the directors and shareholders will make as well (so the glory, glory days and riches all-around then). But we mustn’t be too petty if we are to become that team that Levy imagines and wishes us to become.

One slight hitch I must report here (not trying to put you off your tea or entertaining your partner with champagne suppers on this good news event) but there is one little matter of compulsory purchases of those business who won’t do the jolly sporting thing and fall on their own livelihood and give up their land for the greater good. Once that has been achieved, and it will be achieved, then the future will be bright for all. Otherwise Tottenham Hotspur will be off gracing other venues in other counties while North London flounders and wallows in their own rioting and troubles; in other words no new completion of Urbanisation for the citizens of North London.

While the stadium is being built there are talks, depending on what paper you read, that we might ground share with anybody from Milton Keynes Dons to Wembley stadium. I originally read that three quarters of the stadium will be built while the current ground is being used, then everybody shifts to the three-sided new stadium and then the old one is pulled down so the fourth side can be completed. No doubt stories will come and go until we actually get something more concrete.

But it does look like we are on the up where the new stadium is concerned. And I do believe we could compete with the other top clubs at the highest level. But Levy and Co must get their act together where finding the right manager is concerned and giving him a chance. Otherwise we’ll have a lot more money to waste with quick fixes and even quicker failures and still nothing to show for it.

According to Levy there is a 47,000 odd waiting list for Season tickets. Levy said that we constantly sell out the stadium. Even though I’ve been to every home game and witnessed anything from large chunks of empty seats to a few spare seats against one of the top drawing teams. Nevertheless, if he is correct and I and others are gradually going blind then a 58,000 seater stadium is too small. Forty-seven thousand waiting list and 35,000 seater equals 82,000 seater. It is more likely that somebody is massaging the figures with a combination of wishful thinking to give a good propaganda selling point.

One thing that fascinates me about this 47,000 waiting list is where are they or what are they waiting for? The first games of this season at White Hart Lane hovered around anything from 36,000 mark and lower (with blank seats spotted here and there). However, our first Europa match against Tromso we dropped 10,000 to 26,581; those Europa league match figures continued to go from roughly 23,000 to 34,000. So those die-hard fans on the waiting list are waiting for what exactly? I would have thought with such a big waiting list all seats would have been gobbled up because of the supporters love and hunger for a game.

I also have no doubt that the seating prices and seasons tickets will sky rocket and that will push out those that are currently struggling to pay for their beloved season tickets, or gate prices, and hopefully (from a directors/ owners point of view) put a more lavish and more affluent customer in his or her place. A new Stadium and a richer clientele will mean more money to attract the really top egotistically, overbearing, self-important footballers to come to White Hart Lane, and not forgetting that the board’s directors’ shares will increase two-fold. No doubt those (as in exclusive) directors with any conscience for the not so well off fan will probably be thinking “at least they’ve got their Sky or BT channels while they swig their beers in the comfort of their own homes or down the pubs, if they want to watch our magnificent Spurs”.

Anyway, enjoy that new vision, as that is all it will be for some; just a vision. For those that can afford those extravagant prices, that such resplendent stadiums bring, this will just go alongside their fox hunting, badger russling, sex parties and idleness, I would imagine.

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