Tottenham Hotspur has been boosted by positive feedback from fans after the first major test event for its new stadium was held yesterday (Sunday).
The English Premier League football club welcomed 6,000 of its season ticket holders to a specially-arranged ‘fan familiarisation’ event at the heavily-delayed stadium. Those attending had been selected via a ballot and were given the chance to explore the South Stand at the 62,062-seat venue.
Fans entered the stadium via Park Lane Square, the entry-level podium at the south of the stadium, and helped Spurs test its new security procedures, including bag policy, and the new Stadium Access Cards.
Supporters were able to sample the array of food and drink options available within The Market Place, including having a drink at the The Goal Line Bar – Europe’s longest bar – or visit the Beavertown Tottenham Tap Room, where the club’s own microbrewery is based. Tottenham also staged an example of the entertainment that will be on offer to fans on matchdays for up to two hours after a game has finished.
Supporters were also able to set foot in the 17,500-seat South Stand, visit the new Spurs Shop at the Tottenham Experience – the largest football club store in Europe – and take a look at the new ticket office located to the north of the stadium.
Peter Carr, chairman of SpursAbility, told the club’s official website: “It’s just fantastic. The stadium as a whole, the atmosphere is fabulous. It’s so much better than any other stadium I’ve been to in this country or around the world.
“I’ve been out there (in the bowl) and you can’t really describe it. There were some of the guys doing one of the chants and the noise even with just a few guys singing was immense, so imagine what it’s going to be like when the place is full! It’s going to be fabulous.”
Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust wrote on Twitter: “Hugely positive day at the South Stand familiarisation event. Congrats, Spurs. You’ve created a stadium that’s surpassed anything we’d ever imagined. Cannot wait to come home.”
Spurs said further events will be held in due course as uncertainty continues to surround an opening date for a stadium that was originally due to stage its first match in mid-September. Last week, Tottenham confirmed that its home match against Manchester United on January 13 will take place at Wembley.
Tottenham had already confirmed that its remaining home games in 2018 would be played at Wembley while work on the new ground continues. It had initially been hoped that the new stadium would open with the United game on January 13, but the club said that the match will come too soon.
The club was last month given permission to continue playing at Wembley – albeit at a reduced capacity. The Premier League match against Chelsea on November 24 was played at Wembley’s full capacity of 90,000, but thereafter the stadium will be capped at 51,000 unless otherwise advised.
Image: Tottenham Hotspur
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