Memories of the Lane

So Wembley it is!
Just two more games to go at the ground I love and have been going to since 1981.
There are many of us who have brilliant personal and football memories at the Lane so thought we could take a trip down memory lane and share them.
I am going to share four for now:

1) September 1981 v Everton and we won 3 nil...my first trip to WHL as a 14 yr old. I went up with a spurs mate from where we lived in Thamesmead.
Got off at Seven Sisters and walked down to the ground. Was during the days when you got there early to get a good standing place and there was a decent atmosphere for about 30 or 40 mins before the game started.
We went in the ground when the gates opened (in my head it was 1pm but may have been 1.30pm).
On the way home we walked up to where there was an old Job Centre opposite a chippie. We bought chips and sat on the job centre chips listening to the match reports on the radio and chat about the match. Over the next 2 years we did this before and after every match we went to.

2) September 2004 v Norwich 0-0
The first time I got to take my eldest daughter (then 7 yrs old) to her first ever match. Boring match but she loved it.

3) August 2006 v Sheffield United won 2-0
The first time I got to take my youngest girl (then 4 yrs old) to a match. Was brilliant to have both my girls at a match.

4) November 12th 2008 v Liverpool in carling cup won 4-2
I had a son who died (before I was with Mrs RCL and before my lovely girls came along) on 13th November 1994.
It took me many years to find peace in my head about his death. By 2008 I was pretty much there and (as odd as this sounds) going to this match just a matter of hours before the anniversary of his death made me feel like I got to take my son to a match. This isn't meant to be self pitying but it was genuinely a great feeling. The bizarre bit is that I have a tree planted in his memory in Greenwich Park right next to a bench and every year on the anniversary I go and sit there to remember him. So the following day I was on the bench drinking coffee and reading the match report ... Unfortunately it was raining so I looked like a serious care in the community job

 

From 1970-75 as a lad I generally stood over the old tunnel with the 2 sisters who brought the Spurs banner draped over it. Occasionally - generally the evening European games - would get a seat!

There are so many great memories from those days, but will highlight one that may not be anyone else's list.....

The Leeds game in 74/75 season when a 4-2 win kept us in the 1st Division. With ex-Gooner Terry Neill managing us, the atmosphere that night was electric and only grew and grew as Cyril hit a brilliant free kick after 5 minutes and when the final whistle blew, it was as if we had won the league as the fans poured onto the pitch. (Much like it will be in a few weeks time )
http://www.espnfc.com/story/1302550/rewind-to-1975-spurs-beat-leeds-stay-up

Strange to celebrate the avoidance of relegation when there were so many nights of glory, but it was a special occasion in the true Spurs tradition!

 

The 50,000 in 1978 for the Div 2 game against Bolton.
The 1978 home game against Hull.

Queueing at 12pm to get in for big games that had a 3pm KO.

Walking past the ground twice a day when I worked on a milk round
as a kid in school hols in 1977 at the Unigate depot in Hampden Lane.

Looking out my bedroom window from 1970 to 1981, and always
being able to see both WHL and a section of pitch between the gap
in the Paxton and East stands.

I cannot think of a more significant major building in my life during my
formative years. And I am now peeling onions a bit thinking that it
will soon be torn to the ground.

 

Great thread and post, RCL.

At 27 I wish I was older so I could have witnessed some of the other superb moments The Lane has afforded us but I've been fortunate to still experience a good few.

November 2000 - 3-0 vs Leicester. My first ever game at The Lane, Sir Les scored a hat trick as we won 3-0, fair to say it was a brilliant first time.

October 2007 - 4-4 vs Villa. Our 125th anniversary game. Villa ended up being 4-1 until a Spurs fight back that saw Kaboul equalise deep into stoppage time. Although only a draw, it was an incredible match and one befitting of such a big occasion.

January 2008 - 5-1 vs Arsenal. Jenas ran the show, as he often did when we played Arsenal. Electric atmosphere and it was followed nicely by the cup final win against Chelsea at the newly built Wembley (our last win there in a domestic competition!).

November 2009 - 9-1 vs Wigan. Doubt I'll ever see Spurs hit that number in a competitive match ever again.

April 2010 - 2-1 vs Arsenal. DANNY ROSE, ON HIS PREMIER LEAGUE DEBUT! I was sitting right next to the scum that game, my god did I let them know they just experienced a wonder strike .

 

The 125 match was truely incredible...was so lucky to get a ticket to that match.
Was working with a gooner at the time who, the morning after, asked me "wouldn't you prefer to have won 1 nil?"
So glad I am a spur

 

Spurs 9 - 0 Bristol Rovers - There were only 26,000 odd there that day. For reasons I can't remember I stood on The Paxton Road where we scored six in the second half. I remember shouting "We want ten" but we just ran out of time. Everyone was laughing and nobody could believe that the Match of the Day cameras were there to record it.

Not many people remember that Rovers scored 5 in winning the previous week. We thumped Oldham by five around that time.

A big difference from the other really memorable day which drew the same sized crowd. The last game of 76/77 at home to Leicester. We were already down in last place. You had to be really committed to be there although it was a lovely summer day and we played pretty well, winning 2-0. At the end there was a pitch invasion and the players and Keith Burkinshaw came to the Directors Box and were warmly applauded.There was lots of singing of "We'll be back". All things considered, very accepting of the fact that we needed a rebuild. I am proud that I was there that day.

 

I'm old enough to remember it all. I was only a little kid, but I was there the night we beat Sheffield Weds to clinch the title - over 60,000 crowd.

I got a right hiding off my old man when I finally got home. Wasn't supposed to go because of school. It was worth it though

 

ENJOY, RCL!!
A very young Bale, starting to show what has made him a very special player.....

 

The fact that game was against Villa brings back the first home game after we got promoted in '78. It was the midweek game after we'd drawn at the current champions, Forest, on the Saturday. I was at that game and we'd played really well. Everything seemed set up for glory unrefined. We had Ossie, Ricky, John Lacy....we were the hottest ticket in town.

The Lane was heaving. It was a Hot August Night (thanks, Neil). When the teams walked out it felt like the stadium was going to burst. Everybody had torn newspapers into confetti and ticker tape which was thrown in such amounts that you couldn't see the pitch. It was exactly like the Argentine stadiums from that summer's world cup. Unforgettable. The incredible noise and excitement. Of course, we got gubbed 4-1. However, what a night.....it was the nearest thing to seeing The Clash. I still get chills thinking about it.

 

I was there.
Someone I know had spent DAYS beforehand ripping up newspapers into ticker-tape.
And we got trounced 4-1 !!!

 

I was 10 (1972) when I went to the Lane for the first time - was with my older sister and we stood in the Park Lane end. It was against Stoke and I remember my sister telling me to hold onto the barriers if we scored. I found out why in only the first few minutes John Pratt score at our end and the there was a huge surge of bodies it was brilliant and we won 4-3. My last game before I left England for OZ was October 1974 - the opponents - Arsenal, went with my granddad who was a season ticket holder in the old west stand so for my last game I got to walk through those famous gates up the hundreds of steps (exaggerating a bit!) and watch us beat them 2-0.
The ground will be gone but never our memories.

 

The Clash & Neil Diamond mentioned together. Now that's not something you hear often!!! When we went 4 down did you shout 'Play Me!'

 

Blimey l was there . I worked all summer in Crouch End sweeping floors in a barbers and saved every penny. Went to the Forest game by coach . Arrived late and everyone ended up in the Forest end . Kicked off (l was not evolved and only a schoolboy ) , hot dog stands went flying . Eventually they parted like the Red Sea and let us make our way to the Spurs end .
The Villa game a shattering experience. When the news broke that we had signed the Argies, it was the last few days of summer term , unbelievable . It was like being at the River Plate stadium .
Then away to Man City , Another loss and attacked walking back to coaches parked about a mile away .
Summer funds spent , a family holiday before return to school . In Greece and finding out 3 days later of the thrashing at Liverpool.
Eventually birds and bands became a dominating influence. You weren't going to find any decent crumpet at football . Bowie,
Strummer became my Ossie and Ricky .
Then drifted into the later part of the Blitz scene , doing my own club nights, a few pop videos, worked at the Danceateria in NY.
Eventually you always return to your first love.

( I was at the Bristol Rovers game the year before )
A reflective Sid .

 

Couldn't face the Leicester game , l had a 3 hour travel across London by bus . Child fares had there limitations.
My school chums went and brought me a couple of inches of the pitch .
It was traded for my " Escape from Colditz " game . I could never be bothered to work out the rules .

 

Great thread RCL. My most memorable are good and bad!

I think 2001 when we were 3-0 up v Man U at half time with our new signings Dean Richards and I think Ziege and Ferdinand playing. All the optimism at half time then 45 minutes later back to reality! Saw a masterclass from Beckham that day that turned the game round. Ended up 5-3 to Man U at the end.

Game v Everton where Robbie Keane got a hat trick and we won 4-3

Fa cup game v Man City where we were 3-0 up at half time and they were down to 10 men. I was with a city fan and he was going to go home at half time but just as he was about to leave there was a small cheer from the city fans and I realised they had pulled 1 back right at the start of the second half, so we went back to our seats.
To go on and lose 4-3 really epitomised the word Spursy!

Spurs 3 inter Milan 1 - the best game I have ever been to. Taxi for Maicon! The atmosphere was electric. Just an amazing game and all round performance, especially from Bale. Amazing to witness his performance in the flesh

 

I went in the away end for Forest. My parents' marriage was just about done and my dad decided he'd far rather drive to Nottingham than spend time at home. We didn't have a map or directions but my dad spotted a bloke driving along in a Forest hat. So, we followed him.......all the way to his house. He wasn't going to the game!

By the time we'd found the ground, it was about 10 minutes to kick off. We just got in where we could.

 

Escape from Colditz " game . I could never be bothered to work out the rules .

Run like **** would seem to be a good start!...

 

This!!

 

I'm 24 and therefore a lot of the memories of the older contingent on here are beyond my ken. The Lane is such a special place though. My first match was a 0-0 draw with Southampton that my uncle took me to on my birthday in 2001. We sat in the West stand. I'll never forget it.

My last match will have been the Boro game in Feb which we won 1 - 0. I remember a lovely sunny afternoon drinking outside in the crowds, the walk up and down Seven Sisters. Standing in the South Stand with my cousin who was also at my first game with me. Early in the season to sign off for sure, but a fine way to do so all the same.

I only hope the new stadium matches the feeling of coming home that the Lane has, even though its new and we'll have had a year away. And I really hope we don't sell out and have some sponsor-named stadium.

 

Loudly exclaiming "Motherfucker!" when I saw the StubHub markup for the Watford and Bournemouth games...