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White Hart Lane

Official Review by Rob Campion, Stadium Journey Guest Correspondent

White Hart Lane has been home to Tottenham Hotspur Football Club since 1899 having previously played games on Tottenham Marshes and at Northumberland Park. The land was previously a disused nursery owned by the brewery chain Charringtons.

Spurs, as they are more commonly known, were founded in 1882 as Hotspur FC before changing their name to the current title two years later. They were elected to the Football League in 1908 having previously been members of the short lived Southern Alliance (1892/93) and Southern League (1896-1908).

At present, the capacity of the stadium is too small for Spurs, but following an unsuccessful bid to take over the 2012 Olympic Stadium, they have plans to redevelop the present site and build a stadium that would hold in the region of 56,250 spectators. More details can be found on the club's official website.

Food & Beverage    2

The food and drink options inside and in the vicinity of the ground was of the standard fare found at football grounds in this country - burgers, pies, hot dogs, beer, etc. A meal deal inside the stadium costs between £5 -£7. Also available were tea, coffee, soft drinks, sweets and crisps. For the Americans reading this the latter two mean candy and potato chips. We ate at one of the stalls immediately outside the stadium and a hot dog cost £3. For a more varied choice there is plenty of choice along Tottenham High Road to the south of the stadium.

Atmosphere    3

I was not overly impressed with the stadium and it had the appearance of an average medium sized stadium. It is easy to see why Spurs want to build a new stadium or develop White Hart Lane itself. The view and sightlines we had from the upper tier in the South Stand were excellent and you did not feel that you are too far away from the action on the field. It was only the East Stand that had two supporting pillars which would restrict the view slightly. The stadium was pretty much full for this FA Cup tie and the atmosphere inside the ground was friendly, but if Spurs played one of their London rivals I would imagine it would be a lot more interesting as it were.

Neighborhood    2

The area between Seven Sisters tube station along Tottenham High Road is very cosmopolitan and multi-cultural. There are plenty of small businesses ranging from numerous fast-food joints to supermarkets.

Obviously with this being London all the main tourist attractions and hotels are within easy reach from either Seven Sisters tube station or White Hart Lane railway station.

Fans    3

Probably due to the opposition with the two sides (Spurs and Cheltenham) having never played each other before, the atmosphere before and during the game was very friendly. Fans mixed freely and despite there being a police presence it was very low key and they were mainly directing and assisting the visiting supporters.

Access    3

Parking around the stadium on match days is both difficult and expensive due to a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) being in operation. Your best bet to get to White Hart Lane is by public transport, whether it be overland rail, tube and / or bus. White Hart Lane rail station is the closest to the ground and is served by trains from Liverpool Street. The nearest tube station is Seven Sisters and only three stops from Kings Cross on the Victoria Line, and from there it is around a 30 minute walk. Another option is Wood Green tube station on the Piccadilly Line and from there the W3 bus stops at the previously mentioned railway station.

The Transport for London website is an excellent source of information for travelling around the capital and can be accessed here: TFL

Return on Investment    4

Tickets for the game I attended only cost £20 due to the opposition, as Cheltenham at the time of writing play three divisions below Spurs. For league matches Spurs have three categories of prices (A, B and C) depending on their opponents. The cheapest tickets for category C games for the 2011/12 season are £31. A footnote is due to the capacity of the stadium and with Tottenham doing well for the 2011-2012 season, tickets for the general, casual fan are not that easy to get hold of.

Extras    3

Behind both goals are two large screens which show replays of any important action when there is a break in play and at both half and full time. The club offer Stadium Tours and the prices are as follows: Adult £16; Under-16's £9; Senior Citizen £11 and a Family Ticket (2 adults + 2 children) costs £42.


*Rob Campion chronicles his experiences traveling through English football at All Roads Lead Somewhere.

**Lead photo attributed to Forthevline of Wikimedia Commons

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