January 10 – It was initially hoped to be ready last September but the waiting goes on after a series of delays. Tottenham Hotspur say their state-of-the-art new stadium may not be ready until at least March, possibly only being able to stage the final five home league games of the season.
Thousands of Tottenham fans have been eagerly awaiting the move to the new ground with the team continuing to use the national stadium at Wembley as a temporary home in the meantime.
Supporters hoped that next month’s mouth-watering Champions League tie against Borussia Dortmund might be held at the new ground but those hopes have been dashed with that game also to be played at Wembley while safety work is finalised and test games are held.
The club are keen for the grand opening to run smoothly with media reports suggesting the league game against Crystal Palace on March 16 could be the first at the new ground although that would clash with a potential FA Cup quarter-final.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy once again apologised to fans and thanked them for their “continued patience” but although on the pitch the club are flying high, in terms of public relations the situation has been anything but positive.
The club took their latest decision after an update from contractors. The new ground, which will also host NFL games, has a capacity of 62,062 and is located on the site of their old White Hart Lane home.
In December, several thousand season ticket-holders visited the stadium for a familiarisation event. The response was one of overwhelming support and excitement but that has only made the ongoing delays even more frustrating.
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