Farewell Wembley: Spurs end HA9 season with 9 goal thriller

by Steve Clare, Wembley Stadium

Tottenham Hotspur say farewell to Wembley Stadium today. The club used the national stadium as its home ground while White Hart Lane in North London was undergoing a massive redevelopment. Wembley is in the HA9 zip or post code, technically just outside London in the county of Middlesex.

The season ended with a bang as Spurs beat Leicester City 5-4 in a thrilling game full of shots, chances and schoolboy defending.

Harry Kane and Erik Lamela notched braces for Spurs as did Jaime Vardy for Leicester. Riyad Mahrez in possible his last Leicester game and Kelechi Iheanacho scored Leicester’s other goals, while a Fuchs own goal split Spurs scorers.

Match report to follow

Spurs new stadium may be ready in time for next season but if not, they will play their initial matches away rather than return to Wembley just once more in August.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy released a statement on the morning of the game about Spurs Wembley year, thanking the residents of Wembley and pointing out just how much Spurs had grown during the year, and alluding to their lasting impact in Wembley the HA9 area and the wider Borough of Brent.

“It is you, our supporters, that I want to especially acknowledge for the huge part you have played this season.

“With a capacity nearly three times that of White Hart Lane we welcomed more fans than ever and hopefully gained new ones. You filled Wembley and I doubt there are many teams that could have enjoyed such support throughout the season.

“Around the world we saw our Official Supporters’ Clubs grow to 165. It is always heart-warming to hear about the work so many do for good causes in their locality, among them our Supporters’ Clubs in Texas who came together to support the relief effort following Hurricane Harvey in Houston.

“As a Club, despite the busy time we find ourselves in, we continue to deliver on our commitment to our communities. This season we have done this in Brent too, holding jobs fairs, healthy living initiatives, grassroots coaching and community ticketing.

“I should like to thank all the staff at Wembley, Brent Council, residents and local services for accommodating and supporting us during our season here. We have been made to feel so welcome and it has been our pleasure delivering projects and programmes in the local area, several of which are set to continue.”

(The full statement can be read here.)

Certainly the attendances at Wembley were massive with over 80,000 for matches with Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Juventus and Real Madrid.

Wembley has borne the burden well of being a regular home ground and the local area has enjoyed the benefits. It still has three EFL playoffs, England v Nigeria and the FA Cup Final to come this season before the summer.

One way or another, its season serving as a league ground did not end without a massive noise.