Suggestions on Skyscraper Community that people with premium seats have been told that there will be an email/announcement at 9am tomorrow about the stadium. There has been talk of partial refunds and use of Wembley for one home fixture after the September international break and possibly for the CL fixture that would be scheduled for Sep 18/19, although UEFA might be amenable to us playing that game away.......if there's anything to all of this. This from The Times... Tottenham are planning an announcement to coincide with tomorrow’s publication of next season’s Premier League fixtures, having been told by the League and the FA that they must inform them of their plans by the fixture release date. The Premier League has given Tottenham the right to play their first three games away from home if required, as they have done to West Ham and Liverpool in recent seasons, but given that the club have given up on their new stadium being ready in time for the start of the next campaign they may opt to play at least one of these opening three fixtures at Wembley. Tottenham have secured the right to play several matches at Wembley, but are not planning to disclose the precise number as the timeline of the stadium build remains fluid and they do not want to give any additional leeway to the construction team. The club are hoping to play their fifth match of the season at their new ground, when the Premier League resumes after the first international break on September 15, but are not in a position to guarantee that. Tottenham’s ground and fixture-swapping plans have been endorsed by their Premier League rivals, with the league also willing to waive a rule that clubs must complete all of their home games at the same stadium, because of their willingness to support stadium improvements. Tottenham will be given permission to play away in the third round of the Carabao Cup, and will be able to move a Champions League group game to Wembley if required. Hmmmm. Not the announcement that might have been hoped for......we shall see what tomorrow brings. I wonder who we'll get at Wembley? I don't care who it is but I want another record attendance set.
I'm surprised the Times published this story, rather than sit on it so they could include it in a book they have coming out later this year...
It's still just guess work right now.....the contact with premium seats could be about entry to test events or for a sponsors day or any number of things. It has to be said that those leading the story are those that have stuck both feet in their mouths on previous occasions and lived to regret it. If it's still on track, it might suit the club to have its usual detractors lay it on thick and then do the big reveal that it's on time and show off some previously unreleased information. However, burying such news on the day that the World Cup commences has a ring of authenticity to it.
From Alasdair Gold on football.london... Spurs have always maintained, even this month, that their plans were still pointing towards an August opening. However that was always dependent on no unforeseen circumstances cropping up in such a massive project and it was always going to be very tight. Daniel Levy said back in February at a Supporters’ Trust meeting that the club would likely ask for the opening fixtures of the season to be played away from home. However, there are some suggestions that only the first three games can be requested to be played away from home. That would leave the September 1 weekend before the international break as a potential home fixture. Playing one game at Wembley that weekend would then give Spurs until after the break - so the September 15 weekend - to have the ground finished and even then there could be an away game drawn that weekend. There is a rule that Premier League clubs can only have one home ground during a single season, but a special exception could be made for one or two games if the other clubs agree to it. ...from that, it looks like we might have been relying on playing all fixtures in August, and one in September, away from home and we've been denied doing so for the last one. If that's the case, it's understandable that this has come out of the blue. If we get that 4th game at home, I wonder when we have to choose whether to play it at Wembley? It could be that we pay a retainer for Wembley, as a contingency, and not use it? Alternatively, if we have to play one fixture there, why not play 2 and not mess with the fixture list at all? It's all so confused and as usual with the PL, the paying supporters will be the ones to suffer.
The £15k is by tonight. Sure he'll get there, but can't see it for today. Mind you, his original target was only £1,500. Smashed that.
Looks like the club has agreed a 48 hour extension on the deadline to tell the FA if the ground will be ready in time for next season. So now, we have until Friday. Apparently, other clubs are ok with us playing one "home" game at Wembley. Talk about cutting it fine!
I don't really see why other clubs would care, to be honest. I know it's a rule and they might object to exceptions to any rule being made, but I'm not sure why it would be an issue other than that.
So, these are the opening fixtures.... Newcastle (A) Fulham (H) Utd (A) Watford (A) Int Break Liverpool (H) Surely, reversing the Fulham fixture is possible? I know there's a potential policing resource issue but it's not a large stadium and with some juggling? Would Fulham go for it? There's NFL tensions about Wembley. If the game's played there, Sky will televise it to concentrate on potential hostilities.
Back to Wembley....[from the OS]... please log in to view this image FIXTURES UPDATE FOR SUPPORTERS Posted on 14 June 2018 - 09:05 Following the release of the fixtures for Season 2018/19 we are delighted to announce that we shall play our first home game at our new stadium on the weekend of 15/16 September 2018 against Liverpool. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Following the release of the fixtures for Season 2018/19 we are delighted to announce that we shall play our first home game at our new stadium on the weekend of 15/16 September 2018 against Liverpool. As you will note there is a home fixture scheduled for the weekend of 18/19 August 2018 and this match will be played as a home fixture at Wembley Stadium. It was always our intention to seek permission to play the first few games away. In discussions with our Coaching staff the preference was to break what would otherwise have been a continuous run of away games with one game at what was effectively our 'home' stadium last season. Please see details below for season ticket holders and premium members in respect of tickets for this match.
Further from the OS.... "As you will note there is a home fixture scheduled for the weekend of 18/19 August 2018 and this match will be played as a home fixture at Wembley Stadium. It was always our intention to seek permission to play the first few games away. In discussions with our Coaching staff the preference was to break what would otherwise have been a continuous run of away games with one game at what was effectively our 'home' stadium last season. Please see details below for season ticket holders and premium members in respect of tickets for this match." The dates of the test events: 5 August – Operational test event at new stadium 18/19 August – Operational test event at new stadium 25/26 August – Operational test event at new stadium 1/2 September – Operational test event at new stadium The match against Watford was also meant to be a home match but Watford agreed to reverse the fixture. "As one match of the new season will be played at Wembley – on the weekend of 18/19 August against Fulham – all those who have purchased season tickets at the new stadium, or who purchase in the coming weeks, will be credited 1/19th of the price you have paid for your 2018/19 season ticket. This process will be carried out automatically and requires no action from supporters. Credit amounts will be placed into your eticket account and you will be able to access these funds to purchase a ticket for the match at Wembley or hold these funds in your account for future ticket purchases."
That's great news - not specifically about Wembley lol - but confirms new stadium on track and the rationale for AHA sequence before International break is sensible. Open the stadium with a win against the the Mousers - LOVELY!!
Play Chelsea at home and the Goons away consecutively in late Nov/Early Dec and the reverse in Feb/Mar. Big couple of weeks! August 11: Newcastle United (a) 18: Fulham (h) 25: Manchester United (a) September 01: Watford (a) 15: Liverpool (h) 22: Brighton (a) 29: Huddersfield (a) October 06: Cardiff (h) 20: West Ham (a) 27: Manchester City (h) November 03: Wolves (a) 10: Crystal Palace (a) 24: Chelsea (h) December 01: Arsenal (a) 05: Southampton (h) 08: Leicester (a) 15: Burnley (h) 22: Everton (a) 26: Bournemouth (h) 29: Wolves (h) January 01: Cardiff (a) 12: Manchester United (h) 19: Fulham (a) 30: Watford (h) February 02: Newcastle (h) 09: Leicester (h) 23: Burnley (a) 27: Chelsea (a) March 02: Arsenal (h) 09: Southampton (a) 16: Crystal Palace (h) 30: Liverpool (a) April 06: Brighton (h) 13: Huddersfield (h) 20: Manchester City (a) 27: West Ham (h) May 04: Bournemouth (a) 12: Everton (h)
Just a new set of challenges to be faced and overcome. And come May another big addition to the credit side of the Spurs hater bitter balance sheet.
Take it as a sign of fear. Nobody posts this stuff about Everton or Palace or The Spammers. We've done the impossible and regularly finished above all the bigger money clubs with half of their money.....Last season Liverpool, Chelsea and The Gooners. The season before Citeh, Liverpool, The Gooners and United all well below us and they ****ing hate it. Now we've got money...............
"How dare they gatecrash the upper tier of the Premier League with their sensible spending, smart recruitment and playing attacking football!!!"
