White Hart Lane, a ground of character and excitement in 1974.....
Installation of dividing barriers, along with continual ejection or arrest of the hardcore fans, eventually caused its denizens to abandon the traditional vocal terrace: the Park Lane, far end, moving to the near end The Paxton, which soon went the same way with new barriers (and no partial roof coverage to amplify the sound). Finally the main Spurs choir joined ranks with the long-time core on The Shelf (in the Stand on left of picture far end, elevated level of lower tier). With one of the best sight lines of any English terrace, plus coverage from the tier above to boost the volume, The Shelf was the only terrace large enough to accommodate the entire singing faithful (but no TV visibility from the cameras on the crow's nest, located between the two tiers of the East Stand, left side of photo, middle).
The Park Lane End holds its place in the history of THFC support as the original home of Tottenham Hotspur's singing contingent, even though some of the chants and songs from the late 60s and 70s would be too inciting by today's standards.
CFC's attempt to take the Park Lane in the late 60's caused mayhem. Players looked on in bewilderment as the terrace battle spilled onto the pitch, causing the ref to temporarily stop the match. This heralded a rabid rivalry between Tottenham's terrace army and Chelsea's notorious Shed. (Back in 1906 a Tottenham v Aston Villa cup tie had to be abandoned after spectators swarmed onto the pitch at the interval.)
A popular anti-CFC song was set to the laughable TV advertisement I'd like to buy the world a Coke, borrowed from the original song I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing by the Hillside Singers: "I'd like to buy a ball and chain, and fill it up wiv led, and when I saw a Chelsea fan I'd wrap it round his 'ed."
The season pictured above,1973-4, was also the season that saw Tottenham clash with Feyenoord at a European fixture in Rotterdam, Holland. Click the link to see Dutch police charging at Tottenham supporters inside the ground.
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Ten years later in 84 in Anderlecht for the UEFA Cup Final First Leg, a Spurs fan was shot and killed by a bar owner, who misidentified him as one of a group who left without paying their bill.
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