Glory, Glory Lane is the life-affirming history - including a momentous last season - of a world-famous football stadium, home to Tottenham Hotspur for 118 years. A Victorian structure turned wraparound 21st-century all-seater, it became a theatre of dreams for supporters all attracted by teams which played the 'Spurs way' to achieve glory. The Lane gave a stage to a conveyor belt of legends from Cameron to Alli via Nicholson, Blanchflower, Greaves, Hoddle and Klinsmann. It provided unforgettable memories in unforgettable atmospheres - heart-lifting, heart-breaking, nerve-racking. Its story veers from founders obsessed by Harry Hotspur to Harry Kane via Harry Redknapp; through matches, personalities, ground developments and threatened closure, all with first-hand accounts. It's hard to imagine how a new £750m stadium can ever replace the edifice which shut its gates for the last time after Spurs played Manchester United in May 2017, having created a daunting legacy.
Review: This book, written by sports journalist and Tottenham Hotspur fan Mike Donovan, is a testament to Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and its famous ground, White Hart Lane. The club, founded in 1882, moved to the ground, the site of former nursery land behind the White Hart pub, at the start of the 1899-1900 season. The last match there was played at the end of the 2016-2017 season before the stadium was demolished to make way for the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The club played their home matches at Wembley Stadium until the completion of the new stadium, moving into their new home towards the end of the 2018-2019 season.
The book covers the formative years of this famous football club and its early grounds at Tottenham Marshes and Northumberland Park before moving to the ground that was to be its home for 118 years. There was extensive development of the ground during the early part of the 20th century, following the club's admission to the Football League. The club secured the services of the renowned stadium architect Archibald Leitch to undertake this work. Further developments took place over the years before the final ball was kicked at White Hart Lane.
The book is a testament to the old stadium and the famous managers and players that have graced it, including such legendary figures as Arthur Rowe, Alf Ramsey, Billy Nicholson, Danny Blanchflower, Jimmy Greaves, Glenn Hoddle, Gary Lineker and Harry Kane. The chapters cover the various decades throughout the club's history at the stadium and there are numerous photographs throughout the book. At the end, there is a statistical section giving dates and records of the players' achievements.
As a Tottenham Hotspur fan myself, I found the book to be a fascinating and comprehensive insight into the history of this famous club, but it should appeal to sports fans of all persuasions.
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